Hike from Los Canarios to Faro de Fuencaliente: 21st October 2020
It was raining in Santa Cruz when I woke and so I decided to follow Antonio’s advice and go hiking in the south of the island. I drove to the town of Los Canarios where a hiking trail on the youngest part of the island.
The last volcanic eruption was in 1971 extending the islands western side. The hike started down the side of the San Antonio volcano and through lava fields created 300 years ago. A small observatory is located on the edge of the volcano.
The valley to the north of the volcano is a major grape growing region on the island and are cultivated on the newest lava fields formed after the 1971 eruption of Cumbre Vieja.
The vines grow close to the ground so that the grapes are warmed by the heat stored in the ground which makes them very sweet producing a unique wine which is famous on the island.
Clouds approached as I started to walk around the edge of the volcano but fortunately the rain stayed out at sea forming a beautiful double rainbow.
I continued the trail down towards the San Juan volcano. The surrounding landscape was very barren and like the pictures from the surface of Mars. Very little vegetation can grow on the dry lava field.
The trail descended down towards the coast. There was more plant life growing along this part of the trail with some of the plants just starting to sprout new leaves following the start of the winter rains.
The trail continued downwards towards the Fuencaliente Lighthouse (Faro de Fuencaliente).
Next to the light house are the ‘Salinas de Fuencaliente’ where they produce salt from drying sea water in the salt pans.
After visiting the salt pans I walked back up the the trail to Los Canarios town. After walking 4 hours I treated myself to a pizza before driving back to Santa Cruz for a swim.
