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Cornwall Morganeering Copyright

 

Tenerife

Day 2 Pico Teide

Monday 6th March 2017

 

KE Adventure Travel Trip Notes

An early start is needed to ensure we reach the top of Pico Teide in time for sunrise. Leaving whilst still dark, we use head torches for the first 45mins to an hour of the climb. Although the amount of ascent seems minimal we take our time to acclimatise as we zig zag through a lunar landscape whilst watching the sun come up. On reaching the summit at 3718m, we stand on the highest point in the country and the famed pyramid shadow of Teide is a definite highlight, especially for the all-important “summit photo!” The view from the summit is spectacular as the islands of La Gomera and La Palma lie below us. After enjoying time on the top, we head back down and as the sun is now up the snow fields are visible and the whole landscape is superb. On reaching the refuge we have breakfast,before the final descent down. Once reaching the road, we’ll transfer (1hr 30 mins) to La Laguna, considered to be the most beautiful town on the island and, on the UNESCO world heritage list. We’ll have lunch on arrival and after checking-in at our hotel and freshening-up, can head out to discover this wonderful old colonial town. La Laguna was the first city to be established on the Canary Islands in 1494 and has a beautiful old centre with pastel- coloured mansions, grand palaces, a superb cathedral and a fantastic labyrinth of winding streets. The whole town has a wonderful laid-back feel and the best way to explore the town is to wander down hidden alleys or people watch from one of the many pavement cafes. In the evening time we’ll re-group and enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

 

 

Distance Time Elevation in meters

Km
Elapsed
Hrs-Mins
Moving
Hrs-Mins
Gain Loss Min Max
10.88 4H02**   352 1,463 2,144 3,551

   

   
** including wait time for the cable car

 

In practice we did not follow the KE Adventure guidelines exactly. We started walking with head torches at 6-30 a.m. instead of 4-30 a.m. and we witnessed sunrise half way between the Altavista Refuge and the Cable Car Station. The climb from the Refuge at 3,270 m to the Cable Car Station at 3,555 m took about an hour and it was surprising how cold it was. The secton from the Cable Car Station to the top takes about 45 minutes to an hour, but I was concerned about holding people up at the higher altitdes bearing in mind how I had struggled the day before. I decided to go as far as the cable car station, which we reached about 8 a.m., and then take the 9 a.m. cable car down. A single down on the cable car ws 13.50 euro. The rest of the group continued to the top. After summitting, the group came back down, with Matt and Angela deciding to take the cable car whilst the others walked all the way back to the Parador Hotel via Pico Viejo. They arrived back at the Parador about 2-30 .m.

From the bottom of the cable car to the Parador was a really nice, leisurely walk, and with the sun up was quite warm.

 

 

https://www.gifex.com/fullsize-en/2010-10-12-12243/Tenerife_Island_road_map.html

 

Reproduced under licence from the Tenerife Tour & Trail Map 1:30,000
copyright David Brawn of Discovery Walking Guides Ltd.

The sun rises as we walk with headtorches between Altavista Refuge and the Cable Car

 

 

 

The cable car station comes into sight

Approximately 45 minutes to the summit

The group start the climb to the top

The first cable car of the day. The one way cost is 13.50 euros.

What a difference a week makes! I could easily have been coming of Pico Teide by rope!!!

 

Statue at the lower cable car station

 

 

 

Looking back to Pico Teide

Roques de Garcia

 

The Parador

Roque Cinchado, the most dramatic of the Roques de Garcia

Roques de Garcia

 

Dinner at Homestay in Chio

Back in our homestay in Chio for dinner. Aaron, Robert and Sarah

Richard, Sandra and Fiona

Matt and Chris

Steve, Kay, Sandra, Fiona, Chris and Matt

Richard, Matt, Sandra, Fiona, Sarah and Robert

Kay, Steve, Warren, Chris and Angela