Rambla de Castro

The trail begins at the El Burgado cove where you can see how marine erosion has affected the rocks and has caused the coastline to recede, creating the characteristic convex shape.

This area is known as Punta de Los Pejes Verdes and from the look-out point, you have a panoramic view of the Roque Grande and Roque Chico outcrops. The base of these outcrops are the result of marine erosion that has caused the receding cliff as also beautiful natural caves where the waves enter. You are surrounded by an exceptional growth of Canary Island spurge which can stand up to the sea water.

You have to pass through this tourist estate, a product of the extensive development in the 1970s. The banana plantations were replaced by these structures that reached all the way to the edge of the cliff and modified the landscape.

Here you are crossing one of the four ravines along this trail. It is named after a specific species of the laurisilva or laurel forests and begins in the upper areas of Los Realejos, where there is a town of the same name.

Before you, you have 211 steps that will lead you to an amazing place: the ruins of the La Gordejuela pumping station, where the company Hamilton installed the first steam pump in Tenerife in 1903. From here, the white gold of the island, water, was raised to irrigate the banana plantations that are still to be seen, especially in the final section of the trail. Even in the 19th century, this area received many visitors who came to see the spectacular La Gordejuela falls that reached all the way to the sea, which however disappeared with the pumping station.

Going down and the walking along this beach takes you to another water-related structure, a functioning well that reinforces the importance of water in this protected space. The beach is typical to the northern coast with mouths of ravines creating large coves.

Scan the horizon for a sail - this small fort was, after all, meant to protect this rich estate from pirates. Like the rest of the archipelago, Tenerife was attacked by pirates quite often between the 15th and 17th centuries. The small armoured fort dedicated to Saint Ferdinand is a reminder of this period as ships would dock at the beach below this outcrop. Hernando de Castro, who received this estate from the conquistador of Tenerife Alonso Fernández de Lugo, had this fort built in the 16th century.

'Delightful estate with extensive lands' and 'most beautiful and stunning corner' are some of the descriptions that the Jardín del Edén estate has received from travellers and writers that visited the area. Even today, it maintains its splendour with some of the most beautiful palm trees on the island and the exceptional Casona de Castro. This country house, which is an example of the traditional Canary Islands style of architecture, dates back to the 16th century and has some of the typical features like the central courtyard, the wooden balconies and even the outdoor washing areas.

In the final stretch, you will climb up from the Casona on a traditional stone path that passes in front of the hermitage dedicated to Saint Peter, which was built in the 16th century and houses an interesting Baroque statue of the Apostle. Opposite the hermitage is a wooden cross that seems to shower its blessings on this marvellous area as you reach the end of the trail at the San Pedro look-out point. Here you can take in an amazing panoramic view of the northern coast of Tenerife which includes the area that you have just covered as also the section that continues westward towards San Juan de la Rambla.