Camino de la Plata - Trekking Gran Canaria - ENG

When we see the green carpet that covers Los Llanos de La Pez, we need to take a quick look back in order to understand the different stages that the middle ridge in Gran Canaria has been through. Firstly, the Canary pine trees used to cover the whole of this area of the island, in the 15th century. This was followed by a period of wood felling, for the boats that moored at the Port, and sugar mills, etc. As a result of this, the summit was left completely bare. Then Olivia Stone, in her journey to the middle of the island in 1885, provided us with a black and white photo that reflected this brutal deforestation. Not a single pine tree was left standing.

This brutal and unsustainable exploitation of the woodland left a number of names, such as Los Hornos (the word horno refers to the tar kilns), or “la pez”, which was a tar-like substance extracted from pine trees used to caulk boats at the Port of La Luz. It had been used by the Romans, who called it PIX. In the period from 1950-1960 the whole area was replanted with new trees.

This route crosses the island’s central mountain range, where we will be treated to a truly sublime landscape. The itinerary takes us along the ridge of a mountain range which on one side affords views of Caldera de Tejeda with the Roque Nublo and Roque Bentayga, icons of its volcanic genesis, which on the other, provides views over the rising Cuenca del Guiniguada that culminates at the island’s capital city.

A route for migratory shepherds and their flocks, a pilgrim’s footpath and a forest trail, it is now a top modern day tourist route. The S-50 (island hiking trail) takes us to Gran Canaria’s lush green pine forests, the densest woodland that runs all the way down to Paso de la Plata, a historic natural stone footpath hewn out of the guts of a staggered precipice.

Municipalities of Tejeda – San Bartolomé de Tirajana

Cruz de Tejeda, GC-15 main road

Start opposite the Parador Nacional de Tejeda hotel

Walking distance: 15 Km

Walking time: 6 hours

Difficulty level: hard – demanding

Progressive ascents and descents

Level changes: 1,511-1,700 1,719-936 metres altitude

Public transport, Global Bus numbers 18-305-303-34

Never stray from existing trails

Avoid noise and respect the tranquility

Do not pick plants, or take away animals or other elements along the walk

Avoid lighting cigarettes and dropping cigarette ends

Take warm clothing

Emergency helpline 112

Always take water with you

Carry ID and documentation

Look after the environment

BEST HIKING PRACTICES

LOCATE YOUR POSITION

Santuario de Santiago

At modern day Tunte, an aboriginal and Christian sanctuary rises up between the mountains, broom and pine trees. The little medieval figure that the temple, called Santiago, contains today was not always here. It is a sober and simple carving, and originally belonged to El Pinar hermitage, situated at the pointed rock of Santiago at the top of Valle de La Plata. As legend has it and as the sculpture’s presence testifies, promise was made by sailors from Galicia to build the temple as thanks for having been miraculously saved from a deadly Canary storm. The trail was originally an aboriginal route, in which migratory shepherding enabled flocks to reach rich pastures both in the north and south depending on the seasons and drought.

CAMINO DE LA PLATA

TEJEDA

VEGA DE SAN MATEO SAN BARTOLOMÉ DE TIRAJANA

Cruz de Tejeda

Gáldar

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Telde Agüimes

Aeropuerto

Agaete

San Nicolas de Tolentino

Puerto de Mogán

Arguineguín

Meloneras Maspalomas Playa del Inglés

San Agustín Tejeda

Pine tree reforesting at the summit

Cruz de Tejeda – Campamento el Garañón

In front of Cruz de Tejeda there is a pedestrian crossing. Our route starts right here, between the restaurants, following a south to south-westerly course. We ascend as far as the first cross where we turn left, in the direction of Tunte. This first stage is a climb, through broom, pine trees, tabaiba bushes, daisies, sow thistles and sage. The path continues to rise, offering panoramic views over Caldera de Tejeda.

Our route then reaches a curve and a dirt track that takes us down to the main road and to Degollada de Los Molinos, with a car park. We carry straight on as far as Mirador de Becerra, a tourist viewpoint with another car park.

The route continues to climb again as far as the crossroads at Degollada de la Cumbre, where we take the footpath towards Llanos de La Pez-Tunte, winding

our way once more through pine trees and colourful broom until we reach a plain of lush pine trees at Corral de Juncos. As we come out onto a dirt track, we turn right and continue as far the entrance to El Garañón campsite, with a swimming pool and wooden huts.

Llanos de la Pez – Paso de La Plata – Cruz Grande

From the campsite entrance, we take the stone path that descends down to the GC-600 main road to Los Llanos de la Pez, GC-600. We cross over and walk alongside it, along a stony dirt track.

We then come to Baílico, a camping area, before the path starts to climb immediately towards Degollada de Horno, the highest point on our route at 1,719 metres altitude.

There is a fork in the road, and we follow the path to Tunte, following our S-50 signpost. The footpath now descends steeply past a crossroads at Ventana del Nublo (with the option to make a quick visit to the right). We gradually leave the Canary pine trees behind us and begin the descent down the historic stone footpath of Paso de la Plata.

We pass alongside two small reservoirs (“Cho Flores” and “Charco Hondo”), and our efforts are then rewarded with an unrivalled viewing point over Valle de Las Tirajanas and La Plata. This is a benchmark site for Canary hikers, with a stony footpath that has joined villages up for centuries.

Our ancestors marked out a stunning trail that brings us to the geological magnificence and extraordinary views of this area. We now go down the GC-60 main road that joins Tunte with Ayacata. It is called Cruz Grande, a gorge and where the path splits into two.

Descent to Tunte

We now cross the road and keep left as we make our way down to Tunte along the Pino de Barrera (S-50) footpath. There are plenty of stones, in the form of a pavement, that take us through open pine woodland, and down towards the first few houses in the village, an urbanisation called San Antonio, and the local school.

We turn left here and down the street towards Tunte town centre and the church.