Route Summary
The walk starts and ends in El Rio which enjoys a great vantage point over the east coast. The focal point of the walk is the “Presa del Rio”, an apparently unused dam in the scenic Barranco del Rio. The descent to the dam may not suit all walkers but an alternative is suggested.
Duration: 3 hours
Route Overview
Duration: 3 hours.
Transport/Parking: Titsa 416 from Los Cristianos to Granadilla, then Titsa 35 (to Guimar). Easy parking on road near to school at start of walk.
Length: 6.520 km / 4.08 mi
Height Gain: 290 meter
Height Loss: 290 meter
Max Height: 636 meter
Min Height: 447 meter
Surface: Rough. Vertigo sufferers can take in the views of the dam and Barranco del Rio from above, just below Waypoint 17, and return to El Rio along the narrow tarmac originally set out on.
Child Friendly: Yes. But only if children are used to hikes of this distance and overall ascent on rough surfaces.
Difficulty: Medium.
Dog Friendly: Yes. On lead in El Rio.
Refreshments: We didn’t see a cafe/bar in El Rio. We suggest Villa de Arico, Granadilla or San Isidro.
Description
At 6.5 km and just under 300 m overall ascent, this is a moderate hike amongst the distinctive and pleasing honey-coloured stone of Arico that will only occupy part of your day. The many dry-stone walled terraces are a joy to behold, and, on a clear day the wide-open “big country” views will take your breath away. The walk starts and ends in the typical Canarian village of El Rio on the TF-28 between Granadilla and Villa de Arico. Enjoying a great vantage point over the east coast, it’s an unassuming place with lots of pretty corners to discover. The focal point of the walk is the “Presa del Rio”, an apparently unfinished and abandoned dam in the wonderfully scenic and rugged Barranco del Rio. We found the approach to the dam from the east side was a little tricky and precipitous in places but, no doubt, the rock climbers we encountered clinging to the nearby cliffs wouldn’t have blinked an eye. If you are concerned about suffering from vertigo in the descent to the dam you can take in the views of the dam and Barranco del Rio from just below Waypoint 17, and, instead, return to El Rio along the narrow tarmac road you originally set out on.
Links:
Photos from walk
Download Route Guide (PDF with illustrated Waypoints)
Download GPX file (GPS Exchange Format)
Access Walk on Viewranger
Access Walk on Wikiloc
Walk Tenerife Sur: Under 10 km 