To the page for Spain of
the Trento Bike Pages.
Bicycling in Tenerife - January 2002
By Peter Wulff pwulff@hotmail.com
Thu, 14 Mar 2002 11:16:53 +000
Riding in Tenerife is fine, and on bicycle unspoilt sites with few or no
tourists are within reach. The reasons for going to Tenerife are manifold:
20 C in both air and sea during winter, natural beauty, challenging riding
and trekking, it's easy getting there and equally easy staying there, it's
affordable, it's cycle-friendly etc. etc. The following is a diary from 14
days, 9 of which I cycled.
January 3rd
Bought the holiday from the Swedish tour operator Fritidsresor. Cost was
2800 SEK (1USD=10.5 SEK) for flight and "unspecified" accommodation.
Unspecified means that prior to arrival the traveller doesn't know with whom
and where he will be accommodated - only that it will be Tenerife, in this
case. Getting the bicycle with me cost an extra 400 SEK. Henrik, my friend
and former colleague, had bought a similar package, also from Fritidsresor.
January 7th
Took car to the Sturup airport in southernmost Sweden. Upon arrival I was
annoyed when seeing that parking the car for two weeks would set me back 400
SEK, or 800 SEK if I wanted it inside a parking house. Left the airport area
and asked a petrol station owner if he knew of any safe and free parking
within walking distance from the airport. He knew of free parking but then
the car would almost certainly be smashed before I got back from the
holiday! It ended with me parking illegally but free and safe. Checked in
and reached Tenerife in the afternoon. The bicycle had not suffered a single
scratch. From the airport a bus took me to Hotel Oasis in Los Christianos on
the southern corner of the island. The accommodation was in a nice flat with
kitchen, toilet, bath and so on. The only problem was that I
should share it with an old Swede which immediately urinated on the toilet
floor. Besides, there was only one bedroom. I asked Fritidsresor if I could
have single accommodation. I could - for an additional 500 SEK a day!? I
suggested to the old Swede that he could have the bedroom and double-bed if
I could have the living room with its extra bed, he agreed. Henrik had flown
from Umeaa in north Sweden and arrived early in the morning. His
accommodation was in Puerto de la Cruz on the north coast.
January 8th
Prior to our departure from Sweden we had agreed on meeting either in the
airport on the 7th, or if that failed, next day at 12 o'clock in Santiago
del Teide in Tenerife's NW-corner. I reached Santiago del Teide at about
11.15 and waited until 13 o'clock but there were no signs of Henrik. Rode
down to Los Gigantes and swum. Later returned to Los Christianos. As my head
lamp for unknown reasons didn't work, the last 30 km was in darkness. 95 km
horizontally and 1200 m vertically that day. Due to the dust-laden Scirocco
from Sahara, there wasn't much sun that day. Back on hotel Oasis the old
Swede had once again urinated on the toilet floor, and once again I got a
negative reply when asking for single accommodation. The female guides held
up some paragraphs in front of my nose, pertaining to "unspecified
accommodation", and basically told me that I had to put up with the old
Swedes disgusting habits because I had paid only 2800 SEK for my holiday. I
asked the guides if they knew where Henrik was accommodated, but they were
useless on this matter as well. Luckily Henrik called in the evening at
22.30. He had been in both the airport and in Santiago del Teide, but too
late in both instances. That was due to my plane arriving one hour earlier
than anticipated, and due to
he had lost his way, respectively. Anyway, we arranged to meet at the column
in the Santa Cruz city center next day at 12 o'clock. That was a stupid idea
but I was dizzy and unable to foresee that being first-time visitor, Henrik
would never find his way to the column, especially as I had not defined what
I meant with column.
January 9th
Went by bus (5.3 Euros) to Santa Cruz and waited at the column until
13o'clock. No signs of Henrik but at that time I was not surprised. Then
decided to stroll around the pleasant city center where I accidentally ran
into Henrik. He had given up waiting at another column (a high-rise
building?!) and was on his way to the National Park Office. We went there
and got permission to climb Teide - at 3718m Spain's highest peak. We were
advised against trying due to much snow and ice on the last 3-400 meters, we
would at least need crampons, which we hadn't brought along. Furthermore,
the funicular wasn't running so we would have to walk all the way. Had lunch
while waiting for a bicycle shop to open. Good shop with a lot of high-end
stuff, cheaper than in Scandinavia. Bought a head lamp, batteries included.
