Tenerife - Camino de Guergues
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 6.49 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,537 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Moderate
- Elevation loss
- 4,537 ft
- Max elevation
- 3,239 ft
- TrailRank
-
37
1
- Min elevation
- 836 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 6 hours 38 minutes
- Coordinates
- 793
- Uploaded
- April 15, 2021
- Recorded
- April 2021
near Santiago del Teide, Canarias (España)
Viewed 718 times, downloaded 6 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Very scenic trail, one of the best in the Tano area.
It is not easy but not difficult either, so I will define it MODERATE.
It is never dangerous, meaning you will never risk falling into a precipice, but you have to be careful as you can easily twist your ankle if you do not look where you place your feet.
The trail starts at a bend near a farm (you can leave your car at the viewpoint on the road just a 100 meters above the farm), but the farm owner put up such a display of gates, fences, "Private Property" and "No Trespassing" to scare off a platoon of marines. I do not know if he has the right to block a public trail, but just in case you are on the shy side and do not want to risk discussions, continue for about ten meters past the curve and look left for another intimidating sign on the left, there's a hole beneath the wire fence that you can use to slide inside. Then just follow the small trail on the right and go past the farm.
The trail is nice, scenic and fairly well kept for the first part, but for the second part you will need to rely on stone cairns and GPS.
At Gollada de los Muertos (a narrow passage) you will see another small gate, placed at a strategic narrows, which may be open or closed: better bring with you something that you could use to cut the wire if needed, especially if you find it closed on the way back (it happened to me and it took 20' to get through). Theres no easy way to bypass that gate.
After Alto la Cabezada de Guergues (the highest point), on the way down, the trail becomes less and less obvious and some orientation skills wont hurt.
After Casas de Abajo and after negotiating the abandoned terraced fields on the right, you will arrive at the ridge just before La Palomilla. I could not decide whether to keep the ridge on my left or on my right so I went right (do not), only to backtrack after 100 meters,
You have to go left instead. climbing a bit and leaving the ridge on your right. After my mistake I placed a white stone arrow and several cairns at the beginning of the track, so who will come after me will not do the same mistake. This section is actually the most difficult part but, again, no danger, just be careful and look for cairns (stones placed on the rocks).
After a few hundred meters always keeping the ridge on your right the difficult section ends and you will just keep going down until you get to the viewpoints without any problem.
There are a couple of places (see the waypoints) where to take nice pictures of the Masca Beach below, and you will be able to see all the way to Tano Point lighthouse.
On the way back, after La Palomilla, go up straight until you reach again the original trail, No trail is visible in this section (and no cairns), but is is fairly easy to walk up through scarce vegetation.
It is not easy but not difficult either, so I will define it MODERATE.
It is never dangerous, meaning you will never risk falling into a precipice, but you have to be careful as you can easily twist your ankle if you do not look where you place your feet.
The trail starts at a bend near a farm (you can leave your car at the viewpoint on the road just a 100 meters above the farm), but the farm owner put up such a display of gates, fences, "Private Property" and "No Trespassing" to scare off a platoon of marines. I do not know if he has the right to block a public trail, but just in case you are on the shy side and do not want to risk discussions, continue for about ten meters past the curve and look left for another intimidating sign on the left, there's a hole beneath the wire fence that you can use to slide inside. Then just follow the small trail on the right and go past the farm.
The trail is nice, scenic and fairly well kept for the first part, but for the second part you will need to rely on stone cairns and GPS.
At Gollada de los Muertos (a narrow passage) you will see another small gate, placed at a strategic narrows, which may be open or closed: better bring with you something that you could use to cut the wire if needed, especially if you find it closed on the way back (it happened to me and it took 20' to get through). Theres no easy way to bypass that gate.
After Alto la Cabezada de Guergues (the highest point), on the way down, the trail becomes less and less obvious and some orientation skills wont hurt.
After Casas de Abajo and after negotiating the abandoned terraced fields on the right, you will arrive at the ridge just before La Palomilla. I could not decide whether to keep the ridge on my left or on my right so I went right (do not), only to backtrack after 100 meters,
You have to go left instead. climbing a bit and leaving the ridge on your right. After my mistake I placed a white stone arrow and several cairns at the beginning of the track, so who will come after me will not do the same mistake. This section is actually the most difficult part but, again, no danger, just be careful and look for cairns (stones placed on the rocks).
