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Gran CanariaScented Slopes and Mountain Lakes
Nights: 7
Days 2,3,4,5 & 6 : Suiting your route to the mood of the skies each day, you can explore satisfying routes to both the north and the south of the island. Option 3 Around Lake Chira (10km) In the south a half day circuit that starts by winding along a well-watered valley that makes up the farming district of Los Cercados and then onto a ridge with views down to the Chira lake which you then circle and head back to your car. Option 4 Descent to San Mateo (13 or 8km) Take a taxi (pay locally) to one of two starting points high in the centre of the Island. Starting at Caldera de los Marteles you circle the rim of an ancient volcano and then climb steadily along a wide ridge to just below the highest point on the island, Pico de la Nieves (Optional to climb up to the Mirador at the highest point, additional 1hr). You then begin your descent though lush countryside to the hotel. You can also start this walk at the Mirador Pico de la Nieves meeting the route as it descends back to the hotel.
For a more rleaxing day, follow our detailed notes and spend a day exploring by car. Visit the vibrant old quarter of Las Palmas with its immense cathedral, tree-lined plazas and museums of early Canarian life, or the ehchanting village of Teror and the wonderful botanic gardens closer to the hotel. Then for your last two nights you head to the north west coast, near Agaete. Accommodation: The elegant Rural Hotel Las Longueras is a colonial mansion surrounded by ancient trees and citrus groves, in a peaceful countryside setting. Again, dinner is included on your first night.
Accommodation: The elegant Rural Hotel Las Longueras, as above Other information: Similar holidays: La Gomera - Hidden Gem of the Canaries (grade 2-3), Tenerife and El Teide (grade 2-3) Prices & travel 2007/08:
*Included travel: 7 days’ category A car hire
> Any queries? Let us call you back |
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In Gran Canaria, you can almost choose a different landscape to explore each day. On clear days, when panoramic views stretch to Tenerife’s El Teide 70 miles away, choose the north-facing valleys – cradling streams, emerald with pine and chestnut groves, richly clothed in aromatic shrubs from sage to sea lavender to golden artemisia. However, when the clouds rest upon the highest mountain ridges, skirt them southwards to follow the blue skies, and discover fascinating scenery as craggy as America’s mid-west. The white houses of remote villages dot the hillsides, and your hire car gives you the freedom to roam at will, with the views from the precipitous mountain passes providing thrills all of their own!
Starting point: The first five nights of your holiday are spent at the Rural Hotel Las Calas, near San Mateo. Blissfully secluded in its own gardens close to the central massif, this traditional house built around a leafy courtyard has a distinctly ethnic flavour, with touches of the Arabic and African. Dinner is included on arrival, while on your subsequent nights you are free to sample local restaurants. 
Option 2 Around Roque Nublo (7km) A half day route which combines dramatic views with a visit to one of the most distinctive rock formations of Gran Canaria. The route rises along a rocky path with sweeping views towards Lake Chira. From here, on a clear day, you may also be able to see over to tenerife where Mt Teide can be seen rising from its collar of clouds. Circling the rock you then drop into the spectacular Culata valley where you can take refreshments before heading back to the starting point. This is an ideal half-day walk for the day you transfer hotels.
Option 5 A walk on the northern slopes (12.5km) A stunning walk following ancient cobbled mule trails and footpaths through varied countryside with plenty of ascents and descents. Lush farmland, orchards, steep, cultivated terraces and the prettiest of authentic Canarian villages all contribue to making this a beautifully varied walk.
Day 6: From here you can choose a challenging yet hugely satisfying 18km circuit, climbing to panoramic viewpoints through the Tamadaba pine forests, before descending past cave dwellings once occupied by the Guanche, the ancient people of the island (1000m ascent and descent). Or, for a less strenuous day, relax by the hotel pool before heading down to Agaete’s port for lunch in one of the renowned fish restaurants. Then, for a final adrenalin rush, take the famous corniche drive snaking south along the western coast, offering spectacular views along the way.