Dotting this varied geography from summit to coast we find whims of nature such as the majestic volcanic edifice of the Caldera de los Marteles or the curious field of fossil dunes of the Arenales de Tufia. The ravines, drainage arteries, constitute natural spaces that enclose ecosystems with impressive biological diversity; Among them, the Barranco de los Cernícalos stands out, a paradisiacal environment through which a natural spring flows throughout the year, which gives rise to exuberant vegetation and flora and fauna with interesting endemisms. These environments are perfect settings for practicing your favorite outdoor sport throughout the year: flat and mountain for trial or mountain biking, a network of mountain roads ideal for cycling; hiking and climbing or simply walking with the family through dreamlike natural environments.

Hikers, tourists and, in general, hikers of all ages have made this ravine one of the most visited places on the island. Everyone - children, young people and adults - has dreamed and lived unforgettable experiences among its streams of water, its waterfalls and its leafy trees. The habitat generated by the water, which runs permanently in the open sky, fosters a balanced biodiversity that gives us wonderful smells and colors along its route.

The Los Cernícalos ravine is about 12 km long and is part of the Natural Area of the Los Marteles Reserve, with an area of 3,568.7 hectares. This ravine rises in the foothills of the Caldera de Los Marteles, at an altitude of 1,500 metres, and ends its narrow and winding path in Tecén, when it joins the San Miguel ravine. It divides two municipalities: Telde and Valsequillo; but, at the same time, it unites an entire population in its conservation: nature lovers.

• FIRST SECTION ON FOOT – Parking-Entrance of the ravine. 15 minutes. 500 meters.

We start in the recreational area, where several tables have been arranged for a delicious picnic. Off the road, we take a narrow concrete road that climbs between the residential houses. It is a small climb conditioned only for the inhabitants of the area. We do it walking without leaving the indicated route until its end, where a wooden sign marks the beginning of the stretch of land through the center of the ravine bed.

• SECOND SECTION ON FOOT – Castillo-Cauce del barranco up to a two-level waterfall. 1:45 a.m. 3km

We enter the ravine among the abundant vegetation. As we ascend, the path appears more defined to us. We turn left to climb some stones and connect with an abandoned dirt track surrounded by large wild olive trees.

A la derecha, la pista nos llevará hasta un antiguo pozo (una construcción en desuso), donde finaliza la pista de tierra y comienza el canal de agua. Avance sobre la acequia un pequeño tramo, hasta llegar al camino que se abre entre los sauces.

From here, always next to the water, the path goes up the ravine, dodging small falls until its end, which is the two-level waterfall. Up to this point the path is moderately conditioned. Although above this waterfall there are two other larger ones, the path is very eroded and its realization is not recommended.

• THIRD SECTION ON FOOT - I return by the same road. 2 hours. 3.5km

In the shade of huge saos or riverbeds, and after refreshing ourselves with the freely flowing water, it's time to return making the same journey in the opposite direction.

of huge saos or willows, and after refreshing ourselves with the water that flows freely, it is time to return making the same journey in the opposite direction.

WHAT TO DISCOVER:

• The artistic journey of the water

It happens in all the ravines: the water, with all its components, in its inexorable path, embraces the rock and the earth, the roots and the basalt, drawing steps, slides, falls and serpentine cuts in fun ways like the best sculptor. This ravine has countless waterfalls, of all sizes and shapes. The objective of this route is to reach the two-level. Above it, there will still be two more waterfalls, although the path is more difficult and not recommended (only for experienced hikers).

• The canary sao or willow

Known as sao, it is an endemic tree from Macaronesia that grows in Madeira and the Canary Islands, where we can find it on all the islands except Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. It is a hygrophilous species (it requires constant humidity) that can be seen in ravines with regular water courses, as well as around streams and small lagoons or wetlands on our islands.

