Trans-Canary Islands: 4 Canary Islands on the Gran Guanche MTB Trail
Cold, deepest winter in Munich. It's mid-December and the thermometer reads double-digit minus degrees. Luisa and Marion decide to embark on a winter escape to the Canary Islands and, after a four-hour flight, land on the island of Lanzarote in pleasant 20-degree temperatures, blue skies and bright sunshine.
2 Ultracyclistas - 7 days in bikepacking mode
For seven days, the two women will be bikepacking along the Gran Guanche Audax Trail, a challenging ultra-cycling route whose GPS track can be downloaded from the internet and travelled at any time.
The route will cover 715 kilometres and 15,000 metres in altitude through the diverse and spectacular volcanic landscapes of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Tenerife. They will travel from island to island by ferry.
But unlike an ultracycling event, where the aim is to complete a route as quickly as possible and in autonomy - including night rides and sleep deprivation - this time they want to tackle the adventure at a relaxed pace. This includes getting enough sleep and enjoying the scenery along the way. However, Marion and Luisa don't think about something as typical of a holiday as eating out until a few days later - self-catering is simply in the nature of an ultra-cyclist. Here is their report in four island files:
Day 1: Lanzarote
- Length: 100 kilometres
- Uphill: 1500 metres in altitude
- Off-road share: 75 per cent
Assemble the bikes, lash down the panniers, dispose of the bike boxes, then it's straight off. The track sends us northwards from the airport into a barren and fascinating landscape, past whitewashed houses sprouting from gently undulating black lava hills. In the cosy little town of Teguise, the former capital of the island, we clatter along cobbled streets and marvel at historic buildings. Cacti in clay pots, hung with Christmas baubles.
We continue to the north coast, where the Famara massif rises above kilometres of sandy beaches. Now that would be great if you could surf. In the Parc Natural de los Volcanes, the sandy track winds around volcanic cones and lava fields as far as the eye can see. That's why so many Ironman aspirants come here to train. Lanzarote's volcanic landscapes simulate the conditions of Hawaii almost perfectly.
After 70 kilometres, we take our first break in the village of Uga. Little did we know that the last 20 kilometres through the upcoming Monumento Natural Los Ajaches National Park would cost us a lot of time. Up to this point, the route could easily have been covered on a gravel bike. However, from Los Ajaches onwards, the route suddenly climbs 15 per cent up steep single trails and then stumbles down again on a stepped, angular track on the next slope.
On the other hand, the surrounding nature seems almost untouched and the view of the glittering sea has something of fairy dust about it. But unfortunately we have to hurry, because the last ferry in Castillo de las Coloradas leaves for Fuerteventura at 8pm. The crossing only takes 30 minutes, but the ferry is small and has quite a fight on its hands with the Atlantic waves.
Day 2: Fuerteventura
- Length: 161 kilometres
- Uphill: 1990 metres in altitude
- Off-road share: 70 per cent
Slightly seasick, we enter Fuerteventura in the last light of dawn. We use the first pizzeria in Corralejo for a cat wash in the toilet and swap our cycling outfits for camping outfits. The next morning, we see the second largest Canary Island for the first time in daylight. We must have pitched our tent on one of its extensive beaches yesterday. Surfers chase through the crashing waves - we stop in El Cotillo for a breakfast of avocado toast and café con oat milk, then follow the corrugated iron track into the desert mountains.
After around 50 kilometres, we reach Llanos de la Concepción, where we stock up on supplies in a supermarket. The last supply point for a long time, the map tells us. Then it's back into the shimmering sand. The afternoon sun is blazing and the path is getting rougher and rougher. Sometimes we have to dismount and push because the rear wheels no longer grip the sand, which is up to 20 per cent steep. The headwind also grates on our nerves.
On paper, the route on Fuerteventura looks easy. But the combination of heat, headwinds and undulating climbs is really tough. - Marion Dziwnik, Ultracyclista
When we reach Costa Calma in the evening, we agree that we will treat ourselves to a shower, a washing machine and a proper bed today. We find a German host via Airbnb, who allows us to arrive late at her flat. The shower feels like a miracle, the pizza tastes delicious and the still damp but freshly washed cycling clothes fuel our anticipation of the next island as soon as we switch off the lights.
Day 3 + 4: Gran Canaria
- Length: 133 kilometres
- Uphill: 3950 metres in altitude
- Off-road share: 50 per cent
There are only two ferries a day from Fuerteventura to Gran Canaria. The crossing takes two and a half hours. This time, the ship is bigger and the sea is much calmer. There are even showers on board that we could have used. But we are still fresh. So we use the time for lunch, which we bought at the supermarket on Fuerte.
On Gran Canaria, we are almost overwhelmed by the big city atmosphere of Las Palmas. We are no longer used to hectic people, traffic and noise after our days in the desert silence. So we hurry along the coastal road to the turn-off to Barranco Guinigada. This almost 20-kilometre-long valley leads directly from the city to the centre of the island. The air here is almost subtropical, with greenery sprouting from metre-high rocks. In between, villages with colourful houses cling to the gorge.
