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West and North Tenerife 10.-11. 12. 2021

Waking up at Finca Chimaca to the rooster crowing. Breakfast with cherimoya was delightful.

Here, more towards the west, banana plants no longer need to be protected from the wind.

Puerto de Santiago is the northernmost town on the west coast. Steep cliffs beginning after that.

As seen from Mirador Archipenque.

Jehovah's Witnesses have their boat prepared for the Flood of Noah's Day.

Papaya! Ready to be harvested in the event of flood.

Canary Island spurge (Euphorbia canariensis) doesn't care about floods. It is endemic to and one of the most distinct succulents of Canary Islands

View back on the trail with Puerto de Santiago in the distance.

The trail continues all the way over Los GIgantes Cliffs. The most of the trail further is officially closed due to difficult maintenance and dangerous terrain.

Tourist facilities back in the town.

The autobar's name on Mirador de Cherfe is alluding the next destination.

View over the famous town and gorge named Masca.

With the better half and the gorge in the background, which was closed for visits.

And a conical rock at the end of the town.

Masca downtown with cultural performances under the tree.

It looks like they need to protect the roofs from the strong winds.

The gorge hike was closed so we took an alternative one on a ridge north of Masca.

Karren-like landforms.

Another endemic plant. Sonchus acaulis.

Tabaiba majorera (Euphorbia atropurpurea). As you might have guessed it's also endemic to Canary Islands.

Deeply eroded gorges.

Slope overgrown with Canary Island spurge.

The trail turns steep after we mostly traversed slopes.

You can't catch a rainbow. But it seems like it was stalking us all the time.

Arriving at our destination. Flater land of La Fortaleza de Masca used to be populated, this is why a trail exists there in the first place.

Panorama of Masca Gorge on the other side.

And we went back.

Biological weathering.

Last view on Masca before the darkness fell.

Waking up on Los Pedregales camping ground.

Prickly pear for a breakfast after a long treatment of needles with the stove.

Cactus from Optuntia genus.

Colocasia esculenta also known as taro has an edible root.

That can be grilled on nearby grills.

A small volcano cone called Montaña de El Palmar in the valley seems to be partially eroded.

The valley of El Palmar as seen from the pass going to Teno village.

More vegetation starts to appear again above 800 m elevation.

The downtown of village of Teno.

Fearsome and ferocious guard dog ready to jump on visitors.

The old way of building houses.

And probably even older one.

Some cavities around the village must have been used in the past. Was that the oldest way of making a dwelling?

Inside the cavities.

Another Canary Islands dragon tree (Dracaena draco).

Buenavista del Norte town could be seen from the outskirts.

Inside the subtropical laurel forest typical for the higher islands of this archipelago.

The forest stretching all the way around. Teide volcano back in the distance.

Dessicated Carlina salicifolia

Already in a park by the north coast.

Charco Las Mujeres could be translated as Pudlle woman.

Women's puddle.

Food first, swimming second.

Turbulent condition at the coast due to prevailing north wind in the winter.

Is he going to swim there?

He decided to swim in the Women's puddle with these skin pinching fish.

Waves striking the coast, but not the small cozy pools.

Playa del Puertito not so far east of the previous place.

Time to do some exercise.

Charcos de chocos it says. I'm sure that Google translate translates this name incorrectly.

Another swimming pool.

Volcanic pavement seems to attract some tourists.

Slowly cooling basalt lava forms vertical columns of different shapes.

Not really hexagonal but more polygonal patterns reminiscences of Giant's causeway and Iceland.

FIshing in the wild waters.

Some people have parts of bones replaced with metal. This whale must have been born with metal bones.

The last dish on the menu this day was Garachico.

Built on relateively fresh lava flow, which poured this bay in 1706 and destroyed part of the town.

The town itself was founded in 1496.

Subtropical vegetation in Garachico Park.

Water-loving taro is growing on the top of the fountain.

The parish church of Santa Ana.

Merry X-mas Garachico. Didn't notice any X-men in the town.

Neat traditional architecture by narrow streets.

It doesn't happen very often, but we stayed a night in a hotel with a view of Puerto de la Cruz in the distance.

Teide back in the clouds and nice terraces in the foreground. The north part of Teide seems to be much more suitable for agriculture as much drier southern.