View Sport Climbing Tenerife 2008
The venue for next years sport climbing trip is the spectacular island of Tenerife. Three 3 main reasons for the selection - A. We have never been there on a climbing trip. B. More exotic than our usual destinations. C. Reputedly great weather throughout the year - not suprising as it is only 100 miles off the coast of Africa. There is excellent climbing, walking and mountain biking to be had as well as golf for those that are keen to hit small white balls into holes. Mount Teide (3718m) is worth a shuffle up. Oh and there is even whale watching off the southern coast.
Dates
The provisional dates for the trip are Sat 4th March - Sunday 12th March 2006 (8 nights). This is the tourist low season so we benefit from both lower prices and temperatures (average 22C).
Accomodation
Golf del Sur. There is no obvious centre for accessing the crags as they are scattered around the island. This place is very near to the airport and southern motorway, allowing relatively easy access to the Arico gorge (main climbing venue) and to the west of the island. Apartments are available here at a very reasonable £295 pounds for the 8 nights for a two bedroom apartment (4 sharing - £73.75 each). Full details can be found here.
Flights
BA are currently offering a fare of £135.60 from Manchester including taxes. Not bad considering it is a lot further than we normally go and 1500km south of Spain. Another option could be Nexus Airways from Liverpool (£137) though they only fly on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Deadline
At the time of writing (early Sept.) there wasn’t one but we will be booking as early as possible. Flight costs increase with time and accomodation gets booked up. If you are interested contact Mike Doyle a.s.a.p.
Climbing
Info. from the Rockfax website where there is a mini guide to download (£6.50). Rock Climbs in Mallorca by Chris Craggs (2000). Includes 90 pages on Tenerife and Gran Canaria and is the only printed guide to the islands. (Available from Cicerone.)
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. Its reputation for a 12-month summer and buzzing nightlife have made it a firm favourite holiday destination. Combine this with the dramatic mountainous landscape and you have an obvious place to come to find some winter-sun rock climbing. The rock on the island is a volcanic ignibrite and was formed from the ash ejected from the 16km wide crater of Mount Teide, the now-dormant 3718m high volcano situated in the centre of the island. This peak offers a unique climbing experience in itself.
There are currently about twelve developed crags of which five are included in this MiniGUIDE. The Arico Gorge is covered in full detail. The other major area - Las Canadas - is given a best-of treatment but we are hoping to add more routes in updated versions of this MiniGUIDE. We have also covered several other areas including the increasingly-popular Guia dIsora, and the smaller venues of Martianez and Tabares. Overall there are more than 380 routes on 43 pages which should provide you with more-than-enough entertainment for several weeks - not bad for a MiniGUIDE!
Climbing on Tenerife has become more and more popular over the years, with many climbers realising that you are guaranteed sunshine all year. In the winter months when the rest of Europe is being drenched in rain, climbers can find some winter sunshine on the crags. It has undergone some heavy redevelopment in the last couple of years, replacing all the old bolts, to make the routes safe and access to the crags a lot easier.
There are now over 900 routes on the island, spread over 20 individual crags. The most spectacular of these are Canada del Capricho at the base of mount Teide. Spectacular, spirals of volcanic rock, more than 300 feet high jut into the blue skies.
<table summary=“grades” border=“1”>
<tr><td>Routes</td><td>Up to 3+</td><td>4 to 5+</td><td>6a to 6c</td><td>6c+ up</td></tr>
<tr><td>383</td><td>5</td><td>66</td><td>204</td><td>108</td></tr></table>
The second best area is the superb Arico gorge, set in the mountains of Arico; it is the largest climbing area on the island, and home to Tenerifes hardest routes. Arico is a dried up river bed, layered with pine trees and huge boulders. The lower gorge was once quarried leaving huge overhanging walls up to 30 meters high and home to some of the hardest routes in Spain.
The climbing on the island is suited for all grades of climbers. If sport climbing isnt your cup of tea, there are plenty of adventure routes in the mountains of the north - Tanganana and Roque Ambro are the best places. The huge sea cliffs of Los Gigantes in the south are another good location for the more adventurous. They stand some 2000 feet from the sea and should only be challenged by very experienced climbers as they are infected by carcinogenic spores that eat carabiners.
The sport of bouldering has really taken off all around the world over the last few years, and Tenerife isnt shy of any boulders. The gorges and deep barrancos provide endless opportunity for bouldering. There are at least 8 really good spots where this can be practised. Hundreds of climbers come to the island just to boulder, leaving all their gear at home; all you need is your boots and chalk bag and maybe a crash pad. The good thing about bouldering is you dont have to slog all your kit around, making your trip a lot easier.
Local climbers normally open new areas with a competition, pulling in sponsors from local climbing shops and sports clubs. More and more people are exploring the island, finding and developing new areas all the time. The one problem about climbing on the island is the lack of guide books. So together with canaryclimbs and local climbers, a new book is about to be published, opening up more opportunity to move the sport forward in the future. And if all this isnt enough for you, there is even an artificial wall in La Laguna in case it rains.
More climbing info can be found here.
Walking
Info. from Cicerone.
Walking in the Canaries Volume 1: El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera and TenerifeEl Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera and Tenerife(Reference #1852843659)
The seven volcanic Canary Islands lie just over 100 miles off the coast of Africa and have a sunny, hot climate with little rainfall and snow only on the highest peaks, crowned by El Teide, Spains highest mountain at an impressive 3718 metres.
Although the islands are often very rough and rocky, with high and often inaccessible cliffs, they are also criss-crossed with tracks and paths that offer many interesting walking routes. Much of the landscape is astoundingly beautiful and it is easy to escape the busy holiday resorts. There are mountain ridges and peaks to climb; deep and rocky barrancos to explore; extensive forests of pine and ancient ìlaurisilvaî woodlands; flowery hillsides, rugged cliff coastlines, and cultivated terraces bearing all manner of fruit and vegetables.
This guidebook includes a rich and varied selection of 50 walks on the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro.
Mountain Biking
Info. Tenerife Resorts
Tenerife’s dramatic hills and rocky mountains, combine with its superb climate make it the ideal place for mountain biking. Whether you are a seasoned professional or just out for a peaceful ride the island has trails to suit all levels of ability and experience. Check out some of these incredible biking regions:
Montañas Negras
This is perhaps the most interesting and challenging area for bikers. Located in the north west of the island this region features some of the most demanding and diverse terrain in Tenerife. Frozen lava streams and craters, exotic rain forests, craggy cliffs and dramatic canyons combine with the outstanding views to create a cyclist’s Mecca.
Parc National de Teide
This is the conservation area that surrounds Mount Teide. Although biking is only allowed on one road around El Pico de Teide, the amazing lunar landscape and stunning views of the volcano more than compensate for the lack of routes. There is a great restaurant at the cable car station and a trip to the summit only takes eight minutes.
Oratava Valley and Esperanza
This northeast area of the island offers a relatively relaxed choice of biking terrain. With easy access from Puerto de la Cruz, this region is packed with dirt roads and beautiful forests and enjoys the most amazing views over the rolling landscape down to the coast. Or explore for yourself the many miles of minor roads and tracks that network this beautiful island.
