Winter sunshine walking on Gran Canaria
Tell someone you're off to Gran Canaria and they'll inevitably think of beaches, resorts and advise you on a good book to soak up the sun. But concentrating solely on one small, sandy bit of coastline, or not stepping away from the bars in Las Palmas ignores everything else this Atlantic island has to offer.
With a wide variety of landscapes and walking terrain, Gran Canaria is often referred to as a content in miniature. The island is criss-crossed by. network of signposted trails and its central area is protected as a huge Parque Natural. Despite being one of the world's most popular holiday destinations, there are many walks in peaceful and charming rural locations.
Most people visit the Canary Islands in summer, but it is usually too hot for walking. Winter weather is often good, but on Gran Canaria, expect some cloud cover and rain on the mid-slopes and highest parts. Spring weather is sunny and clear, autumn weather is often good, but the vegetation often seems rather scorched after the summer.
The walks in this guidebook are spread around the island and where they lie side-by-side links between routes are often possible. Day walks are described first near the city of Las Palmas, stretching from village to village towards the high mountains. Afterwards, routes are explored in the northern part of the island, then the western part, working towards the central high mountains. The southern and eastern parts of the island are explored last. Finally, a long-distance route is described, taking five days to cross Gran Canaria from coast to coast, via the central mountains.
The walking is mixed, as could be expected on an island known as a ‘miniature continent’ due to its variety of landscape.From semi-desert and sand dunes, to the high laurisilva ‘cloud forests’, there is plenty to explore and discover throughout the island.
Walking on Gran Canaria
45 day walks including five days on the GR131 coast-to-coast route
£14.95
Guidebook describing 45 day walks on Gran Canaria, generally averaging 10 to 12km each. A long-distance coast-to-coast route on the GR131 is included, and shorter walks can be linked to form longer itineraries. One of the larger Canary Islands, Gran Canaria is a popular destination but offers many peaceful, rural areas perfect for walking.
More informationTo read more articles like this get our newsletter
Sign up for 20% off your next purchase and to be the first to hear about exclusive competitions, special offers, and news from Cicerone.
