No. 15 - Its Gran Canaria Magazine

32
GET TO KNOW GRAN CANARIA I CONOCE GRAN CANARIA Nº 15
La Cueva de los Mil Colores
By Mathias Valles
We go to great lengths in each edition of this magazine
to point out that Gran Canaria is not just a
sun and beach destination. The island has night
time sky viewpoints of unparalleled quality and
there are charming villages that seem to come
straight out of the most beautiful fairy tales. Rural
tourism is growing by leaps and bounds, thanks
to its greatest asset, the hikers, who have been
able to appreciate the great beauty of the wildest
areas of our territory. Horse riding and even
camel riding are becoming increasingly popular
with visitors, and those in search of relaxation and
tranquillity are finding the middle of the island to
be the perfect destination thanks to the growing
range of tourist activities on offer. Although we
are welcoming increasing numbers of tourists
who are indifferent to towels and sunscreen, sun
and beach is undoubtedly a very high flag that will
always fly over Gran Canaria.
Indeed, beaches are not the only option for holiday
maker who are looking for a good spring or
summer swim. Sometimes the rock, the wind and
the sea unleash their creativity and sculpt natural
pools at the edge of the ocean that are well worth
preparing an excursion to go out to meet them.
For this, you only have to swap your flip-flops for
some non-slip pumps to enjoy these salt water
gems known as natural pools.
To provide a good example of these stunning and
picturesque enclaves, we are going to take you to
the east of Gran Canaria, to the town of La Garita,
more specifically to La Cueva de Los Mil Colores
or also known as Cueva de la Reina Mora, which
reveals a wide range of colours in its interior that
makes it truly special.
Before we start, an extremely important thing to
consider is the state of the tide. Knowing whether
it is rising or falling is essential, because a visit to
the cave requires going during low tide, as this is
when access and the cave itself are fully exposed.
To reach this point you just have to search on
Google Maps: "Parking de la Reina Mora" located
on calle Narciso, then, to reach the cave you just
need to negotiate a small slope and walk through
the rocks to the "Cueva de la Reina Mora", the location
of which also indicated on the app, and it
will take you just a few minutes to get there. Although
the route is quite straightforward, you
must be cautious because where ever there are
natural pools or puddles there is a high risk of slipping
due to the large amount of algae in the area.
It must also be remembered that this is a somewhat
hidden cave, as it is located under a rocky
outcrop and is not visible until you have practically
reached it.
La Cueva de los Mil Colores was mentioned for
the first time relatively recently, at least as far as
a printed record is concerned. In 1988 the anthropologist,
ecologist and writer José Luis González
Ruano explained how to get to this mythical site
in one of his books.
The cave is located on a stretch of coastline where
the sea usually crashes in with force, creating a
real spectacle for the senses. Once inside the cave,
we can see how the algae have covered the rocks
that make up the walls of this enclave with curious
strips of a wide variety of colours, thanks to which
it gets its name (a thousand colours). And in the
centre, a large circular pool of crystalline water is
there to greet us, ready for us to chill out and enjoy
a different yet charming place.
Just before the entrance to the cave, there are
other natural pools which will be the perfect complement
to this experience that will provide even
greater fun if you are in good company, so I advise
you to do this walk in a group. This way it will also
be safer, so do not forget to wear good non-slip
shoes as the cobblestone path can be somewhat
slippery. What you don't have to worry about is
the weather conditions, as the temperature of the
water and the cave is usually quite pleasant all
year round.
So this is La Cueva de los Mil Colores, a mysterious
spot and not suitable for everyone, as I mentioned
in previous paragraphs. Its hidden access means
that not everyone can find this place where nature
will once again amaze you. The site is ideal for
both photography and swimming, of course, but
let me remind you once again that for the latter
you must be very careful, keep an eye on the state
of the sea and do not take unnecessary risks.
Make the most of your visit to this town, and what
better way to do it than on foot. La Garita has a
quality promenade, that runs for 2 km along different
beaches, its route will lead you to admire
another natural whimsical monument which is,
apart from being popular, extremely fascinating.
El Bufadero is without doubt a must-see attraction
in La Garita, an underwater cavity that spews
out compressed sea water, a site that we will surely
talk about in depth on another occasion.