Sunflower Books: Landscapes of Southern TENERIFE & GOMERA: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Southern Tenerife and La Gomera, 5th edition (2008), updated 05/03/10

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Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in the south of Tenerife and on Gomera given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

Getting about: The 'Garajonay Express' is no longer running between Tenerife and La Gomera (not last week anyway). The signs are still displayed everywhere but offices are closed up... If trying to get 'Linea 1' bus out of Valle Gran Rey, warn your readers that if it fills up at the first stop (bus station) then it does not stop at the other 3/4 stops (Borvalan / Vueltas / La Puntilla / la Playa / La Calera ) in Valle Gran Rey but heads straight out of town. The taxi drivers then go round the bus stops touting for business... Otherwise found your guide book very useful. (User, 11/08) + A service similar to the former 'Garajonay Express' is now operated by Fred Olsen - schedule to be found on Fred Olsen's home page. At the tourist office in Valle Gran Rey (in La Playa) you can get a bus schedule (horario) containing all the bus stops. The locations of the bus stops is useful knowledge when planning a walk. (e-mail, 2/10)

Car Tour 6: The road between Vallehermoso and the turning for Alojera is closed. (From a distance it looked as if there had been a landslip though there are major roadworks along this stretch). There is no way through to Valle Gran Rey by car other than to retrace your route via Hermigua or take the road from Las Rosas through the National Park. (User, 3/10) [Yes, Gomera had bad storms in winter 2010, with landslips in this area. Hopefully repairs will be made in the near future. (Sunflower)]

Walk 6, Alternative: The circuit mentioned as a possible alternative return for the main walk is locally known as PR-TF 72 Camino de Chasna-Paisaje Lunar. We walked this circuit from Vilaflor to Paisaje Lunar and back to Vilaflor in October 2009. When you consider this circuit as an alternative return, pay attention that the circuit does not descend to Paisaje Lunar itself. You have two alternatives: ascending from Paisaje Lunar to a viewing point on the circuit or continuing the main walk until meeting a signpost indicating Vilaflor where you turn left. However, the going might be easier when you continue on the track. The part of the circuit you have to follow before you reach Vilaflor, is an old camino and the surface underfoot is stable, but at times very uneven. (User, 11/09)

Walk 12, etc, map on page 70-71: We found it rather useful that you display the PR and GR numbers on the maps in the book. The "GR 132" marks on the path from Gerián to Chipude are wrong. They should instead be placed on the path going south from Gerián towards La Dama (shown dotted in the map). The map should also show the western (ignored) part of the tráck encountered at the 50 min point in Walk 12 (cf. page 80). At this point the track is heading east, coming down from a hill. (User, 2/10)

Walk 16: At the 20 min-point, text in parentheses: the PR LG 15 continues to Imada - not to Guarimiar. (User, 2/10) + The route of the final part of walk 16 (Short Walk 2) on pp 89/90 and map pp96/97, although physically much as described, is no longer signed and waymarked as GR132 either at Targa or at the Santiago exit - indeed, we saw no sign of any waymarking. This caused us some uncertainty at the start of the descent from Targa, especially as the book does not mention the prominent communications repeater station which the track passes just before the descent proper commences. The other possible confusion is that the map seems to indicate the track lying west of the 702m peak rather than to its east. Finally, the track is signed as "private property" about half way down and again near the bottom exit. However, it remains a very pleasant walk and we can only hope it is not the intention of someone that it should be closed. As far as GR132 goes, it now appears to leave the road at Targa downhill nearly opposite PR LG 15.1 and, possibly, pass through Antoncojo. (User, 2/10)