A scenic and botanically interesting circular walk from Tamaimo, Santiago del Teide

Almond trees in bloom beside the path from Tamaimo to Arguayo

I did this walk yesterday, 11th February, on our first sunny day for a while, so it was a real treat. Not only is it a very scenic route, but also exciting botanically with lots of rarities, especially in the latter half. It was however, quite a long and strenuous walk, and in one place a bit vertiginous, though you could end sooner to cut that bit out.

The path down to the tunnel under the new road is almost overgrown with Argyranthemums

We started from Tamaimo, parking on the main road (TF-82) towards Chio, and taking a steep street up from that road, called Calle la Rosa. Continue along that street till it ends, where a footpath starts. This is a broad footpath that is easy to follow but is steep. If you start early in the day you get a bit of shade on the way up, which you may be glad of! I have never before walked this route at almond blossom time, and it was a delight.

The north-facing slopes of La Hoya were covered in Atlantic Islands buttercups (Ranunculus cortusifolius)

 

At the end of the first bit of the climb the path joins the end of a tarmac road. We walked along it about 30m and turned left onto another path, although it is a bit more overgrown. After a while the path is diverted to the left where it has been dissected by the new road. The new path made goes down some steps to a tunnel beneath the new road, but it is already overgrown by Marguerites (Argyranthemum sp) so it is difficult to see the steps. On the other side of the tunnel the path climbs up and eventually rejoins the old path to continue up to Arguayo, coming out on the bypass, which we crossed and went up to the road through the village where we turned left.

Marguerite (Argyranthemum foeniculaceum), a Tenerife endemic

 

 

We passed the pottery museum on our left (worth a quick visit if you are interested) and shortly after turned left, past the statues of two potters, crossed back over the bypass to go up a concrete road opposite. Just a few yards up this we took a left fork to go onto a level footpath (at first!) around the mountain called La Hoya. The path overlooks the entrances to the tunnels for the new road which goes beneath this mountain, then it takes a sharp right turn to go around the north side of La Hoya. This stretch of path is delightful for its views of the Santiago Valley and across to the Teno mountains, and for the rich variety of flowers along it. At this time of year we saw lots of Atlantic island buttercups (Ranunculus cortusifolius) growing in drifts up the side of the mountain. There were also lots of the local species of Marguerites (Argyranthemum foeniculaceum), a Tenerife endemic, with filiform bluish leaves and large flower heads. In addition the Purple Spurge (Euphorbia atropurpurea), a Tenerife endemic, was in flower as was Yellow Carrot (Todaroa aurea) a carrot-like umbellifera which is a Canary endemic.

Canary sage (Salvia canariensis) surrounded by Canary Lavender (Lavandula canariensis) both Canary endemics

When we got down the slope of the mountain we were very near the new road, where a track crosses on a bridge, but we had to cross the track to continue beside the road until we reached a tunnel beneath it for the path. Shortly after emerging from the tunnel and climbing the ramp the other side, we reached a fork in the path where we turned left to El Molledo. We crossed the road went down into the village past the church and the square and straight on into a narrow street going downhill, then right with another street till we reached the streambed of the barranco which the path crosses. Coming out of the barranco we passed a turning left (a footpath going down the side of the valley), but when we reached the next junction, by a huge volcanic dyke (intrusion of molten magma into existing rock), we took the left fork.

Walking towards the old goat farm on the north side of the Santiago valley

Now we were walking along a contour on the north side of the Santiago valley in open country with fine views. We passed drifts of Canary Lavender (Lavandula canariensis) interspersed with Canary sage (Salvia canariensis), and then a gentle up slope took us to the top of the ridge, where the path followed a dyke forming the ridge. We were now looking down into the next valley, Barranco Mancha de la Diaz, on our right. On the top of the dyke on the left are tight clumps of Little Houseleek (Aeonium sedifolium), which later in spring will be covered in yellow flowers.

