Walking Holidays - Tenerife and Gran Canaria are Equally Good?

WALKING IN GRAN CANARIA

Gran Canaria has a claim to be the most versatile of hiking islands. Island lovers, and especially those that love walking, praise it as a miniature continent because of its diversity of landscapes. Expansive golden dunes contrast with luscious subtropical valleys as do deep ravines with palm tree oases and glittering reservoirs.

Then there are extensive pine tree forests and green slopes with grazing sheep and goats. To the north west, cliffs drop down 800 metres deep into the ocean, while in the centre of the island, serrated ridges almost 2000 metres high and bizarre rock monoliths emerge. From here, deep barrancos (gorges and ravines) push out down to the sea. In the post Ice Age period they were wet but the barrancos are now dry and covered with crops such as bananas, sugar cane and papayas.

Due to the increased significance in recent years of hiking tourism, the Cabildo (island government) has been working hard to encourage more rural tourism by investing money into opening up ancient walking paths. Known as Caminos Reales (royal paths) these paths are based on parts of rocks which are more than 500 years old which have been carefully restored in recent years.

These paths stretch across the entire island and are used to link remote mountain villages with the coast. Mainly stone paved hiking paths are therefore also ideal for less experienced hikers. Experienced mountain hikers, who are not afraid of dramatic walks, will also find a rich offering.

The high interior peaks of Gran Canaria often get snow in winter, and the contrast to the arid low lying southern area could not be greater. There are 32 protected natural areas within Gran Canaria and walkers can enjoy excursions to beaches, spectacular cave villages, and hikes through pine forests and atmospheric ridge paths. Signposting on the trails is being improved all the time, and a number of maps with hiking trails are available from the Cabildo and the various information points around the island.

Popular hikes include walks out from Cruz de Tejeda to Santa Maria de Guia and Artenara. There are numerous ancient caves within Gran Canaria's interior, many of them unmarked, to serve as protection such as Cueva Grande and Cuevas del Pina near San Bartolme de Tirajana.

Good bases for walking Gran Canaria's interior include San Bartolme, Artenara, Teror, Arucas, Santa Lucia and Agate on the western side of the island. You can also walk up to the island's highest point, Pico de las Nieves (1949 metres/6395 feet).