 |
| Driving a hire car in Gran Canaria |
Mogan to Agaete
 |
| View from the west coast road |
The winding road that connects Mogan port in the far south of Gran Canaria to the town of Agaete in the north west corner is an epic experience. The three hour drive takes you along hair-raising cliff roads over 1000m high and through beautiful valleys. The secenery is jaw-dropping! There are plenty of places to stop to admire the views and have a spot of lunch. You won't be able to do the second half of the drive, between La Aldea and Agaete, in a few years time as a new inland road will replace the old cliff-edge one. This is a real shame as it is the most spectacular drive in the Canary Islands and has been used in car adverts. The government says that it is too expensive to maintain despite its potential as a tourist attraction.
Do not take this road if it is raining as landslides and falling boulders have killed people in recent years. If it is dry the road is perfectly safe, although locals, used to its twists and turns, drive pretty fast. This road has vertical drops over 1000m down to the sea and is not for those with vertigo.
The Guayadeque Valleyis the most attractive driving spot in the east of Gran Canaria. The start of the valley is a few minutes drive from Aguimes Town. The road runs along the valley floor with towering cliffs on each side. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Aguimes to the end of the road where there is an excellent restaurant with fantastic views. Guayadeque is a nature reserve full or rare and beautiful plants and an important archaeological site. There are still people living in cave villages in the valley and farms with cows, rabbits and goats kept in natural and artificial caves.
The great thing about this drive is that you get to see the rugged mountains of Gran Canaria without having to experience any vertigo-inducing cliffs. The road stays on the valley floor the whole time.
Do not take this road if it is raining as landslides and falling boulders have killed people in recent years. If it is dry the road is perfectly safe, although locals, used to its twists and turns, drive pretty fast. This road has vertical drops over 1000m down to the sea and is not for those with vertigo.
Guayadeque Valley
 |
| Driving in the Guayadeque Valley |
The great thing about this drive is that you get to see the rugged mountains of Gran Canaria without having to experience any vertigo-inducing cliffs. The road stays on the valley floor the whole time.
The Mogan and Fataga Valleys
The Barranco de Mogan is probably the prettiest valley on the island. Drive up from Mogan port towards Mogan village and carry on up towards the centre of the island. On the steep cliffs you might just be able to see tone of the 15 Gran Canary dragon trees, the only ones in the world. As you climb, the G 605 road gets windier with fantastic switchbacks and hairpin bends. The terrain gets more rugged with pine forest growing among huge boulders.
Stop at the Presa de Las Ninas reservoir for a picnic or carry on, turning onto the GC 60 towards San Bartolome de Tirajana. After lunch head down the Fataga Valley to beautiful Fataga Village. Follow the road from here back to Playa del Ingles past palm groves, ancient burial grounds and fantastic mountain views.
The Cumbres
 |
| The beautiful Gran Canaria cumbres |
Hiring a car in Gran Canaria allows you to really get under the skin of the island. I recommend carrental.co.uk because it always seems to dig out the best deals.
Want to know more about Gran Canaria? Click on these links for the best posts on the Sunshine Guide to Gran Canaria:
0 comments:
Post a Comment