Canary Islands – Here We Come!
At last the Canary Islands are back on the British Government’s unrestricted travel list. The Canaries offer so much variety, each island unique and unforgettable, and with a warm, welcoming climate, the perfect choice as northern hemispheres feel the first shivers of winter.
Gran Canaria – the miniature continent, a roughly circular island of ravines and 60 kilometres of beaches, winding forest roads and criss-crossed with walking routes. Plenty to discover, day and night.
For more information click here.
Want the Gran Canaria Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map? Look here.
La Gomera, just west of Tenerife and easily reached via a short ferry crossing – plunging barrancos and soaring forest-topped mountains sprinkled with hamlets and farmsteads clinging to the slopes. Walk, bike, swim, explore – enjoy.
El Hierro, small, fascinating, the most remote and westerly Canary Island promises rugged terrain, narrow winding roads and great walking. A world-class marine reserve, free island-wide wifi and electric car charge ports contrast with the traditional feel of the island. Yet, there are very few tourists – for now.
There’s more information on La Gomera and El Hierro here.
La Gomera and El Hierro Tour & Trail Super-Durable Maps can be bought onlime including HERE.
Lanzarote – the Fire Island; volcanic, mysterious and mesmerising terrain, lava seas and alpine meadows. Other-worldly. Once visited, never forgotten.
Find out more about Lanzarote here.
Buys the map from online selllers including HERE.
Fuerteventura, known for beautiful beaches and great water sports, also offers a surprising variety of fascinating walking adventures. Wild coastlines contrast with traditional towns and views across pristine seas.
See more information about Fuerteventura here.
Maps can be foundfrom online sellers including here.
La Palma – La Isla Bonita; dramatic landscapes; a breathtaking mountain spine splits this volcanic island. Black beaches, Lush vegetation and 1080 kilometres of waymarked walking paths.
There’s more information about walking on La Palma here.
Buy La Palma maps online including here.
Tenerife – a Walker’s Island There’s so much to Tenerife. 2034 square kilometres offer coastal adventures, mountain hikes, pine and laurel forest trails, strolls and strenuous challenges including Spain’s highest peak (Mount Teide).The choice is almost endless.
You can buy the walking guide, walking maps and bus map online.
Take a Walk around Fuerteventura
Is Fuerteventura a good choice for a walking holiday? While it may lack the mountains or forests of some more conventional walkers’ favourites, it offers a unique experience for those discovering the island on foot.
Located in the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern Canary Islands, Fuerteventura may be Spanish, yet it owes its geology and geography to Africa’s west coast, the closest significant land mass.
If you want perfect beaches and water sports, it’s an ideal choice. But there’s far more to the island, best discovered on foot.
The key to a walking adventure is setting out with the right kit, and that includes a detailed, up to date map such as Discovery Walking Guides’ Fuerteventura Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map.
Take a virtual walk and get inspired by watching this video:
The Amazing Island of La Palma
La Palma is the most north-westerly and the steepest of the Canary Islands; arguably it’s the steepest island in the world.
La Palma – walking on volcanoes
If you’re looking for a walking destination that’s wild, beautiful and unforgettable, La Palma will not disappoint.
![07 [03] Views from Pico Birigoyo (Wp.9) EDITED](https://discoverywalking.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/07-03-views-from-pico-birigoyo-wp.9-edited-2.jpg)
Views from Pico Birigoyo
La Cumbrecita
Discover this remarkable place on foot or by bike. Take a look at more information including Walk! La Palma guidebook and the newly-published 7th edition of La Palma Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map.
Another Challenge?
Challenge No.2 The Yorkshire 3 Peaks
Great Britain offers many opportunities for discovering the outdoors, from gentle strolls to big challenges. Here’s one of the big ones. You could plan to tackle the Yorkshire 3 Peaks yourself, or simply lose yourself in the experiences of others who’ve planned and completed the climbs and descents, following them step by step from your own armchair.
Key to success in completing the Challenge Routes in good time is planning, down to the finest details. It’s fascinating to find out how it’s done.
A good large scale map, rip-proof and waterproof is an essential tool. Find out about the most helpful ‘how to’ guide and the best map for the job here.
Heading towards Whernside
Pen y Ghent in the early morning
Our last peak – Pen y Ghent crags
Are You Up For A Challenge?
Challenge No.1 The National 3 Peaks
With the Christmas/New Year break coming up for many, why not plan to complete the National 3 Peaks Challenge. If that’s a bit too energetic, experience these iconic ascents and descents from your armchair. Here’s a few images to tempt you.
Find out how to plan your own Challenge. Get the best ‘how to’ advice from those who have completed it. Get the best, detailed up-to-date maps to keep you on track.
Axarquia? Think Costa del Sol
There’s so much more to Spain’s Costa del Sol than sun, sea and sangria. Turn inland and you’re looking at the Axarquia, an unspoiled wildly beautiful and rugged area, waiting for you to explore it. Mountains, wooded hills and plunging gorges, dotted with small towns, tiny settlements and farmsteads give a sense of the true heart of this unique region.
Almond, olive, lemon and orange groves thrive in valleys fed by springs and from streams descending from the mountains, fertile land carved into terraces to maximise the best agricultural areas.