In the "Parque Garcia Sanabria" we saw green
parrots, blackbirds and frogs in beautiful settings. Most of the vegetation
in the park is common as indoor plants in Scandinavia, but much bigger. By
invaluable help from Henrik's GPS we got safely back to the bus station.
Arranged to meet at El Portillo next day at two o'clock. Back in Los
Christianos I bought new batteries as the
ones included in the head lamp were flat.
January 10th
Left hotel Oasis at 6.30 and rode towards El Portillo through Arona, La
Escalonada and Vilaflor. Reached El Retamar at 2100 masl around noon. It was
cloudy, cold and sometimes with showers, not the kind of weather I had
prepared for. Down in the caldera (after a big volcano that is no more)
after Boca Tauce it started raining incessantly and I got soaked and cold.
The road eastwards to El Portillo goes through a spectacular hydrothermal
alteration zone with green, brown, orange and red minerals. Had a long rest
in the tourist trap at Los Roques while for a moment considering turning
back but as Henrik maybe waited in El Portillo I didn't. We met in a
restaurant there half an hour later, after the most unpleasant ride I've had
for a long time. I tried warming up in front of a gas oven but couldn't stop
trembling.
Henrik had started from Puerto de la Cruz at 6.30 and had reached El
Portillo six hours later, the last hour in rain and head wind. Henrik bought
lunch for both of us. My initial plan had been to cycle north around Teide
but as conditions were adverse I instead rode down to Puerto de la Cruz with
Henrik. The ride down wore several mm's off the brake blocks which wear
faster when wet. After negotiations with the
receptionist I got installed in Henrik's flat. It cost 15 Euro. Contrary to
me, Henrik did not have to share his flat with anybody else during his two
weeks in Tenerife. Ascended about 2500 m during the 96 km ride but didn't
see much of the landscape due to the bad weather.
January 11th
Got up at 5.30 but we first left the hotel at 7 o'clock because it took
Henrik a long time to dress up for the worst imaginable conditions - that
included arctic outfit such as gloves, anorak, heavy boots and so on... When
I commented on it he replied "who was freezing the most yesterday?". Anyway,
through urban areas we rode to Los Realejos after which riding got scenic.
In La Guancha we turned south and lost our way somewhere around Las Rosas -
despite considerable effort we had no success in finding reliable maps,
still the erroneous ones we finally had to accept were unreasonably
expensive. The road upwards from La Guancha is as steep as we could
overcome, maybe 20% in certain short stretches, but after we turned west
towards El Lagar riding became easier. The coniferous forest on this side of
Teide is simply very beautiful, about the best I've seen. Continued
westwards on the sinusoidal dirt road for 3-4 hours without seeing any
blubber-engine-tourists at all, or garbage or other signs of plebeian
intrusion. Reached road C-820 just south of Erjos and continued to Santiago
del Teide in heavy head wind. Excellent view towards Teide from this road.
Had a conversation with an English couple wishing they had brought their
bicycles. They showed us a good Tenerife-map they had brought from England.
Rested in Santiago del Teide before riding up to a pass west of the village,
from where we had a splendid view down to Masca. As it was 15.30 we gave up
the ride down there. Returned to Santiago del Teide where we split, I rode
to Los Christianos over Guia de Isora and got home at 18.40. 99 km
horizontally, 1500 m ascending. Henrik returned to Puerto de la Cruz on the
coastal road and got home at 19 p.m.
January 12th
Relaxed and strolled around in Los Christianos. Had a 8 Euros haircut. The
old Swede in hotel Oasis didn't close the door to his bedroom when he was
sleeping, or when he was in the toilet. Unpleasant, but there was worse to
come....
January 13th
Left hotel Oasis at 7 and rode towards Masca. In the central part of Los
Christianos an African prostitute tried attracting customers. Had plenty of
time as there were 5 hours until I should meet Henrik in Santiago del Teide.