Yellow carrot (Todaroa aurea), a Canary endemic

 

 

 

Arriving at a junction with a signpost we reached a decision point. Some of our group decided to descend the path to the left to return to Tamaimo, our starting point. In fact this had been my intention for all the group. However, we had made such good time, others thought the walk too short, and wanted to continue on the ridge, which we did. After a while on a very well defined path, we reached a fork and took the left path. This was a much smaller path, though still easy to follow. It did however, have some narrow points with drops on the right, and occasions where we had to climb up rocks, but all within our capability (we are not rock climbers!!).

A view of the path alongside Barranco Mancha de las Diaz

This path was very interesting as far as botany was concerned. On the cliffs we passed under there were Cineraria (Pericallis echinata), a Tenerife endemic, more Atlantic Islands Buttercups, Tenerife Sea-Kale (Crambe scaberrima), and Teno sow-thistle (Sonchus fauces-orci), both the latter being Tenerife endemics. That is just to mention the plants that were flowering. Later in the spring the Retama (Retama raetam) and the Tree bindweed (Convolvulus floridus) would be in flower, among other things.

 

Tenerife Sea-Kale (Crambe scaberrima), a Tenerife endemic

 

After walking along roughly level, or going slightly downhill, with the ridge getting higher above us, we finally followed the path up a slope and found ourselves on the top, with lovely views to Los Gigantes. We then went left across the ridge, which was quite wide and flat, until we got to a T-junction with a yellow and white waymarked path on the far side of the ridge. There we went right and the path immediately began a long steep descent. However, there was botanical interest here too, with a mixture of Neochamaelea pulverulenta shrubs and smaller Parolinia intermedia shrubs, both in flower. Both are grey leaved, and Canary endemics, with the Parolinia confined to Tenerife. They do not have English names, so I am not going to invent them! Neither of these are threatened species, they tend to be locally abundant where they grow, but in relatively few sites, especially the latter, so I do not often see them.

Teno sow-thistle (Sonchus fauces-orci) on the cliff above the path in Barranco Mancha de las Diaz

View to Roque Blanco from the path in Barranco Seco

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also on the descent were lots of Kickxia scoparia in flower, with yellow flowers with spurs at their base. This too is a Canary endemic. Unfortunately they are hard to photograph with my little compact as they are so insubstantial. There were also plentiful Tenerife Lavender (Lavender buchii), a Tenerife endemic found mainly in Teno.  Another Canary endemic plant that was abundant in this area, but unfortunately not in flower, was Justicia hyssopifolia.

Parolinia intermedia, a Tenerife endemic

Neochamaelea pulverulenta, a Canary endemic

 

 

 

 

 

As we descended we had great views, particularly of the Santiago valley, which we eventually reached, and turned left uphill on the footpath back to Tamaimo.

Kickxia scoparia, another Canary endemic

Justicia hyssopifolia, another Canary endemic but not in flower

 

 

 

 

The walk took 5 hours and 20 minutes, was 12.44 km long and involved 675m of climbing. A GPS track of the walk can be viewed and downloaded from the following link:

http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=8885597

Tenerife Lavender (Lavandula buchii) with its grey leaves

Views of the Santiago valley as we descended

A circular walk from Santiago del Teide with plenty of flowers

Several flowering shrubs of Lesser White Bugloss (Echium aculeatum), an endemic of the Western Canary Islands

 

I walked this route with a few friends last Wednesday, 23rd April, and the area was so green and so many flowers were out that I had to blog about it. Some of the flowers were the local endemics, others were common mediterranean plants, but they all were a delight.

Retama bush (Retama rhodorhizoides) in full flower. The scent is gorgeous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We set off from the barbecue park on the edge of Santiago del Teide, near the church, along the road in the direction of Erjos and the north. We passed the turning to Valle de Arriba and continued along the main road to the next corner where we took the footpath up the hill. As we approached the footpath we could already see lots of bushes of Lesser white bugloss (Echium aculeatum) an endemic of the western Canary Islands, and Retama (Retama rhodorhizoides) bushes, both covered in white flowers. The Retama is also a Canary endemic.

