Chinyero: walking on the last eruption

Tenerife erupted for the last time on 18 November 1909, and it happened here. More than a century later the lava is still black and vegetation is colonising it in slow motion: Canary pine pushing up through the flow, lichens a hundred years into the job. It is one of the best places on Earth to watch that process, and it is half an hour from Icod.

What the reserve actually is

Choosing your variant

The PR-TF 43 network has half a dozen branches, and that is the point: you can do a short loop or cross half the island. These are the three sensible choices.

• **Arenas Negras loop (PR-TF 43.5).** The morning option. It gives you the lava field, the pine forest and the Teide views without committing the whole day or needing two cars.
• **From San José de los Llanos (PR-TF 43.1) or Santiago del Teide (PR-TF 43.3).** More direct approaches to Montaña Chinyero, good if what you want is to reach the cone and come back.
• **The full PR-TF 43, Garachico to Chinyero.** 18.71 km, 7 h 35 and 1,810 m of accumulated climb from almost sea level. It crosses three protected areas. A serious linear route: sort your return transport first.

What walking there is like

The ground is lava. It sounds obvious, but it changes how you walk: loose volcanic gravel slides on descents and the rock has edges that will finish off a pair of canvas trainers. Boots or trail shoes with a proper sole.

There is no shade worth the name on the lava stretches, and black rock throws the heat back at you. In summer, either you start early or you do not go. There is no water on the route either: what you carry is what you have.