Las Canadas

Today dawned bright, sunny, and blue. The local forecast for the week is a little changeable so we decided to make the most of the day and go up the mountain. This is a trip we have done many tens of times before, but no visit to the island is complete without it.

We decided to avoid our normal route and climb up through Grenadilla de Abona to Vilaflor and then on to Boca Tauce. The climb was fairly uneventful, the car asthmatically wheezed itself up the continuous incline, at a steady (if pedestrian) pace.

Once over the rim, and into the crater we just gazed in awe at the size and spectacle before us. Whilst we have seen it so many times it still takes the breath away. As a friend said this week, you suddenly become aware of your own insignificance. Whilst there were other people up in "Las Canadas", it seemed deserted. No body or thing impinged on the grandeur.

We stopped first at Zapotilla de la Reina (sp?). This is an arch of rock that looks like a high heeled shoe. It stands some 50m from the road, in an arc of rocks. This was an area we had not noticed before, despite the number of trips.

From there, we headed onward to Rocques de Garcia. We parked, and Gorse Fox grabbed his back pack. The intrepid pair then headed off past the tourists and along a path that ran anti-clockwise round the huge outcrops.

At each turn there were new sights, and new views of the familiar rocks. We passed the end of tortured lava flows, and hiked across lava fields. The dipping down we descended the scree slopes to the floor of the volcanic plane. It was a hard descent, as the path was difficult to locate and zigged and zagged its way down. Silver Vixen has a weakness in one leg, as a result of all her back surgery - this made the descent doubly difficult for her.

All the way across toward a huge outcrop we passed incredible rock formations, and lava flows that looked almost as if they were still flowing. The huge outcrop looked like a medieval cathedral planted in the middle of a vast plaza. From there, the path (and I use the noun lightly) led back upwards and towards the car park

This last part of the route was difficult and strenuous. Silver Vixen is not comfortable with heights at the best of times. This was a climb up a steep scree slope. Holding her hand as we climbed GF could feel he pulse racing. We stopped, took stock, drunk more of our water - then headed on up. Two hours and 20 minutes after setting off we had arrived back at the car.

We headed for the Paradores and restocked sugar levels with a couple of glasses of fresh orange each... and a very sugary doughnut !!!

From there we drove back down the western route and were soon back at the apartment.

It had been an interesting and strenuous day. We had achieved something. It was uplifting. It was a 75 photo day! This blog only shows a few.