The view back towards Santiago del Teide from half-way up the initial climb

The footpath started uphill gently and in shade, but soon got steeper, and out in the sun, so we had a few stops to admire the view and look at wildlife. We heard a Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara koenigi) repeatedly giving an unusual call, a loud note rising at the end, which we think must have been a mating call. We looked where it was coming from and were amazed to see the Partridge in the branches of a dead shrub. I have never seen one standing on anything other than the ground, and only leaving that in flight very reluctantly when feeling threatened.

A Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara koenigi) on the branches of a dead shrub

 

 

 

Shortly afterwards we saw the first of numerous Small Copper butterflies (Lycaena phlaeas). During the course of the walk we also saw lots of other butterflies, including Canary Red Admirals, Canary Blues and Small Whites.

Small Copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas) on a Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)

 

 

 

 

Roof houseleek (Aeonium urbicum var meridionale), another Canary endemic found only on Tenerife in the Teno and Santiago del Teide area

 

 

As we climbed we saw one specimen of the Roof Houseleek (Aeonium urbicum var meridionale) in flower. It only grows in the Santiago del Teide and Teno area, with lots growing on the lava flows (malpais) around Arguayo, but this one was on its own.

A view of Teide from the track down from Mt Gala

 

 

The path reaches the end of a track, but continues upwards to the ridge where some superb views of Teno can be seen, but we went right, walking along the track which winds its way around the slopes of Mt Gala with its fire watchtower and communications masts on top. The track reaches a narrow tarmac access track on a ridge. This is the access to the masts and tower on Mt Gala, and runs down a ridge which marks a watershed between the north and south of Tenerife. It is noticeably greener on the northern side, due to more rain from the north-easterly prevailing winds. We turned right to descend the track till we were not far from the main road, before turning left down a very old, partly cobbled footpath down towards the Erjos lakes. At the bottom we turned right to go up to the main road again, joining it near to the Restaurant Fleytas. Taking this little diversion avoided walking along the main road on some dangerous bends.

Cineraria (Pericallis echinata) another Canary endemic

 

We walked on the main road a short way, past the Restaurant Fleytas, took the road to the left after the bus-stop and turned left again before the first house, onto a concrete track. This took us down and then up past some cultivated fields. The field edges, and some uncultivated areas were awash with wildflowers such as Common poppies (Papaver rhoeas), Tangier peas (Lathyrus tingitanus), and Lathyrus articulatus, with Milk thistles (Silybum marianum) and many other vetches and other common flowers.

Tangier pea (Lathyrus tingitanus) was abundant on the northern side of the watershed

 

The concrete road joins the road to San Jose de los Llanos, we turned left along it for a short distance till we reached a roundabout by the newly completed rural museum which is still not opened. Here we turned right and immediately right again to go around a very fine large pine tree and along a track around Mt Tamaseche. The track runs parallel but higher than the road for a while before turning to the south. The track had lots of flowers either side including the Tree Sow-thistle (Sonchus canariensis) which is common in this area, the Pine Cistus (Cistus symphytifolius), with its large papery pink flowers, Tree heaths, (Erica arborea) and Sticky broom (Adenocarpus foliosus), a Canary endemic. We stopped for our lunch on a bend in the track overlooking the lovely fertile valley of Valle de Arriba.

Lathyrus articulatus, another plant of the sweet pea family which was abundant on this walk

 

After this bend the landscape was more south facing and noticeably more open, although the uncultivated fields were still very green, but in places had a haze of carmine in them. Closer examination identified the carmine haze as carpets of Field Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus) in amongst the grass.

Field Gladiolus (Gladiolus italicus) is common in the fields above Valle de Arriba

 

The track goes through a narrow gap where it is a bit rough underfoot and not long after there is a track junction where we went right. This goes through an area with a lot of fig trees in fields which are largely uncultivated, but are full of wildflowers. We passed just one group of yellow-flowered shrubs of the broom family. I have seen them before and believe them to be Teline stenopetala, a macronesian endemic which is more common in the north of the island.

