anverso ingles_Maquetación 1 24/09/12 17:18 Página 1
A QUICK GUIDE TO TENO AND ITS DELIGHTS
FLORA AND FAUNA
THE RURAL PARK
The wealth of Teno Rural Park can be seen in every aspect, including its biodiversity. Between the coast and the summit there is a whole range of different communities of living things, from the narrow, salty coastal scrub to the shady laurel. Along the way, you will discover tabaiba spurge and in certain places, the unique thermophilic forest, such as Teno Alto juniper and the palm tree grove which gives its name to the nearby neighbourhood area of El Palmar.
Until the 1970s this area in Tenerife was almost totally isolated. There were few roads –and in some case none at all– that connected one hamlet with another or with the outside world. For this reason, while the rest of the island developed a services and construction–based economy, Teno gradually became a haven of traditional culture that was increasingly unique and therefore increasingly valuable. And all this in a natural setting of incalculable interest. In recognition of these values and with the goal of conserving them for future generations, in 1994 Teno was included in the Canary Island Network of Protected Natural Areas, within the Rural Park category. Since then, we have been working to conserve this special relationship between nature and culture, looking after all its resources and promoting actions to improve the landscape and the quality of life of local people.
Many species are found in their greatest abundance here, as is the case of a rare leafless tabaiba sponge called Euphorbia aphilla, and the giant Teno lizard called Gallotia Intermedia. Others are actually unique to this Rural Park, such as the case of many insects and certain plants that only grow clinging to bare rock.
Masca
THE TENO MASSIF
Libreas Dance in El Palmar
CULTURE AWAITING YOU The rural character Teno Massif is the trait that best defines the lifestyle and customs of Teno itself. In every corner you will find signs of this rural life, such as the traditional houses made of stone and clay with tiled roofs. Beside the houses are terraced plots of land full of green vegetables, fruit trees, vines and potatoes. And this way of life goes hand in hand with a long list of civil engineering works that people have invented to meet their needs. Examples are carefully stone–paved roads connecting one village to the next, threshing floors –stone circles on the ground where the wheat was separated from the chaff– and ovens for baking tiles to roof houses.
In the far northwest of Tenerife stands a spectacular and vertiginous geological feature: the Teno Massif. As you approach it, the roads suddenly start to twist and turn to tackle the mountain passes of this natural, cultural treasure. All that surrounds you is ultimately the product of a geological history as old as time itself: It appears that it emerged 7 million years ago, and for the first 5 million of those years it was a small, active volcanic island all on its own in the sea. Erosion would later eat away the volcanoes, leaving behind razor–sharp ridges and a dense boxed–in network of ravines. Nowadays it could be said that the Teno Massif is just a skeleton of what it was in the past, despite reaching a height of over 1,000 m at its highest peaks: Cruz de Gala (1,300 m) and Pico Baracán (1,002 m).
This landscape has its own soundtrack, where silence is the soloist, except during local festivals when the hubbub and happiness will show you the essence of Teno in its purist state. Some of the most important festivals are Threshing Day in El Tanque and El Palmar, the Piñata Dance in Teno Alto, the Libreas Dance in El Palmar, and Potato Sowing and Harvest. Make a note of these days in your diary!
Monte del Agua Forest
FACILITIES Teno Rural Park Administration Office Los Pedregales Visitors' Centre Bolico Hostel Los Pedregales Camping Area
TENO IN A DAY
WHAT TO DO IN TENO
USEFUL INFORMATION 922 447 970 922 447 974 922 127 334 922 447 970
You could spend weeks discovering new corners in Teno Rural Park, but you only need a few hours to visit its main features. To do this, head off on the TF–436 road out of Santiago del Teide. This road ascends the mountain side out of the valley, and you will find a series of ravines sandwiched between vertiginous hills, such as Masca, where a charming hamlet is the finishing touch in an extraordinary landscape.
The combination of spectacular nature and the rural character of Teno itself means that it is a place that stages a wide range of activities. And all this is accompanied by a perfect climate for each zone: mists on the mountain and blue skies on the coast.
