No. 12 - Its Gran Canaria Magazine

12
GET TO KNOW GRAN CANARIA I CONOCE GRAN CANARIA Nº 12
Valsequillo
The magical Tajinaste Azul Route
Valsequillo is a town located in the mid-altitude hilly area of
Gran Canaria. It sits in a fertile valley at around 600 m above
sea level and surrounded by mountains that rise to over 1,600
m.
The island’s volcanic features are apparent in its steeply rising
rock formations, as well as in the subsidence of the caldera
floors; indeed, dotted around the municipality’s entire
territory are some truly amazing shapes that the rock has developed
into over millions of years.
The relatively humid climate and an abundance of springs
cover the geography of Valsequillo like a green carpet, with a
burst of colours during the flowering season, which, depending
on the species, lasts from December to June. There are
hundreds of varieties of plants, many endemic to the Canary
Islands, exclusive to the island and even to the area. Among
them, the one that most attracts the visitor's attention is perhaps
the blue tajinaste azul bush, whose vibrant colour contrasts
with the yellow of Canary houseleek, laburnum and
broom, the white of the white brooms and brush, and the
flowers of fruit plants, especially in February with the white
and pink of the almond trees. Birds, lizards, amphibians, small
mammals and a multitude of invertebrates thrive among the
vegetation. Among the fauna, particularly striking is the slow
flight of birds of prey such as the eagle and the kestrel, which
always accompany the visitor to the summits and can often
be spotted peeping out between orchards and houses.
The Tajinaste Azul Route
The path that runs from the Caldera de Los Marteles to Tenteniguada
is one of the many places on the island that seem
to have been created especially to captivate walkers. Every
single corner that our eyes are drawn to seems to be worthy
of a photo. The fact that visitors are walking above the clouds
is a sensation that pleases and surprises even the most demanding.
And the luxury of walking through areas that have
not been transformed by man and his endeavours challenges
us take an introspective look at ourselves.
The route takes walkers between 1,000 and 1,500 metres
above sea level, on occasions even higher. The flora is varied,
but the king of the botanical species on this route is undoubtedly
the Tajinaste Azul. It is a shrubby species that can
reach up to 4 m in height, although it is usually 1.50 m long,
with rough bark and branches. The leaves are lance-shaped,
rough and furry. The inflorescent varieties are conical in
shape, often branching out at the base, and are blue, fuchsia
or white in colour, or a combination of all three colours. The
seeds are brown. Flowering takes place between January
and April and fruiting from March to July. As for reproduction,
this Tenteniguada tajinaste is hermaphrodite and seeds
easily.
For this reason, we recommend visiting the area between
January and April, when the plant is in bloom. This will make
the walk a serene and beautiful blue-tinted memory like no
other. The yellow broom and the Tenteniguada thistle are
also abundant around here. The path is a privileged route for
hikers as it enables them to get up close to the island's botanical
treasures.
As if that were not enough, there are several points along
the way where water, that scarce commodity on the island,
sprouts up in the form of small springs, delighting visitors,
who can stop to take a break and enjoy its overwhelming
charm.