Atlantic Islands Whin (Teline stenopetala), a macronesian endemic

 

At a T-junction of tracks we turned right and soon met the tarmac road which goes to the shrine above Valle de Arriba. We turned right to go down it, although some of us took a short-cut on the footpath lower down. Either way we walked down to the village of Valle de Arriba and through it back to Santiago del Teide.

At a T-junction of tracks we turned right and soon met the tarmac road which goes to the shrine above Valle de Arriba. We turned right to go down it, although some of us took a short-cut on the footpath lower down. Either way we walked down to the village of Valle de Arriba and through it back to Santiago del Teide.

The walk was 12.75 km / 7.9 mls long with 444m / 1458 ft of ascent and descent. It took us nearly 4.5 hours at a leisurely pace.

A walk with fantastic views from Tamaimo, West Tenerife

A view from near Arguayo towards Tamaimo in the valley with the island of La Gomera in the distance

I did this walk with a group of friends on October 23rd when we were still having very wam sunny weather with clear skies making excellent views. Since then the weather has got more autumnal and yesterday we had a whole day of rain in Guia de Isora. Of course that is not a bad thing for a naturalist, as we will, of course, see more growth and flowering of the plants in the coming weeks. It’s back to sun today, so no complaints!

The new ring road as it enters the tunnels from the Chio side. We were pleased to see the work has restarted in October as promised.

The walk starts from Tamaimo in the Santiago valley. We left the TF-82 leading to Chio and Guia de Isora, on a narrow road called Calle la Rosa. It is a steep street between houses, bending to the right and climbing till it reaches the last house. From here on there is a footpath, zig-zagging up the steep side of the valley, with the views improving all the time as you climb.

Atalanthus capillaris – Feathery sow-thistle – was one of the few plants in flower

The path reaches the end of another tarmac road as you near the top. We went left on the road for a few yards and then left onto another footpath. This led us to the edge of the new ring road that is being built at the moment. The path used to go straight on here, but has been diverted down a deep cutting, through a tunnel and up the other side to meet the old path. We were pleased to see that, after a silent summer on the road with no work being done due to shortage of money, some work has restarted as promised.

The path heads towards Risco Blanco in the distance, with Verode (Kleinia nerifolia) in the foreground.

The path continues uphill till it reaches Arguayo’s bypass which it crosses to join the main street through the village, where we went left. Towards the end of the village, on the left, is a pottery museum where you can see potters demonstrating the traditional methods of making pots. The work was traditionally done by women, and outside the museum is a lovely statue in tribute to their work. The museum is worth a quick visit, if it is open. It is housed in a typical old canarian house built around a courtyard.

Work was also going on at the Santiago del Teide end of the tunnel

We turned left after the museum, passing the statues to reach the bypass again, which we crossed again to join a footpath on the other side. The footpath starts as a steep concrete road with steps in the middle, and shortly has a fork in it, where we turned left. From here it  is roughly level for a while before turning sharp right and starting a long but gentle descent back into the valley. From the flat bit we were able to look down the valley and down to the roadworks below at the entrance to the tunnel which goes under the mountain we were walking around.

The old path wanders between walls alongside the new road

The descending path is surrounded by a great diversity of plants, which makes this walk of great interest in the spring, and into the summer, but without any substantial rain yet this autumn there were few flowers to see this time, just the Verode (Kleinia nerifolia) which seems to flower whether or not there has been rain, and then launches huge numbers of seeds on hairy ‘parachutes’.

The path comes down to the level of the new road and crosses a track, continuing for a while along the right-hand side of the road, until it reaches a tunnel built under the road, and continues on the other side. An embankment on the right of the path here had a lot of native plants growing on it, including the local Marguerite (Argyranthemum gracile) which was in flower. Then the path reaches a fork, the path to the right goes to Santiago del Teide, but we took the left one, to El Molledo, which passes an electricity pylon, goes through some fig trees to reach a pedestrian crossing across the main road from Santiago del Teide to Los Gigantes. Over the crossing, we walked down into the village to the square by the church, where there are lots of benches so it makes a good lunch spot.

