Anaga Natural Park: an adventure taken from a fairytale forest
The Anaga Rural Park It is one of the green areas with the greatest biodiversity and with the most spectacular landscapes in Tenerife.
With its more than 15,000 hectares, Anaga, which covers the northeast of the island along three Tenerife municipalities, La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Tegueste, is a canvas of laurel forests and steep peaks often caressed by the mist, cut by ravines that descend to the coast.
Immerse yourself on foot in the kilometers of laurel forest, those forests that date back to El Tertiario and that are a very well preserved natural relic on the island It is a privilege available to everyone. Laurels, lichens, sanguines, heathers, willows and mocanes They are part of the more than twenty species that make up the magical decoration of these forests, as well as wild orange trees, viñátigos and fayas.
Thinking that twenty million years ago similar forests - and today practically disappeared - covered North Africa and southern Europe, the feeling of privilege that overwhelms when strolling through those slopes and paths in the shade of tunnels of laurel forest is amplified.
Barranco del Cercado, in the Anaga Rural Park
HIKING
Formerly, when cars were not abundant on the island and the roads had an anecdotal presence, the inhabitants of Anaga moved on foot. Many of these trails are preserved today and the best way to discover the park is through its paths. In this way you can enjoy the flora and fauna, as well as the impressive landscapes.
A good path to start in Anaga is the Path of the Senses. This path, which in its day was part of the royal path that linked Anaga with La Laguna and which has now been reconditioned, It takes less than an hour to complete and is great to do with kids.
The trail starts from Carmen's Cross , the same place where the visitor center is located, and has three clearly differentiated variants. The first, the route known as Awaken your senses , is accessible for people with reduced mobility as it consists of a wooden walkway.
The other two alternatives are circular routes with different difficulty , but the longest is completed in less than two hours and allows access to the viewpoint of the Plain of Parrots.
A paradise for lovers of hiking at all levels!
The popularly known as Enchanted Forest Trail , which is actually called a path The Saddle – Cabezo del Tejo , is another relatively simple option to discover the park.
Is about a circular route that starts from the Integral Natural Reserve of Pijaral, in the old recreational area of La Ensillada, and which takes just over four hours to complete. It is important to wear suitable footwear as the road is usually muddy due to the fine rain, common in the area.
This trail allows you to discover the wonderful natural wealth that the Anaga forests harbor, It really looks like an enchanted fairytale forest. Because the trail is located in an area of the park that enjoys the highest degree of environmental protection, it is necessary to request a visit authorization beforehand. This procedure is free.
During the visit it is worth stopping to look for the Anaga violet, a beautiful flower endemic to the area, as well as not to miss the imposing Rock of Anhambro , a vertical needle over 800 meters high.
Violet of Anaga
FROM VIEWPOINT TO VIEWPOINT
Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2015 , the Anaga massif encompasses several viewpoints from where you can enjoy different views of the island. The looker the garden offers spectacular views of the entire city of San Cristobal de La Laguna and it is the first one found if you access the Park from that city.
The looker Carmen's Cross it is very popular since the Park Visitor Center is located in the same place. If the day is clear the panoramic view of the island, crowned by Mount Teide, is impressive.
Barely two kilometers from there is the viewpoint of Peak of the English. After taking the detour to that viewpoint, on the TF-114 road, you must make a mandatory stop at the first detour on the left, the old road to Pico del Inglés. There you can feel inside a laurisilva sandwich thanks to the path that seems to have been cut to size.
Follow the tour with the viewpoint Risco Magoje, from which you can see the beautiful town of Taganana.
The Pijaral
TAGANANA, A CHARMING VILLAGE
The white houses of this charming town , scattered throughout the green mountains of Anaga and surrounded by wild beaches, include perfect examples of traditional Canarian architecture.
It is a delight to walk the Camino Portugal, which crosses what is considered the oldest neighborhood in the town , and which is part of the rural road that the old sugar workers who arrived from Madeira in the 16th century traced to take the sugar to La Laguna.
In Taganana you must also visit the Church of Our Lady of the Snows , which houses in its interior the triptych of the Adoration of the Kings (Flemish school, 16th century).
From Taganana you can continue down towards the coast to visit wild beaches such as Benijo or Almáciga , as well as to taste simple seafood dishes in one of the restaurants in the area, especially the octopus and the grouper.
Taganana road