Saw rabbit just after Adeje. Had coffee in Tejina and later coffee and cakes
in Guia de Isora. In Tejina a dog had been run over by a car, a dreadful
sight as its head was crushed. The driver had not bothered dragging the
bloody corpse off the road. Arrived in Santiago del Teide at about 11 and
walked around in the quiet (it was Sunday) village. Watched cats mating
during at least 7 minutes until a Spaniard interrupted them. Henrik arrived
by bus at 12. He had no problem getting his bike on board the bus and it was
free of charge - why can't we have the same service in Scandinavia? We rode
up to the pass and 500 m down the hairpin road to Masca. The descent from
the pass resulted in the rims getting worryingly hot from all the braking.
Had lunch in the expensive restaurant at the road in Masca - a genuine
tourist trap. Very very beautiful valley with dramatic gullies and cliffs.
Saw many quite big lizards and several hawks. We had a discussion about the
identity of a bird, it later turned out that Henrik was right. I bought a
usable "Wanderkarte"
of German origin (6 Euros), and we agreed on meeting at Boca Tauce and climb
Pico Viejo next day. After a long rest Henrik rode northwards to Buenavista
del Norte and I back to Los Christianos the same way I came. The ride from
Masca and up to the pass took 40 minutes. Ate in the restaurant "El Galeon"
at the motorway south of Adeje, spaghetti Bolognese and some kind of beef
with fries and vegetables. Including wine and coffee it ended on 12 Euros.
Definitely my first good meal in Tenerife. Just before hotel Oasis I saw a
rabbit and a big bird, perhaps a heron. Best weather so far, got slightly
burnt in the neck. Back on hotel Oasis there was a letter from Fritidsresor;
next day the old Swede and I should move to a bigger flat where we would be
joined by two more travellers. As usual the old Swede had urinated on the
floor, and as he had stood in this urine there were foot-prints of dried up
urine several places. No more walking bare-footed for me. There was one good
thing about him - as he only washed in the hotel pools I had the shower in
the flat for myself.
January 14th
Started in darkness from the hotel at 6 a.m. Rode for the third time to Guia
de Isora on the heavily trafficked road. Had coffee and cakes in the bakery
there. From there to Chio where road C-823 to Teide starts. There is a road
directly from Guia de Isora to the first big bend on road C-823 but it is
not shown on my inadequate Spanish map, so I rode the longer and more
tedious road to Chio. At about 1000 masl riding got very scenic. Saw a small
woodpecker. On the next big bend on road C-823 I accidentally and rather
unlikely met Henrik. He came out from a dirt road from Erjos, from where he
had started at 7.30. Anyway, in this area there is basalt from the most
recent eruption on Tenerife, it is from 1909 and looks as had it been
deposited yesterday. Shortly after we passed 3-4 mufflons, they vanished
before we had time to photograph them. A few km from Boca Tauce we rested on
a parking area where coaches let off passengers so that they can photograph
Teide. At that time I had less than half a litre of water left, and worried
about how unpleasant climbing Pico Viejo would be if being thirsty all the
time. Nearest place to buy water was at Los Roques 10 km to the east, so
instead I asked passing tourists if they had some water I could buy. Within
a few minutes friendly German and English women had supplied me with nearly
a litre. We continued for a while before parking the bicycles and hiding
some unnecessary gear. Pico Viejo is the second highest volcano on Tenerife,
and being composed of well-sorted cinder it is rather hard work climbing it.
Somewhat similar to walking in a dune, besides, the air is thinner at this
altitude. The ascent took about 3 hours. Henrik saw a wild dog at about 2500
masl, else there were single lizards here and there. There
is a minimum 100 m deep crater in Pico Viejo, and to the east a spectacular
view towards Teide - partly hidden in clouds that day. I shocked Henrik when
I delighted in smoking a Davidoff on the crater rim, smoking makes stupid
and stinking he claimed. Had conditions been better (more time, less ice and
better shoes) we could have climbed Teide as well that day. The descent took
two hours and we got back to Boca Tauce at about 18.30, and were in a hurry
to get as far down as possible before sunset. Upon reaching Vilaflor it was
pitch dark and cold. Continued to La Escalonada and had an excellent dinner
in "Casa Camilo" costing 11 Euros, including two big coffees. A few minutes
after leaving the restaurant I passed an area with hundreds of croaking
frogs, as it was dark I only heard them. From Boca Tauce Henrik had cycled
to El Portillo and down to Puerto de la Cruz - he hadn't frozen as much the
last few decades. I ascended about 3400 m that day, my record by far,
horizontally the ride was 95 km. Reached hotel Oasis and got the key to the
new flat. The old Swede had installed himself in one of the two bedrooms. As
usual he hadn't closed the door - he was lying in one of the beds,
half-naked, unshaved and with a depressed look on his face - a sad sight. I
installed myself in the other bedroom. The newcomers had not yet arrived.