Marguerite (Argyranthemum gracile)

After lunch we left the square on the opposite side, going across a cross-roads into a narrow street heading downwards and towards the other side of the valley. It came down to the streambed of the barranco running down the valley, and became a footpath crossing it and going up the other side to a signpost at a junction, where we went straight on, and again straight on at the next signpost. Shortly after the second signpost we took the left fork in the path, which descended slightly and then contoured around the edge of the valley with fine views down it, and across it to Mt Teide.

A geological dyke forming the core of the ridge we walked down.

The path passes a fenced-off small finca, which, before the 2007 forest fire that affected this area, was a goat farm. Now the goats are kept lower down the valley. Then a small climb takes the path to the top of the ridge, where a huge geological dyke can be seen, which forms the core of the ridge. It is an intrusion of molten rock during volcanic activity, and is composed of rock more resistant to erosion than the rock into which it intruded. The path then follows the dyke down the ridge, with the dyke forming a high wall on the left of the path. It is topped in places by a rock plant with yellow flowers in spring, a Houseleek (Aeonium sedifolium).

On this occasion the only plant flowering here was the Tenerife lavender (Lavandula buchii), growing out of the side of the dyke.

A Canary endemic houseleek (Aeonium sedifolium) growing on the large dyke. (Photo taken on 15th May, 2013)

A junction with a signpost indicates our chosen path for descent from the ridge, going left in gentle zig-zags. On the left as we start the descent is a cliff, which in spring is worth scanning for Tenerife samphire (Vieraea laevigata), a yellow daisy-flower which hangs off the cliff, which is an endemic of the Teno area. It is also an area I have often seen Ravens (Corvus corax tingitanus) flying.

Tenerife samphire (Vieraea laevigata), a Tenerife endemic, on the cliff near the descending path. (Photo taken 15th May, 2013)

At the bottom of the descent another signpost at the junction with the path running down the valley edge, and we turned right. After a short while we turned left where an arrow indicated a path crossing the barranco streambed to turn gently downhill. Or there is another turning further on also. Both join up after entering Tamaimo and arrive at the main road just below the T-junction in the middle of the town. To get back to where we started we went up to the T-junction and turned right, but we stopped in a bar for refreshments first!

Tenerife lavender (Lavandula buchii) growing on the dyke

This walk took us about 4.25 hours, was about 12 km/7.5 mls and involved around 600m of ascent.

The cliff on the left of the descending path

A circular walk from Santiago del Teide, Tenerife

Near the beginning of the walk on the path towards the Degollada de la Mesa

My friends and I decided to do this walk last Wednesday as it combined a lot of paths we knew in a different way, involved a link we were not familiar with and a recently cleared path back to Santiago del Teide we had never used. It turned out a varied and pleasant walk which we all enjoyed.

Sea squill (Drimia maritima)

We parked opposite the barbeque park just beyond the church in Santiago del Teide and walked along the main road towards Erjos past the turning to Valle de Arriba and up to the next bend where the footpath starts.  This footpath has a sign either end saying it is temporarily closed.  However, it is a good clear path and in better state than many we know that are open.  There is, however, near the signpost that ends our use of it, a short section which is steep, with loose stones, that could be slippery in damp weather, especially when coming down.   We have never found it a problem going up.

The view to Teide from near the junction with the track

The path passes a group of Eucalyptus trees on the left at the beginning but as it climbs the left hand side is open and there are pines on the right, enabling excellent views back down towards Santiago del Teide.  The open area was affected by the fire in 2007 but is now repopulated with mixed shrubs.  On the path we passed a Sea squill (Drimia maritima) in flower.  Its name is inappropriate for where it grows in Tenerife, which is in the mountains rather than near the sea but even its spanish name, Cebolla maritima, which translates as Sea onion, gives it a connection to the sea.  It is a bulb whose leaves appear earlier in the year, then they die back when the flower is produced in late summer.  This year seems to be a good year for the flowers, I don’t think I have seen so many in previous years.