(information)
WEBS DE INTERÉS Turismo de Tenerife www.webtenerife.com Cabildo de Tenerife www.tenerife.es TOURIST OFFICES AND INFORMATION POINTS Buenavista del Norte Los Silos Santiago del Teide Puerto de Santiago Los Gigantes El Tanque
922 128 080 www.buenavistadelnorte.com 922 840 004 www.lossilos.es 922 863 127 www.santiagodelteide.org 922 860 348 www.santiagodelteide.org 922 868 186 www.santiagodelteide.org 922 136 715 www.eltanque.es
If you like adventures then no doubt you will enjoy doing sports such as sea kayaking, underwater diving and hiking in these natural surroundings. With other calmer options you will be able to discover its history, traditions, hamlets and its people. All this culture is yours to enjoy with all five senses: talk to the locals, pause for a moment to admire the scenery, stroll along the streets and taste the local produce. Teno tastes of wine, cheese, and sun and air ripened fruit. Hiking in Teno
THE TRAIL NETWORK
To continue your visit, keep on the road to the north. You will pass by the viewpoint at Cruz de Hilda and Los Carrizales, another small group of houses at the head of a ravine. Keep going towards Las Portelas, where you can dig into the depths of Monte del Agua road or continue on towards El Palmar valley, where Los Pedregales Services Centre is based. There you can find out more about the heritage and other features of the Rural Park. You can also take the turning off to visit Teno Alto, which used to be almost cut off from civilization because it had no road access until the 1970s. Finally, at El Palmar, you can take the TF–438 towards Buenavista del Norte, or return to your starting point taking the same road back.
EMERGENCIES 112 Public transport (BUS) 922 531 300
One of the main values of Teno Rural Park is its people. They are the ones who bring this place alive: they live in the hamlets, preserve the traditional houses and grow produce in the vegetable gardens. They know more about the land and look after it more than anyone, because they realise the treasure they have in their hands. All this means that the inhabitants of Teno make the best guides for your visit. You will see them on your travels through the Rural Park, and they're often happy to have a chat. They'll be pleased to tell you anything you want to know, from the best place to eat, to an interesting place to visit.
Many of the trails go into the heart of Teno Massif, in the territory of Monte del Agua. Deep inside, under the shady, silent forest canopy, it is easy to forget that you are actually very close to rural hamlets such as El Palmar, Teno Alto and Las Portelas. The trails also pass through these enclaves, so you will be able to have a break and recharge your batteries.
Bolico Hostel
Teno Alto
THE BEST TRAVEL GUIDE
You can explore Teno on foot. There is a network of ten trails, two self-guided tours and an interpretive route. Each route has a different level of difficulty, so you can choose a combination that best suits you depending on how fit you are and much time you have. Whatever you choose, you will discover secrets that are only accessible if you go on foot.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Diseño y Desarrollo: AEONIUM S. Coop. 2012.
El Palmar Valley
Teno cheese
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La Punta LOS GIGANTES
PUERTO DE SANTIAGO Playa de La Arena
Location
Facts and figures Surface area: Population:
CANARY ISLANDS
Extended area
TENERIFE
Trail network
Map legend
8.063,6 ha
Capital city
Restaurant
PR TF–51
Los Llanos–Punta de Teno
Teno has a population of about 1,043 inhabitants, mainly distributed in five village centres: El Palmar (467 inhabitants), Teno Alto (82 inhabitants), Las Portelas and Las Lagunetas (343 inhabitants), Masca (109 inhabitants) Los Carrizales (39 inhabitants) and Erjos (3 inhabitants).
Town
Hotel
PR TF–52
Erjos–Las Portelas
Main road
Rural housing
PR TF–52.1
Ramal Las Huertas–El Palmar
Secondary road
Hostel
PR TF–52.2
Ramal Las Lagunetas–El Palmar
Rural Park boundary
Active tourism activities
PR TF–53
Los Silos–Cuevas Negras–Erjos
Limit of the municipal area
Birdwatching
How to ge there: By road, there are several different options to access Teno Rural Park: -From Santiago del Teide, take the TF–436 that crosses the Teno Massif, going through Masca, Las Portelas and El Palmar. -From Buenavista, take the TF–438 that starts there and climbs up to the same village, El Palmar. -You can also drive to Erjos neighbourhood area, close to the Rural Park boundary, by taking the TF–82.
PR TF–53.1
Ramal Cuevas Negras–Tierra del Trigo
Camp site
PR TF–54
Los Silos–Las Moradas–Monte del Agua
Teno Rural Park Administration Office
Recreational area
PR TF–55
Los Silos–Talavera–El Palmar
Beach
PR TF–56
El Palmar–Casas de La Cumbre
Information point
Marina
PR TF–57
Callejón de Teno
Visitors’ Centre
Bus
PR TF–58
Camino del Risco
Museum
Chemistry
PR TF–59
Las Portelas–Masca
Farmers’ Market
Gas station
PR TF–65
Santiago del Teide–Puerto de Santiago
Observation deck
Lighthouse