When entering the bathroom it became evident that the old Swede had
completely lost control - there was SHIT on the toilet seat! I went
ballistic and ran down to the reception and called Fritidsresor. There was
nothing they could do about it that late, but they would address the problem
next day. Later in the evening the two new guests arrived - Swedes in their
early twenties. When realising that they couldn't get a bedroom for
themselves, they complained in the reception and got another flat.
January 15th
Took bus to Santa Cruz and strolled around with Henrik. Did nothing serious
except getting new brake blocks and batteries for the head lamp. Back on
hotel Oasis the two young Swedes had been forced back to my flat. They in
turn had forced the old Swede out of his bedroom by telling him that they
had been promised a bedroom for themselves. The direful consequence was that
he had moved into my room and was lying in my bed! So, for the 117th time I
hurried down in the reception and called Fritidsresor. I was told that the
old Swede had this day received a complaint, and unless he improved they
would evict him from the flat. In agony I returned to the flat and carried
the extra bed to the balcony. There the old Swede's stinking towel hung and
smelled like puke. He himself had left the bedroom and entered the living
room where he watched TV, dressed in shorts only, thus displaying his big
belly. The complaint from Fritidsresor was a standard form saying nothing
about what was the trouble, and seemingly the old Swede understood nothing.
I never complained directly to him - finding it embarrassing to tell this 76
years old Swede to stop being such a pig. During my night on the balcony he
went to the toilet several times while emitting strange sounds, something
like puh-pyhhhh. Basically he terrorised me with strange sounds, excrements,
smells and ugly sights. I had rather endured the company of Bin Laden.
January 16th
In the morning I met with the Danish over-guide Anders from Fritidsresor.
Contrary to the female Swedish and Finnish guides which insinuated that I
was an intolerant nuisance, this Anders understood that I had suffered
enough. He promised to move the old Swede to another hotel, to a flat with
other troublesome Swedes. A salomonic solution. The only problem was that it
could first happen next day. Left the hotel at 8.30 and rode eastwards
parallel with the motorway to Cho and from there to Granadilla. Strolled
around in that pleasant town before continuing to Las Vegas - a village at
the end of a road, and without tourists. Had a satisfying lunch in Las
Vegas' only restaurant while listening to classical music, 8 Euros including
wine and coffee. When returning to road C-822 it got cold and sometimes
rainy so I started riding back to Los Christianos on the C-822. Saw
flattened hedgehog and rat. From the peculiar restaurant at Mirador de la
Centinela there's a splendid view to several small volcanoes, some of which
are in the process of being digged away. 73 km horizontally and 700 m
vertically that day. Back on hotel Oasis the old Swede had received a letter
from Fritidsresor, telling him that he should move to another hotel next
day. Although he had irritated me for nine days it was Fritidsresor which
was mostly to blame. The old Swede should have had single accommodation from
day one, or at least have been placed in a flat with fellow countrymen, I'm
Danish. Had a long conversation with the two young Swedes in the evening,
one studied engineering, the other was a social democrat - as his parents. I
made a bet with the social democrat: if they made it to the top of Pico
Viejo I would pay him 200 SEK, else he should pay me. I slept on the balcony
for yet another night during which I woke up several times because it was
cold. I was also exposed to the endless music from hotel Oasis' restaurant -
"I just call to say I love you...", "daylight come and I wanna go home..."
and so on and so on.