Burnt forest seen from the track around Mt Gala

e reached a signpost where our path, which continues up to the Degollada de la Mesa, meets the end of a track.  We turned right onto the track which winds its way, roughly on the level, around Mt Gala with its fire watchtower and communications masts.  Here we started to see signs of the recent fire in the area, with some areas where the trees were brown and the ground was covered by ash from the burnt pine needle carpet.  These trees  will recover quite quickly after rain, as the fire has rushed through and not burned intensely around them.

Looking up at Mt Gala from its access road, with its fire scars.

The track rises gently to a ridge where it meets the access road for the Mt Gala installations, which we crossed to descend towards the Erjos lakes.  At the moment only one has a little water in it, unlike two winters ago when we counted seven lakes filled with water.  The slope we walked down was badly burned in the recent fire, although even there a small patch of laurels had survived in a dip on the way down.

Looking towards Erjos and the lakes from near the ridge, across the slopes burnt in the recent fire

It was noticeable as we continued that the only green on the burnt areas was the regrowth of brambles and bracken from their roots.  How resilient they are!

Passing the lakes, we turned right where the waymarked path we had been following went left.  Shortly afterwards we went left up a track which zig-zags up to the main road near the Restaurant Fleytas.  A short walk along the road, passing the restaurant on our left we approached a house just past the junction with the road going to San Jose de los Llanos, and turned left immediately before it to join a concrete farm road which dips down into the valley and up the other side.  This avoids walking on the road to San Jose which you can use if you prefer.  The concrete road joins the San Jose road just before the roundabout where the new Eco museum entrance will be.  The buildings there seem to have been completed, and the car park areas constructed and landscaped, but there is no sign yet of it opening.  Perhaps the present economic situation is the cause of the delay.

Half-spotted stink bug (Graphosuma semipunctata) on a fennel head. They are very common on them this year.

From the roundabout we took the track signposted as the way to the Rural hotel.  We also joined one of the footpaths in the PR-TF 43 complex which connects with the circle around Chinyero, but we were not going that far!  We walked past the rural hotel and up to a crossroads of tracks.  The yellow/white path continues straight on, with another branch (to San Jose de los Llanos) going left but here we turned right.  (Well, if I’m honest we went left for a small diversion, which did not turn out well so I am not relating it!)

We followed the track as far as a fork with a fig tree between the two prongs and took the left track, heading fairly straight towards Mt Bilma a reddish-coloured volcano.  We passed many fields with fig trees on either side of the track.  Ignoring a track to the right we continued walking straight on until, after 20 minutes walking from the crossroads, we met another junction with a track, which was part of the yellow/white waymarked path from Santiago del Teide to Chinyero.  We turned right there to return to Santiago del Teide.

The view towards Teide and Pico Viejo from the path near Mt Bilma

Following the yellow/white markings on the track with lava on our left, we shortly turned to the left at El Fronton – the end of the Chinyero lava of 1909.  The pile of lava is about 4 metres high, with an abrupt end, and in front of it a turning circle for vehicles driving up the minor road from Valle de Arriba, and on the far side of that a small white shrine.  The signpost for the trail points straight on for Santiago del Teide 3.6km away.  The route we took followed this signposted route from now on.

The path went towards Mt Bilma for a while and then took a 90 degree turn to the right and started downhill with a view of Mt Gala, which we walked around earlier, ahead of us.  After crossing another footpath, the slope became steeper and rougher and needed attention, and at the bottom of that section, next to a wedge-shaped reservoir was a fork, with the signpost pointing to the left.  This was the beginning of the new bit of path we had not walked before.  It did prove to be quite rough underfoot for much of the way, so if you prefer a more comfortable walking surface, I suggest you go straight on, which leads you onto the Valle de Arriba road, where you would turn left to get back to the start.  However, we walked along the new path which wound its way across the rough ground to arrive on the edge of the village not far from the church.

The recently cleared path heading for the church of Santiago del Teide

Reaching tarmac we went right, left and right again to get to the church plaza where there is a Tourist Information office.  We had only to turn right, along the main road going to the left of the church to get back to where we parked.

The walk was 13.5km /8.4 miles long and took about 4.25 hours (after deducting our unsuccessful diversion).  There was approximately 400m of climbing.