Walks in
Tenerife - Tamaimo Tunnels:
On exiting the 1.7Km. tunnel
from Tamaimo, instead of going uphill to find the canaletta (water channel)
towards Masca, picking a fairly invisible route down to the left the path
gradually gets more obvious and, crossing the barranco (gorge) several times
back & forth, eventually goes all the way down to the sea. We followed the
path until it meets another water channel and branched off to follow it to
tunnel. The tunnel is 1.4Km. long and heads off in a general southerly
direction towards Puerto Santiago (Gigantes). At the exit from the tunnel
there is a choice of a crumbling scary canaletta off to the left. This contours
around the mountain side and I believe, ends up in a similar place! I may find
out sometime but.... I was persuaded to take a slightly less risky route
trending at first steeply downwards following arrows on the rock.
This path, slightly
worrying at times, also contours the mountain side overlooking (almost
overhanging!) the coast of Los Gigantes (marvellous high volcanic cliffs on the
NW coast of Tenerife). The higher, canaletta quickly disappears high above us.
I walked this path for around an hour enjoying amazing views before reaching a
nasty tourist development in Puerto Santiago, we then had to walk the road back
to a path around banana plantations (The reason for all the tunnels!) back to
the car at Tamaimo. Around 5 hours, but we didn’t waste much time! I mean I didn’t get lost too often.
Where our path (before the
last tunnel) left the beach path, there is yet another canaletta on the
opposite bank of the barranco. This obviously heads off around the next
headland off towards the Barranco de Masca. There are loads of U Ttube videos
about these tunnels and canalettas. I found it a little confusing as to which
one was which but they are all fabulous fun. Some of the gates were locked. Most
of them had bars missing. and most had warnings of imminent death or worse but
I believe it’s their way of avoiding any responsibility when things go wrong.
Steve
Round.
