21-12-17

After the easy day yesterday with a huge spanish omlette for dinner, and a good night’s sleep, I’m ready for more hiking. So it’s an early morning bus back up to La Caldera and continue from there.

TITSA bus returning from its end stop at La Caldera

It’s really nice weather today, with far views down to Orotava and Puerto de la Cruz. Just a few too many trees in the way… need to get higher up!

view of the coast by Puerto de la Cruz from La Caldera

The path starts nice and easy with some downhill and flat parts through dense woods – with a lot of autumn-y chestnut trees.

Then it starts to climb.

I meet a fellow hiker, nice guy from Nürnberg, and we walk together and talk for a while.

Whenever there is some more open areas, there is again lovely views back down towards the coast. Great sunshine!

the coast around Puerto de la Cruz

…and up to El Teide – which really has only very little snow this year (so far).

view up with El Teide in the background

Then the now steep uphill path follows a barranco for a while; at this place it’s very canyon-like, steep cliffs where the river bed has dug down deep over the years.

Barranco de Guamaso

Then we cross the road in a small tunnel.

tunnel under the road TF-21

And as we’re approching El Portillo and the border to the national park, the terrain flattens out and the vegetation changes completely within just a few 100 meters. From dense pine forest, with lots of undergrowth (at least a bit further downhill), to become almost desert-like.

at the border to the Parque Natura Corona Forestal

I go for a toilet break at the visitor’s and information centre; but can’t be bothered to check it out more. Just too nice weather outside!

Centro de Visitantes de El Portillo, Parque Natural El Teide

I stroll through the botanical garden that they’ve created just by the visitor’s centre, and then a bit onwards, until I find a nice stone bench in the sun for a long lunch and rest break.

lunch spot at 2070m asl, with view of the Riscos de la Fortaleza (cliffs on the left)

From a sign I learn that these Riscos and the adjacent El Cabézon top are remains from an ancient volcano, that was there even before El Teide was formed.

And then it’s already time to catch the one and only bus back down to my hotel in Orotava. So I make my way to the El Portillo Alto cluster of mountain restaurents where there is a bus stop.

Restaurant Bamby, El Portillo Alto, with view of El Teide (again, of course)

Just a last view towards the south-east – looking so much forward to continue hiking along there tomorrow!!

Today’s hike was about 16km with 1200m of ascent (but luckily with a light pack).

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