January 17th
Left hotel Oasis at 6.30 and rode for the fourth time towards Santiago del
Teide. From there to Masca which I reached at 10.15. Then sat in the sun at
the restaurant and tried getting some warmth after having frozen for a
couple of hours. Henrik arrived 20 minutes later. We parked the cycles
safely and walked down the impressive Masca gully, a trip taking about 2
hours. Passed a dog that made a living out of begging from the steady stream
of tourists. Down at the coast 12-14 cats waited for the tourists. We had
nothing that cats normally find edible but these ones ate everything -
chocolate, bananas, tomato
juice. Wish we had brought 2 kilo cat food. The beach is stony with numerous
crabs trying to warm up on the boulders closest to the sea, or eating algaes
or whatever they do. We later swum in the clear water - indeed a nice place
in all respects. Stayed there for an hour during which maybe 15 tourists
arrived - none of them blubber types. On our way back to Masca I got ahead
of Henrik and for some obscure reason ended on a small path on the wrong
side of the gully. After maybe ten minutes somebody shouted hello and maybe
hilfe. I thought the person tried if there was any echo. A few minutes later
I met a German woman on the verge of panic. Not that there was anything to
panic about - we could see Masca and could reach it from where we stood with
not too big effort. However, we returned the same way we had come, got back
on the official path and reached Masca 20 minutes later. Henrik had followed
the right path and was already in Masca when we arrived. The German woman
claimed that I had saved her life, an exaggeration. She then bought us
refreshments. Henrik and I returned to Santiago del Teide and ate lightly,
then split. As it was already cold I rode down to Los Gigantes and then to
Los Christianos. Back on hotel Oasis my tormentor, the old Swede, had
finally left. What a relief! I was tired from 14 hours of cycling, walking
and sitting on cafe's. 105 km ride and 2700 m ascent.
January 18th
Met with Henrik at 11 in Los Christianos, he had taken the bus from Puerto
de la Cruz. Walked through the ugliest part of this big tourist magnet
before riding through Tenerife's ugliest area to Los Galletas where we had
lunch - entrecotes. Later, after having relaxed in the sun at the harbour, I
was too tired to do anything interesting that day and we agreed on returning
to Los Christianos. Saw big bird, probably a heron. Don Henrik was not tired
at all but insisted on cycling the 112 km back to Puerto de la Cruz, and so
he did. He reached Puerto de la Cruz at 23.50. I went back to the hotel and
slept 3-4 hours. Essentially a wasted day, only 38 km horizontally and 200 m
vertically. We passed several cyclists on road bikes that day as the
southernmost part of Tenerife is largely flat. I saw no road bikes in the
inner and higher parts of Tenerife.
January 19th
Did what the majority of tourists do on Tenerife, strolled aimlessly around,
sat in restaurants, shopped, slept and so on. Food stores in Los Christianos
charge 50-100% more than the two big "Trebol" supermarkets, one of which is
at Centro Comercial, the other at the motorway near Adeje. These two
supermarkets have a giant selection of everything edible. Also restaurants
and cafe's are unreasonable expensive in Los Christianos. Saw two cattle
herons on the rocky part of the coast at Los Christianos. I didn't see much
to the two young
Swedes, Dennis and Richard. From time to time they appeared from their
bedroom, shaved, called mother on their mobile phones, shaved, listened to
heavy rock from a ghettoblaster bought their first day on Tenerife, and then
they shaved again. Cleaning after themselves in the kitchen and living room
was not high on their agenda, but compared to the old Swede their personal
hygiene was impeccable, and they posed no threat to my mental balance. They
were in fact quite funny. This day Henrik, the most active of us, had taken
the bus from Puerto de la Cruz to Los Roques just south of Teide. The
descent from El Portillo to his hotel took him 1 hour.
January 20th
Last whole day on Tenerife. Started at 6 a.m. and headed for Vilaflor. Saw
rabbit just outside the hotel, later heard some bats over Arona. A young
road-hog yelled something in Spanish at me. Vilaflor is a picturesque
village, especially so around the central square. Had coffee and a sandwich.
