Back On the Road: A Micro Adventure On Gran Canaria
Hello everybody!
As I promised you, we also would like to share our adventures on Gran Canaria with you. So, only one week after our return from the Portugal trip, we were already ripe for a micro adventure , so we spontaneously took Lenny The Overlander, our dog Lotta and we headed up north. Somehow it felt too small at home and we missed the outdoor life. Besides we desperately needed a little rest from all the responsibilities and work which crashed upon us after we arrived from Portugal. It's amazing how much happier and relaxed we were when we had less luxury and comfort. Sometimes I really wonder, what's the point of filling our life completely with work, making career and making money, when in the end we're more happy when we don't have the pressure to maintain all the successes, luxuries and comforts.
Anyway, our goal for this micro adventure weekend was to disconnect in nature and to discover the mountains in the northwest of Gran Canaria near the mountain Pico del Viento. We have never been in this corner before, so we were excited to see what will await us.
When we arrived the mountains after a 1.5 hour drive, we were amazed by the variety of landscapes. From the rugged dark green slopes of the valley and the larch grassy areas to the slightly hilly area with the red volcanic soil.
After we drove between Gáldar and Agaete the small and curvy streets up as some point we turned right into a gravel road.. We continued the off-road track until we found a good campsite. It was nice to see that in this part of the island is still a little agriculture, such as potato cultivation, oranges and lemons. Up here you can also find big flocks of sheep, as the large green meadows are ideal for grazing. The local cheese is mostly made of sheep and goat milk and it’s really tasty.
We spent the fast approaching evening to discover a little the surrounding and we went on a small hike. Up there are no trails, but you have to follow your intuition, which is actually quite good to improve your sense of direction. Too much time we didn’t have, as it quickly became dark. But just for this breathtaking view it was worth it to spontaneously leave our house in Pozo. This is the reason why we were lucky enough to experience a beautiful sunset.
Unfortunately, we spent only one night up there but we enjoyed a delicious dinner from the open fireplace. We had a classic barbecue platter with grilled sausage and meat patties. We had an insanely clear starry sky and the cicadas chirping so beautiful around us that they gave us a wonderful summer night atmosphere. We need to come back…sor sure!!!
Next morning we woke up right on time at sunrise and we opened our tailgate to check how it looks outside. Crazy this surreal red-green landscape. It ‘s definitely another world up there. A silent parallel universe were the time stands still. We peeled ourselves out of our sleeping bags and went for a morning walk on the green meadow to look down The Valley. Because at the coast the sun was just rising up on the horizon.
This is why we love overlanding so much. You don't need much. Just this little micro adventure has helped us to be able to calm down for a moment to enjoy the peace and quietness and to recharge our batteries.
Besides when you travel overland, you will discover so much more of this beautiful and incredibly diverse island than if you get here by plane and drive to Maspalomas and back to the airport without leaving your hotel even once. Gran Canaria is so much more than just sun, beach, pool and party. By traveling overland you will get in touch with local people and their culture more easily. It ‘s so much more fun to look beyond the end of one's nose.
The other Canary Islands are also worth to explore. Each island is different. You can check some of them in my older posts. We already visited with Lenny The Overlander Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, El Hierro and La Palma, which we explored recently.
So, it remains exciting how our next adventure will look like.
Looking forward telling you more about La Palma, which is in my opinion the most beautiful Island.
Let’s find more beautiful places to get lost.
Love,
Katy
Pics by Daniell Bohnhof
Text by LOOK2 Ocean