After a few hundred meters always keeping the ridge on your right the difficult section ends and you will just keep going down until you get to the viewpoints without any problem.
There are a couple of places (see the waypoints) where to take nice pictures of the Masca Beach below, and you will be able to see all the way to Tano Point lighthouse.
On the way back, after La Palomilla, go up straight until you reach again the original trail, No trail is visible in this section (and no cairns), but is is fairly easy to walk up through scarce vegetation.
Waypoints
Waypoint
2,977 ft
Viewpoint over Masca
Waypoint
3,020 ft
Shelter from rain (cave)
Waypoint
2,906 ft
Gollada de Los Muertos (gate)
Waypoint
2,756 ft
Alto La Cabezada de Guergues
Waypoint
2,640 ft
Era de La Cruz - Shelter (from here onwards only a feeble track)
Waypoint
2,605 ft
Shelter (ruins of a house) - From here onwards overgrown bushes
Waypoint
2,356 ft
Casas de Abajo - Los Pajales Grandes
Waypoint
1,787 ft
Wrong way
Waypoint
1,855 ft
Go up and keep left of the ridge
Waypoint
1,006 ft
Viewpoint over Masca Beach
Waypoint
840 ft
Viewpoint over Masca Beach
Waypoint
1,737 ft
La Palomilla.
Comments (7)
You can add a comment or review this trail
Lo que usted ha hecho es denunciable. Ha traspasado una propiedad privada y está aconsejando a otras personas a que actúen con su misma irresponsabilidad, además de fomentar el vandalismo incitando a romper las vallas y puertas de paso de la finca. Si existe una valla es por un motivo, precisamente para intentar contener el acceso a personas que se creen con derecho a lo ajeno.
Tanto las Casas de Arasa, como la Finca de Guergue son propiedad PRIVADA, y aunque estén el el entorno del parque rural de Teno no son de acceso público. Por favor abstenerse de hacer esta ruta y respetar la señalizacion.
I totally disagree with Arasas5.
I walked all the ridges in the area and this is surely the best trail going towards the coast.
I really don’t understand how the farmer at the start of the trail can legally block the access to the area, someone should ask the park authorities.
I will try to be as clear as possible. "Las Casas de Arasa" and "Guegues" does not belong to The Cabildo, nor to the rural Park of Teno. It is a PRIVATE PROPERTY
Therefore it is totally legitimate to close the access to the trail. But I agree with you in one thing, authorities should be contact to report people like you who do not respect private property.
Dear ARASA5,
I have visited many trails in the Canary Islands, Tenerife, and in the parque rural de Teno area.
These places are probably the most beautiful in the Canary Islands and it is very sad that travelers can no longer get on the Guergues trail.
I fully understand your decision not to let anyone in: you do not need strangers on the territory; you do not need noise and rubbish.
But I'm also sure that most of the wikiloc users are advanced travelers who are cultured people who respect private property and nature.
However, I would suggest that you consider some kind of compromise: give a certain limited number of tourists, at a pre-agreed time, access to the trail. Perhaps even for some reasonable reward for you.
For example, just hang a sign on the fence: “Access to Guergues trail: every Saturday 10:00-15:00, price 5 EUR per person. Phone number: ...” As a result, you will receive some reward for your kindness. And the most interested, experienced and confident travelers have access to one of the most beautiful routes.
What do you think?
Dear ARASA5, please contact me privatly regards your property. I have an offer you may be interested.
Un camino que se ha transitado durante más de 50 años es un CAMINO PÚBLICO por ley, le pese a quien le pese y se lo quiera apropiar. El ayuntamiento de Buenavista no registra los caminos públicos como está exigido, pero es fácilmente demostrable que este camino se ha usado desde hace más de 50 años. Por lo tanto alguien tendrá una propiedad colindante pero NO TIENE DERECHO A CERRAR EL PASO NI EL CAMINO. Seguiremos reclamando al ayuntamiento y usándolo.