From Chipude to Garajonay

(S/E) Departure from Chipude, NS de la Candeleria church
Walking past the church, the church square and the Hotel Sonia on your left, go up the street you drove down.
After 300 metres, to the left of the La Hoya bar, go up the paved lane on the left (GR®131, white and red markings). You will quickly come to the tarmac road. Follow the white and red markings on the lamppost. You will rejoin the road again. Turn left and our path immediately climbs to the left, level with the terraced fields. At the start, we climb parallel to the road. (Total climb: 300 m)
After 600m, there is another road. On the right is a Disa petrol station. Turn left and walk along the carretera for 270m. Continue through the village of Apartadero. Then turn left again onto the road. (Total elevation gain: 900 m). We pass the Los Camioneros bar. We leave the road and go down the stairs to cross the Erque ravine. At the bottom of the stairs, turn right. (Total distance: 1.1 km)
After 200 m, you will reach the village of Pavon. You will cross the tarmac road again. Turn left. Keep to the right and take the wide paved path on the right towards the Igualero viewpoint (you will walk alongside a fence). When you see the Pavon sign, continue climbing to the right. (Total distance: 1.3 km)
After 400 m, at the intersection, we turn right to climb the Fortaleza, a natural monument. Follow the white and red markings (somewhat faded) to climb. We will then return to this point and continue towards the Mirador de Igualero. (700 m round trip). (Total: 2.4 km)
After 600 m, we come back to the carretera (it makes a U-turn in front of us). We descend to the right. A sign informs us that we will be walking on the road for 700 m. Very beautiful views of the Barranco de Erque. (Total distance: 3 km)
After 700 m, we leave the road just after a right-hand bend and climb up to the left onto the path (Mirador de Igualero signposted at 2.9 km). (Total distance: 3.7 km)
During the ascent, you will have beautiful views of La Fortaleza.
After 700 m, there is a high-voltage power line on the right. (Total distance: 4.4 km) - After 400 m, we cross the bed of the Barranco de Erque. Then we pass a second high-voltage power line. (Total distance: 4.8 km)
After 600 m, we pass the third high-voltage power line. Immediately after, there is a barrier securing the path. (Total: 5.4 km)
After 200 m, turn onto the path furthest to the left. (Total distance: 5.6 km)
After 400 m, a path on the right leads to Erquito and Arguayoda. Continue straight ahead and then immediately left before a goat pen (path not very clearly marked). You will reach the road a few metres higher up. (Total distance: 6 km)
On the road, we turn right.
After 500 m, we arrive at Igualero, our GPS point no. 2

(S/E) Arrival in Chipude, NS de la Candeleria church
Cross the road and go down the steps. Just after the first stone house, turn left (between the two houses). Then follow the signs for Chipude.
You will walk through terraced fields. When you reach a white house, go down to the right onto the narrow path.
After 800 m, you will reach a small rocky plateau. Follow the cairns (branch off slightly to the left). The path is then marked by two rows of stones. (Total distance: 13.1 km)
When you reach a paved road, turn right. Continue to the church of N.S de la Candeleria. (Total distance: 13.7 km)

Always be careful and plan ahead when hiking. Visorando and the author of this article cannot be held responsible for any accidents or inconveniences that may occur on this route.

Things to discover:
The peace and tranquillity of the landscape

The highest peak on the island, Garajonay (1,487 m)

Bonus features:
The opportunity to climb La Fortaleza, the sacred mountain of the Guanches