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The Canary Island of Tenerife, with its vast range of micro-climates and contrasting landscapes in one island is a thrill-seeker’s paradise, with pretty much every adventure activity covered, from hiking and climbing to windsurfing and caving. But this beautiful and spectacular island is almost tailor made for one sport – cycling.
The world’s best pro cyclists have long made Tenerife a riding favourite, not least for the training benefits of its huge altitude range, where you can eat, sleep, recover and pedal easily at sea level and then challenge yourself on the slopes of the island’s 3,718m high iconic volcano Mount Teide, the highest mountain in Spain. This is stunning cycling, with landscapes so varied that you’ll feel like you’re riding across a continent in one day.
From the dry and barren south side of the island in the rain shadow of Mount Teide, to the lush, green north, the ever-changing landscape as you ride will astound you, making for varied riding even on such a relatively small island, with a coastline of just 223 miles. And if you fancy an easy day in the saddle there are endless scenic flatter routes to choose from too.
The largest of the Canaries – a Spanish archipelago 200 miles off the west coast of Africa - Tenerife is a four-hour flight from the UK. Its climate and stunning coastal and mountain roads make it the perfect cycling destination: even in December temperatures can reach as high as 26°C in the day and remain a comfortable 10-15°C at night.
Off-road highs
Tenerife undoubtedly has magnificent road routes but the varied network of forest and mountain tracks that criss-cross the island also make for an ideal mountain biking holiday. The Corona Forest Nature Park which surrounds the Teide National Park and the hills around La Esperanza are the best mountain biking areas, with the 84km route through the Corona Forest a real highlight.
The Monte de la Esperanza tour takes mountain bikers over small forest tracks through the Esperanza forest with spectacular views towards both the north and the south side of the island, surrounded by the intoxicating scent of eucalyptus trees. The tour is about 40km, with 800m of elevation, and is a perfect ride for a medium level rider.
These areas offer tracks of varying difficulty, but if you want something more demanding try the routes in the north or the area around the outside of the Teide National Park.
For more information: webtenerife.co.uk
