In retirement we have the luxury of not only a few savings to go abroad but to do it 'out of season' and take our time, not rushing back in case our jobs have been replaced by others or they have coped so well without us with the inevitable.........restructuring whispering & rumours!
Our third time in Tenerife and our second in the town Los Gigantes, a somewhat surprising favourite with the silver-set, as the hotels and apartments are mainly built on the side of a mountain. This means only the foolhardy or really superfit turn down the opportunity of the town-taxis, hovering around to tempt you in and take you up-hill to where you will invariably need to go. On our return to Los Gigantes we found that much building work had take place thankfully only in the environs and now included a pretty good new Lidl ........but you guessed it, its a long walk up hill! So take the Green Bus.
For those that have already been to Tenerife, or are researching the transport situation there....Titsa (the slightly unfortunate name for the bus company) have most of the island covered by modern, frequent and user friendly buses. Los Gigantes is no exception to this service. It is at the end of the line, so does not have the numbers and frequency of buses as the busy hub of Costa Adeje does, but it isn't half bad! Being at the end of the line means that at least on the outward journey......you get a seat of your choice which is more than you can say for those boarding buses that move on further along the more busy coast.
This day walk however, although fairly popular, starts today at the bottom and goes up to almost 1000 meters, where as most of the guides would have you take a bus first and perhaps sensibly, descend the 1000 meters to the beach. We like to be different, besides rather than be distracted by the view ahead it is sometimes good to stop frequently to look at the view of the sea behind and to take advantage of a breather at the same time of course. Our theory with this direction being that our heart can cope (hopefully) with the ups but our well used knees will really struggle with the downs, even with our trusty poles taking the load! Another advantage to an upward trek, is the normally quiet town of Santiago del Teide is at the morning meeting point for buses from all the hot-spots of Tenerife south, Puerto de la Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz as well as Los Gigantes, where trekkers disgorge, seemingly all at once, to meet an onward short bus ride to the world famous and greatly walked Masca Gorge, or in-season also to the popular almond blossom trails, nearby.
Camino Real is the name of the trail and after dodging across traffic on a series of hairpin bends on the road out of Los Gigantes passing the Mirador restaurant and just a few more bends to the start of the off road track beckoning with a way-marked sign and obligatory information board.
Incidentally, the Mirador and adjacent look-out position are a compulsory camera stop on most 'round the island' coach tours, so don't forget to stop and take some snaps of your own......rude not too!
The height gain is already considerable so take a view back over Puerto Santiago before ascending through the first banana plantation on a generally well marked trail that will eventually take you approximately 7kms and into Santiago del Teide.
We were surprised to be not alone at this stage as we followed in the steps of another couple of trekkers who looked bound for the same trail, however their steps were longer and quicker than ours and they soon disappeared before we came across them again 'conversing', mainly in gestures, with a local farmer. He was however, pointing to the left towards the summit of a hill and then back towards the coast. Our trekkers, after a false start, followed a small indistinct trail that we later found emerges via tunnels and out on the narrow cliff path very close to our apartment.......... but that's a walk for another day....or perhaps not!
It was a warm day and we had plenty of drink on board plus we had planned to stop off in a village on the way up, which was just as well as the tantalising sound of running water accompanied us for the first section of our path, not from the open stone water-channels that run throughout the area but the much later addition and quite ugly plastic pipes that follow the path down, changing from one side to the other. The earlier metal pipes, are in the main, no longer used due to corrosion or scale and are simply discarded rather than being removed for aesthetic reasons or just scrap! It's not pretty but somehow it just adds to the intrigue of this ancient highway for farmers, fishermen and even pirates....I was told!
Once out of the banana plantation, enclosed by high walls of well-worn netting, there is the inevitable dump of broken machinery and no longer required trucks and cars. The path became steeper and prettier with views of the Santiago valley all around us. Lizards lined the dry stone walls and rocks, hiding only when we were almost upon them. Frequent pauses now to take in the views back to a very blue but hazy ocean, trying to see the island of la Gomera with its seemingly permanent cloud covering its peaks.
The path takes a pretty straight passage to Santiago del Teide and if you have driven up the zig-zag road, sometimes only just a few hundred meters away from our path, you soon appreciate that this path is a much shorter journey but inevitably, very much steeper. We muttered to ourselves along the way that how our knees had been saved through somewhat frequent pauses for huffs and puffs .
The first of several alternative trails point to climbs and views that we really must do another time, perhaps starting from nearby villages en-route. This particular one to the summit of Pico la Vera at some 808 meters and then looping back onto our track giving approximately a 2kms steep diversion, but I am told that there are some spectacular views to be had at the viewpoint over the sea and the island of la Gomera. (we did this one on another walk and it was as described)
So today we took none of these as our purpose was to reach our goal in time for lunch in Santiago del Teide and catch the bus back down giving time to perhaps take a plunge in our apartment's pool.....but that is another story involving Tenerife builders having other ideas! The weather today was warm, nothing new you may say, but importantly for views, it was clear with no low cloud to spoil the view of Teide in the distance, with a reasonable white cap and the coastline below gradually becoming fainter as we walked towards the lovely village of Tamaimo. Almost passing by the village walking through an old water course we reached an obvious path to the right and diverted off the trail and into the narrow streets, feeling our way up and through to the right, guessing where a shop and seat would be found for our well earned stop. Instinct didn't disappoint as we found both within 10 minutes passing by a few locals and the inevitable locals barking dog. The shop was well stocked for cakes and cold drinks and we chilled for 20 minutes watching the main road where it made its zig or zag just before entering or exiting the village. Here is perhaps an ideal place to make a shorter walk and take the bus back into Los Gigantes or Santiago del Puerto, or perhaps retrace your steps on the steep decent back from where you came, but you will be missing out on a very pretty section!
