Route Summary
A relatively strenuous but highly recommended half-day hike in the hills above Valle de Arriba. With lots of rural interest along the way, there are tremendous views of the Teno Mountains and Teide in the first half, later giving way to glimpses of the North of the island.
Duration: 3.5 hours
Route Overview
Duration: 3.5 hours.
Transport/Parking: There is no longer a bus service to Valle de Arriba. It is a 15 minutes walk from the church in Santaigo del Teide to the church in Valle de Arriba, the walk start-point. Easy parking just off road across from the church at the start of the walk.
Length: 9.260 km / 5.79 mi
Height Gain: 402 meter
Height Loss: 402 meter
Max Height: 1214 meter
Min Height: 975 meter
Surface: Rough. Some of the route is on paved surfaces.
Child Friendly: Yes, but only if children are used to hikes of this distance and overall ascent on rough paths.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Dog Friendly: Yes. On lead in Valle de Arriba and near TF-373 road.
Refreshments: A number of options on the main street in Santiago del Teide. We recommend Bar Tropic II – authentic local tapas and friendly service.
Description
This excellent walk combines many of the aspects we love about walking in Tenerife. Starting at the old church on the outskirts of Valle de Arriba, you are immediately immersed in an agricultural, vine-growing landscape. In late Spring (April/May) wildflowers, and especially red poppies, provide a blanket of colour all around. Climbing out of the village, there are marvellous views of the Santiago del Teide valley and the southern flank of the Teno Mountains. Soon, these views are capped by a stunning outlook in the opposite direction towards Teide and Pico Viejo. Here, you are surrounded by fig and almond orchards. After passing a shrine commemorating the point where the lava stopped flowing in the Chinyero eruption of 1909, the route meanders along dry-stone wall lined tracks on its way to the Vaguada de los Ovejeros (Valley of the Shepherds), a shaded and shallow ravine with many plants and flowers more typical in the North of the island. There are then wonderful views from a half-circuit of the pine-forested Montaña Tomaseche down to Valle de Arriba. A quick detour to the (presently) abandoned Eco Museum off the TF-373 road to San Jose de los Llanos provides interest (e.g. an old threshing circle – “era”) and views of the verdant North near Erjos. An ancient downhill path used by farmers and their livestock then returns you to the productive farmland of Valle de Arriba.
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 