In the forest 10 minutes up from Vilaflor I turned east on a rough
sinusoidal dirt road that is under EU-financed reconstruction. Most of the
following 4-5 hours I rode just above the clouds and with a splendid view to
Gran Canaria. Signs along the dirt road showed that bicycles are not allowed
on a number of paths in Las Canadas. I wonder what damage a few bicycles can
possibly do. Barring bicyclists is absurd in the light of the massive
environmental damage caused by cars, buses and millions of tourists. At
Barranco del Rio (barranco=gully) there is no bridge and I carried the bike
down and up the gully. Contrary to most other gullies on Tenerife, there is
water in Barranco del Rio. On lower altitudes the gullies are filled with
garbage. The forest on this side of Tenerife is less dense than on the
northern side but there is more sun. Saw 5 Barbary partridges. Although not
indicated on my maps it is from the dirt road possible to ride down to road
C-822 several times, e.g. to Las Vegas. After 2 hours the dirt road split, I
continued on the lower one and eventually reached road C-824, at Izana. In
this area there are several minor black cinder cones from about 1705. Rode
up to the astronomical and meteorological installations at about 2350 masl -
as high as I got on bicycle on Tenerife. Excellent view to Teide, it seemed
possible to climb it from this side as there were less snow and ice than on
the western side. Got back to C-824 and rode downhill to Ortuno and then
even more downhill to Arafo where I had a tasty and plentiful meal (5.7
Euros) in "Chapparal". It had been cold riding down through the clouds and I
warmed up in the restaurant for an hour. Then down to Guimar and
southwestwards on road C-822. From Guimar to Granadilla there is 50 km on
the road but actual distance is only 24 km. This is due to the sinusoidal
road by and large stays at the same altitude despite crossing hundreds of
gullies. Much of the landscape is completely terraced. Passed flattened
hedgehog. Riding on road C-822 is nice as there is little traffic, and one
passes numerous villages seemingly untouched by the mass tourism elsewhere
on Tenerife. I should have done this ride earlier on, and had more time. In
Chimiche I turned south to San Ysidro where I saw a heron, and encountered
potholes for the first time on Tenerife. From there largely parallel with
the motorway to Los Christianos which was reached at 20.45. About 170 km
horizontally and 3000 m ascent. Back on hotel Oasis the two young Swedes
surprised me. They had hired a car and went up to Boca Tauce and had tried
climbing Pico Viejo. Having no water they turned back halfway up. Then they
had gone to Masca, Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Cruz and back to Los
Christianos. As they had failed reaching the top of Pico Viejo I had won the
bet but the social democrat never paid. Henrik had left Tenerife in the
early morning and reached Sweden in the afternoon, his precious bike was
intact.
January 21st
Last day on Tenerife. Didn't do anything except strolling around and getting
ready to go home. Back in Sturup airport in Sweden I was eager to see what
had happened with my illegally parked car, luckily it was unharmed, neither
was there any fine. Also the bicycle was unscathed.
Epilogue
Two weeks suffice for seeing most of the island from a bicycle. Bring decent
maps as they are not available on Tenerife. Roads are very good and the car
drivers surprisingly considerate and friendly, more than anywhere else we
have been riding. The same goes for the police - it didn't bother despite we
rode on the motorway a couple of times. Neither did it bother with me riding
without helmet and on certain occasions without head light. Despite riding
968 km I suffered no flat tires, neither did Henrik. Low gears are
imperative. Bring warm clothes for riding at higher altitudes where it is
colder that one might think, especially when it gets cloudy and after
sunset. During winter crampons may be needed on the last 2-400 m of Teide.
We hadn't any crampons and so had to desist from cycling and walking from 0
m to 3718 m and back in one day. Going to Tenerife from December to February
requires more gear it seems. Don't change money in Spanish banks, not only
are their exchange rates lousy, they also charge commission. Surprisingly
the bank cashiers don't speak English - in the tourist-dependent
Tenerife....? The hotels are no better, although their receptionists manage
rudimentary English. On a number of occasions Henrik took his bicycle on
board buses - a service free of charge. Bicycles can be hired in e.g. Los
Christianos, but they are not suited for serious riding. I saw good bicycle
shops in Santa Cruz, Granadilla, Los Christianos and Los Gigantes, but there
are no doubt more. Getting accommodated in Puerto de la Cruz is more
convenient than in Los Christianos. On the whole Tenerife is a quite
cyclist-friendly part of Spain.