Consulting our map (Tenerife Hikers Map 3rd edition) we could avoid going back through the streets, downhill, only to come back up again, taking the back-streets upwards until it becomes a path almost touching the zig or zag of the TF82 before ascending for a few hundred meters and joining the main trail again. We would say at this point, do not be tempted to leave the shop and walk up the main road as it has no path and has crash barriers either side, giving you no quick avoidance options of approaching traffic and you would have to pole vault the barrier to re-join the path, even if you could find it again!
Looking back from the trail will give you views of both the sea and of Teide over the roofs of Tamaimo. By joining the trail further up we had cheated on just a few hundred meters but were prepared to soon forgot this, as the lizards on either side of us had lined the way, basking in the mid-day sunshine. At another way-marked intersection where the previous loop re-joined were a couple of hikers shading themselves under a tree and we asked if we could join them. Inevitably, they were going the easy way but as we suspected it was pretty grueling on the knees but we assumed light on the heart! The track beyond rose sharply up a well-worn section of smooth rock that must have been worn down by the hoards of fishermen, farmers and pirates or perhaps just the flow of water over many years.
After a short haul of uphill section of track leading between jagged rocks and towering pinnacles, the path levels out for a wonderful gentle curved vista following the foothills on one side and the steep, but hardly scary, Valle del Santiago, down below on the other. Teide once again appearing through the cacti blooms as we rounded the path heading ever nearer to our goal and passing right through a very traditional goat farm feeling just like time had stood still for hundreds of years. As is my way with most animals, I start talking to the goats but Lesley is trying to move me on by saying they won't understand as they probably only familiar with small talk, relating to their health and well-being, in Spanish! It is clear that just ahead we have some serious ascent to do, unless someone has tunneled under the hill, but of course you know they haven't! The good thing is the path meanders back and forward up the hill making it slightly less steep but it is still a huffy-puffy upwards climb. The only other walkers that are going in the same direction as us today, appear and reappear as they round each corner, pausing for frequent photos and perhaps to catch their breath, like us !
At the saddle the path divides with our route still ascending and another loop circuit , to the Roque Blanco, branches to the left. It is here where the loop back to Roque del Paso also finishes or starts, depending which direction you are going. A good time here to reflect back on your achievements so far or simply take a drink-stop. A few hundred meters up and the path becomes wider with signs of the presence of ancient rural industry with gates, small fields and derelict sheds all marked with the inevitable, "privada" so someone must, or must have, owned them? The rewards of climbing up to almost a 1000 meters from sea-level are now close with the white buildings of Santiago del Teide coming into view up ahead. We are also closing in on the road that is now joined by the busier and newly completed, TF1 motorway, its tunnels clearly visible before it terminates (for now) at a large roundabout. Our track finishes by a church at the south end of the town, where it joins the pavement and a short walk to the shops and restaurants. It is worth putting in a few more paces to the far end of town where the locals picnic and barbecue under the shade of the trees.
Cross over the other side for a stroll around the plaza, narrow streets ,old buildings and very pretty church. A cool pint and dinner in the Cafe Santiago del Teide that is full of walkers, cyclists but mainly locals. Always a good sign. Being very busy Lesley had asked to share a table with a guy of uncertain origin but with not a great command of Spanish....indeed like us. He was defeated in trying to order a meal with the non-English speak waitress, plumping for just a sparkling water instead!
Confused, very slightly, by the Titsa timetables at the bus stop we stretched our legs anticipating an hour wait for the bus back to Los Gigantes, however a bright green bus appeared at the stop on the opposite side of the road with 'Los Gigantes' on its informative LED sign. Too far away to run for it, we watched it go past lamenting the foolishness of not reading my specially purchased ' Tenerife Bus & Touring Map' properly. However just a few minutes later the very same bus returned on our side of the road now, stopping to collect obviously more astute walkers, and with a run, thankfullyus as well!
Titsa buses serve Santiago del Teide very well. The long distance 325 that travels over the mountains between Los Gigantes and Puerto de la Cruz several times per day and our return bus, the circular 462 also visits several times per day, both starting and finishing from the small bus terminal at Los Gigantes. Both buses also serve Tamaimo and the 462 also serves Arguayo which opens up many other walks. 
Don't forget your Bono Cards as this will save up to 50% on your journeys.If you look for this sign in a shop window that is where you can purchase a various value ticket or go to the information desk at the bus station. The name for buses are 'guaguas' pronounced....wah-wahs by the Tenerifians This will impress the locals but will inevitably imply you know more Spanish than you possibly do!
Both maps and guides I pre-purchased via Waterstones web for delivery in-store UK.
Plans next year (2018) to revisit Los Gigantes and hopefully........fitness willing......another walk and story!