Sports in the Country

The island of Gran Canaria is commonly known by the “miniature continent” on account of the natural environment that the island offers to visitors and inhabitants.  For sports enthusiasts, there are inexhaustible opportunities to combine the practice of their favourite sport with the enjoyment of the verdant landscapes of the interior or the spectacular areas along the coast.  The mild weather conditions that reign throughout the year is an invitation to practise a large variety of sports right in the heart of nature, with hiking, rock climbing and bicycle routes being some of the best alternatives that Gran Canaria offers to tourists.

 TREKKING

The landscape and climate assets that have earned the nickname of  “continent in miniature”, make Gran Canaria a real paradise for nature lovers, especially for trekkers. This is undoubtedly the ideal way of discovering the natural and historic treasures hidden within the island’s 32 protected natural areas, trekking the extensive network of trails.

Relief and Climate

The island is almost circular in shape, with the highest point sited right in the middle of the island. This has led to its characteristic cone-shaped relief, criss-crossed by deep gorges fanning out from the centre, and large depressions caused by volcanic activity or erosion; the calderas. Nevertheless, there are major geo-morphological differences between the gentle north-easterly relief and the rugged terrain of the south west.

Its legendary climate really is extremely mild and, depending on where you are and the altitude, you could experience any one of the different micro-climates that divide the island into three bio-climatic districts: the N.E., the Canary Island Trade Winds or Humid Island, the Xero-Canary Island district, or Dry Island in the S.W. and, above 1500 metres, the Highlands..

Knowledge of the different peculiarities of the terrain and the micro-climates of Gran Canaria is fundamental for making the right choice of route and the right shoes, clothes and food, etc. you should take with you.

NETWORK OF TRAILS

The island terrain is criss-crossed by an intricate network of foot paths ranging from easy forest paths and bridle paths to tracks and trails that are strictly for expert hikers.

The size of the island and its rugged relief, have created short, but very steep routes.  . Depending on their layout, these trails can go from “coast to highlands” with very gentle slopes and almost in a straight line when they run along a gorge, or concentric or transversal, which tend to be more circuitous and steeper, as they cross these features of the land.

Work is presently being done to sign-post the main trails of the island, and there are plans for more. This will replace the traditional signs, which consist of stone milestones or landmarks. There are several books and Guides that offer detailed descriptions and maps of the island’s network of trails.

Equipment

You do not need any highly sophisticated equipment. But your footwear should be a bit more robust than the usual walking shoes. We recommend tough, water-proof mountaineering boots with good ankle support. Leave training shoes or sandals for short walks or for when you take a rest.  

Clothing depends on the weather conditions on the day and the area the trail crosses. Apart from in areas of sparse vegetation, we do not advise you to wear delicate clothing, or short articles of clothing; like shorts, tops, etc.

Apart from the small but sufficient 30 litre rucksack, the most recommendable accessories are telescopic ski poles or walking sticks, invaluable for traversing steep inclines comfortably, camera or video, Oh, and a mobile telephone, just in case.

Climbing

The delightful climate and the outstanding volcanic terrain that have made Gran Canaria a leading international holiday destination, have also created the perfect setting for non-winter mountain sports. One of the most popular of these is rock climbing, which has an unexpected paradise of rocks and vertical cliffs waiting to be discovered in the island that has generated some important school sites. The constant opening of new and more difficult routes, together with the growing number of climbers and clubs give us an idea of just how fast this sport is catching on.

A CLIMBING WALL CALLED GRAN CANARIA

The volcanic relief of Gran Canaria was constructed by three major periods of volcanic eruptions over a period of 16 million years. The oldest rock, spewed forth as lava flows, are ideal for climbing, even though they vary in composition and lithology, because they are solid and they are not slippery. Erosion put the final touches to moulding the elements that are now characteristic of the island landscape: gullies, cliffs, crests, cauldrons, rock needles This landscape offers a complete repertoire of cracks, chimneys, plates, wedges, overhangs, ceilings, etc, that turn the whole island into one immense climbing wall with an infinity of possibilities to be discovered. There are presently climbing sites all over the island, although the most popular areas and climbing schools are found at the sites with good access and the best rock.

CLIMBING AREAS

In the mountain peaks, there are outstanding areas like Roque Nublo, a rock needle of excellent basalt conglomerate with 12 beautiful routes and an endless variation of difficulty, which is the natural symbol of Gran Canaria and the origin of climbing on the island. Other highland rock needles that can be climbed are El Palmés, in El Toscón de Tejeda, Betancuria in Ayacata or Narices, at the foot of the north face of Roque Bentayga. Climbing is restricted on this latter rock, because of its archaeological value.

Close to El Nublo is the rock circus of Ayacata, a sanctuary of traditional climbing with the largest number of classical routes of different lengths and degrees of difficulty, scattered over the areas known as La Libreria, El Frontón del GEC, La Candelilla, El Montañón. Somewhat further away, El Pino and El Aserrador, offer the highest routes on basalt conglomerate walls on the island.  

Tamadaba, an ancient mountain massif covered in pine forests and vertical cliffs, is in the north west, rising over the sea to an altitude of over 1000m. On its upper lave flows, you can find the sites of Lomo Caraballo, Supernova, la Perfumeria and El Gulich, with its famous Emiliano Zapata route, which made this area the sports climbing capital of Gran Canaria

Other sites include Costa Ayala, a former climbing school, Bañaderos,  sea cliffs located 3 km and 14 km respectively, from Las Palmas, along the northern motorway GC2, and  Las Meleguinas, next to the bridge of the same name, in the borough of Sta. Brigida.

On the walls moulded by the erosion of rain and streams, and the blocks of the gullies of the south of the island, you can find the main setting of the new school of sports climbing and boulder climbing. La Sorrueda, very near Santa Lucia, in the Tirajana gulley, the leading site for sports climbing in the south of Gran Canaria and, together with Fatagonia, in the neighbouring Fataga gulley, close to the village of the same name, the sites that attract the most climbers. The southern gullies of Berriel and Ayagaures.

RECOMMENDATIONS

With the exception of a few publicly owned places, military sites or sites of special ecological sensitivity, climbing is allowed everywhere. The only restrictions are the regulations governing the use and enjoyment of natural areas; avoid any environmental impact or damage to the inhabitants of the countryside and their way of life.

Sports climbing does require the regulation papers: federation license, insurance policy covering civil liability, accident, etc. We recommend you acquire more detailed and more up to date information about climbing sites, regulations, equipment, etc, from the Canary Island Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing, or that you go with local climbers.