The best way to explore is on foot or by mountain bike. Let’s get started with this free sample circular walk, quite short and not too energetic.
Find out lots more from Discovery Walking Guides HERE.
You’ll also find information about using your device for accessing walks in the Axarquia as well as how to get your hands on the area’s most detailed guidebook and map. There’s also another free walk (pdf format) for you to download.
Lanzarote – what an experience!
Walking in the Haria region of Lanzarote
Each of the Canary Islands has its own unique personality. Lanzarote is strangely surreal. There’s plenty of wide open unspoiled places ideal for exploring by car, bike or on foot.
Lanzarote coastal adventure
Before you visit, get a really good map – and perhaps a walking guidebook.
The best map by a long way is Lanzarote Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map.
But don’t take our word for it – there are dozens of user reviews on line. Here’s a few of them:
Lanzarote Toast Rack Thingy
Kung Fu Panda
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended if planning a driving holiday on Lanzarote
Compared to many “travel” maps this map is very good with an impressive level of detail, including different road types, paths and tracks, contouring, etc. The map itself is printed on a very durable (and ultimately recyclable) plastic sheet material. I would highly recommend this to anyone planning to drive around Lanzarote and perhaps to combine that with some walking. I have just driven around 500 miles during a 10-day holiday and found this invaluable.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great product.
I’m a regular user of OS maps & wanted a map of Lanzarote for our forthcoming holiday. This map, with the accompanying book, looks just the job. I particularly like the way the map & book cross-reference each other & the useful information about the walks.
Dylan
5.0 out of 5 stars great product
Fantastic map at a very reasonable price. Large scale shows walking trails etc. Great for research prior to our planned trip.
Freddie
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Excellent map, a must for driving around as road signs are atrocious on Lanzarote for independent motorist! Very good for walks too. Also, yes bended, folded, chucked on back seat & footwell several times, and not a single tear of hole on the folds. Would recommend & will buy for other Canaries when we visit them.
Lanzarote for sunshine, blue seas, amazing huge skies and volcanic sci-fi landscapes. See it for yourself. You’ll never forget it.
Los Cocoteros, Costa Teguise
Tenerife – antidote to the winter blues
Some folk don’t mind the short, dark days of northern European winters. If you’re like me and you really DO mind them, how about hopping over to Tenerife? With temperatures to 23C and 6 hours of sunshine daily, it’s just the place to recharge your batteries. If you’re able to travel just before or just after the Christmas and New Year rush, you can get good value all-inclusive or full board deals that won’t cost much more than paying your home heating costs and food bills at home.
Ifyou tire of the sun and sea of the coastal resorts, you can visit the mountainous interior of Tenerife where there’s often snow in the winter months on the highest peaks, then go back down to the coast by sunset to warm up again.
Tenerife is a great destination for relaxing – and for hiking and biking too.
For more information and reasons to be on Tenerife this winter, take a look HERE.
Gran Canaria – it’s a whole new world
They don’t call it the ‘mini-continent’ for nothing!
Though it’s under a 5 hour flight away (from the UK and western Europe), it feels like a different world.
There’s plenty to see and do, though the best thing of all is to walk the trails and marvel at the views, the forests, flora and fauna and the ancient villages.
Gran Canaria Tour & Trail Super-Durable Map is now in its 5th edition. This is the level of detail you need when exploring the island.
Here at Discovery Walking Guides, we’ve watched the rise and rise of this fascinating island as a hiking/biking/touring destination over the past few years. Gran Canaria has emerged from the shadows to become a ‘must walk’ destination in the Canary Islands.
There’s wonderful dramatic scenery and unspoilt villages, plus clean, spacious beaches for the days you don’t want to walk (or bike or drive).
To get the best from your visit, get the best map. Here’s a small segment – look at that clarity and detail. To find out more about the map look here.
There’s plenty of walking information from Rambling Roger, who lives there and knows the island like the back of his hand.
If you fancy 18-23C and mostly sunny days from December to April, hop over to Gran Canaria.
Fuerteventura? Yes,please!
Surreal pastel hills in ice-cream hues form Fuerteventura’s backbone. It’s an island of golden beaches interspersed with rugged volcanic coastlines, turquoise seas and watercolour landscapes.
High above the resorts
If you simply must have forests and lush greenery, it’s best to look elsewhere. But, if you want to be seduced by out of this world views, Fuerteventura ticks the boxes.
Looking across to Corralejo, Fuerteventura
Discover the island by bus, on foot or by bike to get a real feel of authentic Fuerteventura’s countryside and little white villages.
Iglesia de Nuestro Señora de Regla,Pájara
Watersports are really big here too; note that Fuerteventura translates as ‘strong winds’.
Watersport heaven on Fuerteventura’s east coast
Although the island is only around 5 hours’ flight away (from western Europe) it feels as if you’re on another planet. You’ll never forget Fuerteventura.
Nightfall, Fuerteventura
As winter’s grip takes hold, what better time to revel in the gentle twenty-something temperatures and blue skies of this unique Canary Island.
Take a look HERE for mapping information for Fuerteventura.