Under optimal conditions, the Salix canariensis It reaches up to ten meters in height. It has a greenish gray trunk that, with age, becomes increasingly brownish and cracked; the branches are greenish, thin and soft, although they become rough with the passage of time.

This pedestrian and cycling route connects the Telde midlands with the coast along the course of the Telde hydrographic basin. The trail begins in the lower sector of the Barranco de los Cernícalos, in the heart of the Lomo Magullo Protected Landscape, a space distinguished by its connection with the traditional Canarian economy, and extends to Bocabarranco beach, next to the Jinámar Site of Scientific Interest. , of high value for hosting sedimentary materials from the Detritic Formation of Las Palmas and halophilic and psammophilous vegetation of interest, among other natural attractions.

• NATURAL PROTECTED AREAS

They play a prominent role in this adventure. The border between the Los Marteles Special Nature Reserve and the Lomo Magullo Protected Landscape is the starting point –or destination, depending on the direction chosen– of a journey that has been an important part of the historical and cultural imprint of Gran Canaria. The heritage legacy of a hydraulic nature accompanies us throughout the route thanks to numerous cultural assets that are obvious (wells, aqueducts or laundries), elements of outstanding value that have marked the settlement of key places for the economic development of the area.

• CONNECTIVITY

The improvement in the connections with the towns is extensive, from Lomo Magullo, through El Pastel, Valle de Los Nueve, San José de Las Longgueras, to the historic center of the city of Telde, without forgetting its connection with the coast to through La Majadilla and Lomo Caraballo, La Pardilla and San Antonio, Valle de Los Nueve Alto and Valle de Los Nueve Bajo, Arenales, Lomo Cuba, Mirabala, Tecén, Cendro, Mayorazgo, Tara, La Herradura, etc.

• ITS NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

All this is complemented by some natural attractions that do not leave indifferent those who visit it. On the one hand, the geodiversity, present throughout its route thanks to volcanic vestiges such as tephra cones and badlands that run through sections of the narrow ravine. On the other hand, the vegetation and floral composition that accompanies the landscape corridor is the result of a symbiosis between the natural heritage of a transitional landscape between the midlands and the coast, and the human transformation of the space.

• EL VALLE DE LOS NUEVE

The Valle de los Nueve neighborhood is the driving force behind the Telde Landscape Corridor. It is an area popularly known as "Malpaís" for its large lava flows called "morretes" that recall the great eruptive force of the Archipelago.

Later, the Turcón-Ecologistas en Acción Collective joined the claim to improve the roads and promote safe bike lanes to unite the different neighborhoods of the city.

Currently, the Valley of the Nine tries to recover its connection with nature in a firm commitment to rescue green areas and popular traditions in an almost magical combination of meeting and merging with our ancestors and thus proudly singing together the copla of one of the characters of Pancho Guerra in the Memoirs of Pepe Monagas:

Soy del Valle de los Nueve,

donde llueve y no gotea;

y a mí no me asustan las sombras,

ni bultos que se menean.

• BARRANCO REAL DE TELDE

We invite you to discover the beginning of one of the landscape corridor routes, starting the day with a pleasant breakfast in the surroundings of the San Juan neighborhood, in any of its charming cafeterias, early one morning, you start the route, if you When you stand in front of the Minor Basilica of San Juan, contemplating the historical-artistic ensemble of its square, with the old neighborhood of San Francisco behind (to the west), it is suggested to go down Juan Carlos I street and reach the Rotonda del Cubillo , turning left to go towards Jinámar, from where you will begin to see the bridge of the Seven Eyes, the work of engineer Juan de León Castillo, and look to the right for a dirt track that descends into the ravine. From this point begins the itinerary on land that will cover the entire Real de Telde ravine until its mouth at Bocabarranco Beach.

On the sides of it are the old towns of Cendro and Tara which, due to their architectural singularity and their historical relevance, were declared in 1981 a historical-artistic complex. An easily accessible walking route of about two hours and being able to return on the same path.