Route 8

Costa Adeje - Trasera de Los Cristianos - Carretera General del Sur - Arafo - Dorsal de la Esperanza - Teide National Park - Vilaflor - Arona - Trasera de los Cristianos - Costa Adeje

Technical information

  • Start: Costa Adeje.
  • Finish: Costa Adeje.
  • Distance: 162 km (100 miles).
  • Cumulative ascent: 3,950 m (12,960 ft).
  • Average gradient: 4.5%.
  • Maximum altitude: 2,364 m (7,756 ft).
  • Average speed: 19 kph (11.8 mph).
  • Estimated duration: 8 hours 30 mins.
  • Difficulty level: Very high.

This is a very tough route owing to the distance and total ascent. It starts and ends in the tourist resort of Costa Adeje and covers a total distance of 162 km (100 miles), all along the south and west of Tenerife.

You will start at Avenida Francisco Ucelay, and will climb from there towards the TF-1 motorway. Once there, you will turn right onto the TF-481 towards San Eugenio. This road runs parallel to the TF-1 motorway before separating from it at km 5 (mile 3.1). Take a left here to cross the motorway and cycle along Avenida Austria. At km 8.4 (mile 5.2), the avenue will lead you back across the motorway to rejoin the TF-481 until the crossroads with the TF-28. Take this road and carry on.

You will now come to a constantly uphill stretch with an average gradient of 5% that passes La Camella and Valle San Lorenzo. At km 20 (mile 12.4) you will reach the Centinela lookout point, where you will get great views of the south side of the Island and of the beautiful Centinela mountain. For the next 10 km (6.21 miles) after that point, the ascent is more gentle and will take you past the towns of San Miguel and Charco del Pino. The next town you come to is Granadilla at km 22 (mile 13.7), where you should remain on the TF-28.

For the next 44 km (27.34 miles), until you reach the town of Güímar, the route is relatively flat with slight undulations. On your way, you will pass the towns of Arico, Arico el Nuevo, Arico el Viejo, Fasnia and El Escobonal. You can stop at the Don Martín lookout point at km 63.8 (mile 39.6) to take in the views of the Güímar valley. After that, the road takes you down to Güímar, at an altitude of 280 m (918 ft). You will have to come off the TF-28 at km 68.3 (mile 42.4) to make a left turn and take the TF-525, which starts with several sections with gradients of more than 5%.

Where the TF-525 crosses Avenida Venezuela, turn right onto the avenue. As you come into the town of Arafo after a 71 km (44 mile) ride, the TF-525 becomes the TF-523, which will take you to Teide National Park. Next, get ready for a pure uphill stint with an average gradient of 8.8%, with some points reaching as much as 20%. You will be climbing non-stop until km 86 (mile 53.4). When you come to a crossroads with the TF-24, turn left to carry on cycling up it.

The next 12 km (7.45 miles) are also uphill, but will reward you with beautiful scenery from the lookout points of Ayosa at 2,000 m (6,561 ft), La Crucita at 1,980 m (6,496 ft) and La Tarta at 2,120 m (6,955 ft). At km 98 (mile 60.9), you will come to one of the highest points on the route, by the Izaña Astronomical Observatory. There is a crossroads at km 103 (mile 64) where your road meets the TF-21 from La Orotava. Turn left here to take that road towards Mount Teide and Boca Tauce. But before you go on, there is a bar and restaurant on the intersection for you to "refuel", as well as a Visitors Centre where you will find useful information on your route.

The TF-21 will then lead you past Montaña Blanca (the White Mountain) and the lower station of the Teide Cable Car, at km 113 (mile 70.2). Further ahead, at km 116 (mile 72.1), you will come to the Las Cañadas del Teide Parador hotel, near to the Roques de García lookout point. This stretch, between El Portillo and the Parador hotel, has an average uphill gradient of 3.8%, with the occasional 8% slope.

Stick to the TF-21 and turn left at km 122 (mile 75.8), where you will link up with the TF-38 from Chío. Continue towards Vilaflor and Granadilla. You will now begin an uninterrupted descent to the end of the route with downhill gradients of up to 11%, and you can stop to take in the scenery from a number of points.

You will then reach Vilaflor, at an altitude of 1,380 m (4,527 ft). Cross the town and when you come to km 138 (mile 85.7), turn right onto the TF-51 towards Las Américas and Arona. It's all downhill from there, with 14 km (8.7 miles) averaging a gradient of 6% all the way down to Arona.

Carry on down the TF-51 to the town of La Camella, then turn right to take the TF-28 towards Las Américas and Los Cristianos. At km 157 (mile 97.5), you will come to a junction alongside the TF-1 motorway, where you must take the TF-481 (a one-way service road) towards Las Américas. Stick to that side of the motorway and you will eventually join Avenida Austria, followed by Avenida Europa. Once you reach the end of the avenue, you will come to a roundabout. Turn right along the TF-481 and cross the TF-1 motorway, where you will reach the end of the route on Avenida Francisco Ucelay.

Hypsometry



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Weather Today
Maximum: 24º
Minimum: 14º
Adeje. The sky will be covered by high and middle clouds on Thursday morning. In the afternoon skies will could over. At night there will be spells of heavy rain. Mild temperature raising.