To round out this short series of posts on my weekend walking trip to Tenerife I thought I would give a bit of info on the practicalities of the trip – how to get there, where to stay etc. If you are reading this series for the first time then please feel free to read the first post – Walk Tenerife: Day 1.
How To Get There
My journey began in Belfast City airport where I caught a FlyBe flight to London Gatwick. I then flew from Gatwick to Tenerife South airport with EasyJet. The reason I flew to Gatwick was to suit our schedule for the weekend, but it is possible to fly from Belfast International to Tenerife South direct with Aer Lingus. If I was to go to Tenerife again this is likely the option I would take, and at the time of writing flights to Tenerife are very reasonably priced.
A cobbled, palm lined street in Masca.
This is difficult for me to answer, as unfortunately I can’t recommend staying in the resort of Las Galletas, and certainly wouldn’t recommend staying in the Ten Bel Alborada hotel where we were based out of. Normally I take online reviews with a pinch of salt, but many of the TripAdvisor reviews for the Ten Bel are regrettably accurate. I was impressed with what I saw of Los Gigantes on the west of the island and I would certainly consider staying there in the future. It appears to be a clean and tidy town with plenty of places to have a good time without the excesses of some of the resorts in the south. It also means you are perfectly placed to enjoy some of the great walks on the island, and there are plenty of water based activities available from the marina. Oh, and don’t forget those stunning sea cliffs which form a suitably dramatic backdrop!
When To Go
Tenerife is known as Isla de la Eterna Primavera – Island of Eternal Spring. Lying on a latitude with the Sahara Desert the island boasts a warm climate year round, with temperatures averaging 26-28C in the summer and 20-22C in the winter. The week before we arrived in Tenerife the temperatures were very high, peaking in the high 30′s. Thankfully it cooled somewhat for our mid September arrival, with temperatures generally around 30C at the peak of the day, dropping to a pleasant 20C in the evenings. I was worried the high temperatures in the afternoon would prove uncomfortable to walk in, but I enjoyed the warm weather. It’s certainly a welcome novelty when you are used to Northern Irish weather! Just make sure you carry plenty of water, a high factor suncream and a hat. Whilst temperatures remain relatively warm over the winter months its worth noting that its not uncommon to find frost and snow at higher altitudes. Spring and autumn appear to be the ideal times to visit.
Soaking up the sun during siesta in Alcala.
My trip was organised and provided by LowCostHolidays who can provide cheap holidays to Tenerife from as little as £199. To get around the island its well worth considering hiring a car, and there are plenty of rental agencies based in Tenerife South airport. If I was to take a trip like this in the future I would most likely organise it myself, choosing and booking the flights and accommodation that best suits my needs. Regarding the guided walking I would highly recommend contacting Christine from StarTrex who provides superb walking and hiking tours in Tenerife. I know Christine will also be only to happy to recommend suitable accomodation in convenient locations. If guided walking isnt your thing then pick up a copy of Paddy Dillon’s ‘Walking on Tenerife’
which describes 45 routes covering a variety of distances and difficulties, all with clear contour mapping.
Final Thoughts
Despite having reservations and preconceptions about Tenerife before arriving, I’m glad to say that the island far exceeded my expectations. Our short trip only scratched the surface of the amazing beauty and diversity of scenery on offer, but its left me hungry for more. Its encouraging to see there are plenty of websites and blogs alluding to this alternative side to Tenerife, and reading sites like The Real Tenerife suggests there is much more to discover. I’m looking forward to making a return visit and the thought of Masca in spring just might be enough to help me through the the UK winter!