On the other hand, the Gran Canaria route has a much more challenging elevation profile. Twice as many metres in altitude await us as on Fuerteventura. Initially, we cycle uphill on tarmac with a sea view and evening sun. But when the track changes to a sandy track with a 10 per cent gradient, we decide to go to a restaurant in Valsequillo. "Papas arrugadas" - salted, "crinkled" potatoes - are served to us with spicy mojo sauces.
Luisa then orders a cappuccino and gets a "barraquito". A layered espresso with sweetened condensed milk, frothed milk and a pinch of cinnamon. A composition that will tempt us to stop for coffee more and more often over the next few days.
When we step outside the door again, it is almost dark, but just a few gravelled serpentines above the village we discover a sheltered and suitably level spot for our tent. Two motorcyclists rattle past at some point during the night and wake us from our sleep. A good opportunity to pull my sleeping bag up to my chin. It's surprisingly cold up here!
The next morning continues with metres in altitude. After all, we only managed 1000 metres the day before. But the ramp remains steep and the gravel loose. When we reach a paved road, we decide to take a shortcut - after all, we are on holiday. We reach the highest point, the Pico de las Nieves (1949 m), at around 11.00 am. The view from up here is gigantic, especially towards Tenerife, where the peak of Mount Teide stands out from the cloud cover.
But it is cold. So we don't wait long before setting off towards Tejeda and it gets warmer with every metre we descend. The gravel track winds beautifully through a pine forest, past a waterfall and panoramic windows open up to the Atlantic Ocean again and again. We cover the last 20 kilometres on the old coastal road in the north-west of the island. Its potholes don't stop us from rolling into Puerto de las Nieves on time. Before the ferry leaves for Tenerife, we even have enough time for a barraquito and an ice cream.
Day 5 + 6 + 7: Tenerife
- Length: 245 kilometres
- Uphill: 6750 metres in altitude
- Off-road share: 20 per cent
No, it wasn't a good idea to spend the first night on the public beach in San Andrés. But we didn't make it any further from the harbour in Santa Cruz yesterday in complete darkness. After all, today we're heading up the Anaga mountains and then towards Teide, the highest peak in Spain. However, we won't be able to sleep outside in the mountains of Tenerife because it gets too cold up there. So we google for a hostel and book a room. We'll need the bed when we get there. Our daily quota for today is 4000 metres in altitude.
The first section of the route takes us through densely populated areas. We crank up and down constantly on busy roads through pleasant villages, with the Teide flashing into view from time to time. Then, with the change to a sandy track, we enter a jungle-like forest. The humid air immediately sticks to our skin, but the climbs remain pleasant to ride. As the sun dips towards the horizon and my bike computer reports only 8 degrees Celsius, we reach our accommodation, Caserio Los Partidos. A stroke of luck! Our room has a shower and a fireplace. So we can dry our clothes by the fire while we sit down to dinner and later marvel at this incredible Canarian starry sky.
The next day, we climb up the Masca Gorge into the Teno Mountains, one of the geologically oldest parts of the island with subtropical vegetation, steeply sloping gorges and houses clinging menacingly close to the abyss of the mountain ridges. We share this steep road with heavy traffic, but eventually we reach a bizarre landscape of lava fields reminiscent of Lanzarote - only 2000 metres above sea level: the Teide plateau. We are still 1300 metres short of the summit. The air is getting thinner, breathing is getting harder and the headwind is blowing hard. Only the view of the summit is still motivating. We have to leave the restaurants on the right and left behind. It's already late and we don't want to have to leave again in the dark. In fact, our haste and lactate peaks are rewarded: we see the Teide with cloud cover around its neck, illuminated by the evening sun. It doesn't get more fascinating than this.
Unfortunately, the light and temperatures are now fading fast. But we are faster. It gets warmer with every kilometre that rattles through the speedometer on the descent. By the time we reach the beach in Candelaria, our toes are already digging into the warm summer sand.
Info Gran Guanche Trail
The route: Originally designed for an ultra-cycling event, there are three versions of this Trans-Canary route to follow (also with luggage transport): Trail, Gravel and Road. It has now even been extended to include a crossing of La Gomera (total: 800 km/20,000 metres in altitude). Incidentally, the name of the tour is a tribute to the indigenous people of the Canary Islands, the Guanche. GPS data and information at: granguanche.com
Ferry connections: Various shipping companies travel between the Canary Islands. The larger ships even offer the luxury of a shower. We paid a total of 147 euros per person for all three ferry trips, we didn't pre-book. Timetables and prices can be found at: ferryhopper.com
Overnight stay: Wild camping is actually not permitted on the Canary Islands, and campfires are even banned under severe penalties. It's better to stay in permanent accommodation and save a lot of luggage!
