CHILDREN’S SONG AND PEBBLES ON VENEGUERA BEACH

Laura and Alejandro were on the verge of giving up all hope of reaching their destination. They became lost and some locals had pointed them in the right direction, assuring them that they would be tasting the salt water in no time at all. Careless of them! The town of Veneguera, an oasis of peace nestled among rugged mountains, is situated at the end of a steep ravine full of Canarian flora, avocado groves and echoes of a not too distant past. Here, the sea makes an appearance through a window of hazy light. This southwestern part of Gran Canaria gives drivers a bumpy ride along the stony track that replaces the surfaced road. The journey down by car, or on foot for patient walkers with appropriate footwear, takes us through scatterings of rocks that reward visitor persistence with scenery untouched by human hand.

Ninety kilometres from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, we leave Ingenio and San Bartolomé de Tirajana behind and head towards Mogán on the GC-1 motorway until we turn off on the GC-200 road. Before reaching this small town of around three hundred people, we encounter an explosion of colour among the ridges. The brownish colour of the land merges with the blue, green and orange tones of the rock formation known as La Fuente de Los Azulejos. A motionless scene in the hot summer temperatures that becomes blurred by the waterfalls created when the ravine fills with water due to the cold winter rains. The couple have just eight kilometres to go to reach the coast, where they will soon be able to enjoy a stroll. This near-pristine haven is part of the Nublo Rural Park, which belongs to the Canary Island Network of Protected Natural Spaces, and its inclusion is a major success on the part of ecologist movement Salvar Veneguera, which for decades protected the area from development and created one of the Canaries’ longest-established festivals, the Encuentro Veneguera, which brings together music and sustainability.

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The plain unfolds like a funnel and approximately twenty cars are parked on one side. The old houses dating back to the last century are still standing. Taking shelter in the shade of a camper van are Mari Carmen and Miguel Ángel, who are from Telde and Valsequillo. Despite having to hike for two hours, «the peace and quiet here are unique», they insist. Their dog Trufa with her shiny black coat is overjoyed at being out for a walk. The tide is low and visitors, mostly families who have known each other for ages, wedge their sun umbrellas between the pebbles and rush to cool their feet on sand bathed by the Atlantic. In the distance, the horizon is interrupted by the white sails of yachts from Pasito Blanco and Puerto de Mogán. Although the currents are strong out to sea, the waves that reach the shoreline of nearly four hundred metres here are relatively tame.

A family sharing lunch at mid-day all point to the same spot: the cave of Andrés. A man with long dreadlocks keeps vigil over the bay. The Tasarte mountain ridge and Mogán ravine act as guardians of this triangular terrain and, in the hole in the mountain which serves as his home, he stores the histories of those who once witnessed ships docking in Veneguera harbour. He invites anyone who stops to chat for a couple of hours to venture further in and follow the path along to the jetty. The mortar and stone used to build this in the 19th century are still intact and also bind together the wall holding up the path connecting the jetty and the beach. The vertical beam with pulleys remains standing just as in the days when it was used for unloading goods arriving from the north of the island or from Tenerife, which back then was closer than the island’s capital. The cave home is full of photos, files, press cuttings, which he hopes to use to start a new social movement to keep alive the memory of a town where agriculture provided for hundreds of people.

On the sea edge you and still hear the clunking noise of the lorries that ferried men and women here in their hundreds from inland towns such as Valleseco and Teror to work during the long tomato harvest. Until the crop fell into decline, tomatoes were the means of subsistence for many households. Now there is silence, punctuated by laughter, splashing around in the water, respect for nature, and the chance to switch off momentarily from the bustle of daily life and listen to stories of yesteryear.

Location: in the municipality of Mogán, south-west Gran Canaria, GC-1 and GC-200.

Lifeguards: no.

Surfing beach: no.

Restaurants: no.

Toilets: no.

Showers: no.

Sunbeds and umbrellas: no.

Adapted for the disabled: no.

Parking: yes, approximately fifty spaces on an unsurfaced section.

Public transport: bus route 38 (Global Company) from Puerto de Mogán to La Aldea de San Nicolás.

Dogs: no.

Canarian Wines In Mainland Tasting

Around twenty-five Canarian wineries enjoyed the chance to show off the range of quality and excellence of their Designation of Origin (DO) wines at the 12th Spanish Wine Fair (Fenavin 2023) in Ciudad Real, one of the biggest events for the wine sector in the country.

The wineries from the islands used their 161 m2 stand to highlight the potential and variety of wines from these shores. The Fair provided a major boost for Canarian wines as well as an opportunity to open up new markets in Spain and abroad.

Fenavin attracted professionals from over one hundred countries, with a total of 1874 exhibitors displaying their wares in the 30 000 m2 venue, which included three new exhibition pavilions.

The Fair also hosted the Wine Gallery, a space to enable buyers from across the world to access a comprehensive range of wines and match Spain’s rich and varied wines to their preferences.