Rising from the long peninsula northeast of Santa Cruz is the Anaga mountain range, rising over 3,000 feet above the ocean. This is a wonderful area for hiking and has some very challenging trails. In fact, some are so difficult that you would be wise to hire a guide. Most are pleasant walks, like the path down through the woods to Taganana, where you can stop at a lovely rustic inn and have a simple but delicious meal of native Canarian cuisine.
Erosion modeled the current landscape, as you can probably guess from the soaring cliffs of the coast. Volcanic activity formed the valleys and gave the land the unusual shape of a fan. The land is full of endemic plant species, which are what is left of the Tertiary period over 50 million years ago. You’ll find balos, palm groves, laurel forest, spiny lettuce scrub, incense bushes and other vegetation. Below the pine forest line is a small pine forest on the mountainside that was planted by long-ago inhabitants.
Also part of this area is the Anaga Rural Park, created in 1954 as the jewel of the island. With its soaring cliffs, hidden beaches and the laurisilva forests (relics of prehistoric vegetation), it is home to about 1500 people in three hamlets. The residents of Los Carrizales, Las Portelas, El Palmar and Teno Alto tend their farms and generally live off the land in this 20,000 acre park.
This incredible park is also populated with threatened species of reptiles and sub-tropical rainforest birds. You’ll see a great variety of wildlife here, as there are nearly 2,000 species of animals and insects and reptiles. There are even 95 species that are found only in this park.
If you enjoy bird watching you’ll like Anaga! There are sea birds like Bulwer’s Petrel and the Madeira storm petrel; you’ll also see sparrow hawks and other birds of prey. There are dark tailed laurel pigeon, swifts and canaries. You may also be interested in the European free tailed bat which uses cracks in the cliffs and cavities in the ravines as their homes while Leisler’s bat lives in the hollows of trees and in buildings that are abandoned.
If you want to delve into the culture of the park you can find local artisan products such as wickerwork and items made from palm leaves. In some hamlets you can still see old kilns where they make roof tiles and pottery as well as outdoor ovens for baking bread. You can find archaeological remains scattered throughout the park plus a few caves that contain some truly beautiful cave paintings (be careful not to touch!).
If you decide to spend the night in Anaga Rural Park, you might like to check into the rural accommodations in some renovated houses. Or you can check into the Montes de Anaga Hostel in the El Bailadero area. The Anaga Hostel was built to blend into the area rather than stand out; it is a 3 storey building that can sleep 40 people and is equipped for disabled visitors. The hostel provides tours, classes, craft workshops and camps, too. The view alone is worth the 10 Euros they charge for a bed!