2016 Hike Gran Canaria San Mateo to El Portillo via Hoya del Gamonal

0820hrs Monday 7 November 2016 left marina and walked to Telmo bus station to catch the 0900 hrs nr 303 bus to San Mateo. Our planned route would take us via the tiny hamlet of Hoya del Gamonal to El Portillo on the GC-15 road from San Mateo to Cruz de Tejeda.

Below map is from the ViewRanger app.

 

Our planned route to Hoya del Gamonal was clearly marked not far from the bus station in San Mateo

 

The first part was up a very straight steep tarmac road

 

 

After about 50 minutes of continual climbing, we left the road and followed the signposted walking trail which continued fairly steeply uphill.

 

Wonderful views towards Las Palmas

 

Excellent picnic spot for lunch

 

 

 

 

The hamlet of Hoya del Gamonal

 

All major splits in the route were clearly signposted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bend in the GC-15 road at El Portillo where we caught the nr305 bus at 1524 hrs to San Mateo

The walk was 11 km long, height gain 966m, height loss 552m, max altitude 1521m, time taken 5 1/2hrs.

 

 After a beer in San Mateo we caught the 1630hrs nr 303 bus back to Las Palmas, getting off at the yellow bus station close to Telmo to catch the nr 1 bus to close to the Triodus Bank by the Marina.

 

2016 Hike Gran Canaria Artenara to Cruz de Tejeda

0730 hrs Sunday 30 October 2016 left Las Palmas Marina and walked with Annie and Tom to the Telmo Bus Station where we caught the 0815 hrs nr 220 bus to Artenara via Teror.

Arrived in Artenara at 1030 hrs and had coffee at La Casa de Correo cafe

 

Artenara Church

 

 

Cave house for sale - the owner kindly and proudly showed us round - amazingly spacious with all the modern amenities - water, electricity, sewage!

 

 

 

 

More cave houses

 

Small cave church

 

Leaving Artenara behind as we start our hike along the Caldera rim towards Cruz de Tejeda

 

Our route

 

 Roque Nublo in the distance
 

Climbing down to some ancient caves where the Guanchos used to live

 

 

 

 

 

Returning to the trail

 

Airy perch for lunch

Trail not too good in places for those suffering from vertigo

 

 

 

 

More caves

 

 

 

 

Ancient carving

 

Returning to the trail

 

 

The Degollada de las Palomas

 

 Arrived at 1610 hrs at the Cruz de Tejeda Parador where we enjoyed refreshments

 

1730 hrs took the nr 305 bus to San Mateo where we caught the 1800 hrs nr 303 bus to Las Palmas. At the Yellow Bus station took a nr 12 bus to the Latina Sail Club