Our second day on holiday we decided to walk up to the Pico de Taurito. An hour up, and the footing was proving difficult on my knees and my wife's hips. So we stopped there before admitting defeat.

Fantastic sea and mountain views, but a little steep for an 'easy stroll' to the summit.

So we were pleased that our 'taste of Gran Canaria' tour the following day included a visit to the Caldera Bandama en route to the town of Arucas.

An hour and a half from our hotel, the coach ride became a little alarming as we climbed through narrow, twisting mountain roads to about 1900 ft above sea level.

By the time we reached the summit, Pico de Bandama, I was beginning to appreciate how brave my wife was, as she's terrified of heights….ah, she has her eyes screwed shut, and is about to break the seat she's squeezing the handles so tightly!

From the summit there are spectacular 360° views, taking in everything from the lush greenery of the northern hills, to the rugged barren mountains of the south, and the glinting sea on the horizon.

Tiny white spots, houses on the valley floor, give some sense of scale to the view.

The star of the vista, the Caldera, a volcanic crater 1000m wide and 200m deep, formed 2000 years ago, the most recent volcanic eruption on Gran Canaria.

Coming down was actually a little more scary than going up. The angle of the coach seeming to become impossibly steep, creeping towards the sheer drops as the locals squeezed their cars past us on very, very narrow roads!

Thankfully we took a different route back to the South.

With a stomach full of wine, cheese, meats and rum, I must admit, I gave thanks to the gods of the volcano!

FWR

29.05.23 Front Page

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