Description
With no solid information about better locations I planned a long, flexible route through the area between La oliva, Vallebrón and Caldereta, to enjoy the rare blossom in Fuerte Ventura this year.
I took an early bus from Corralejo to La Oliva, together with local school kids (Corralejo, surprisingly, belongs to the La Oliva municipality).
I started the hike in a beautiful cloudy morning walking southwest along the FV‑10 road toward Tindaya.
From the bus stop at km 19, a marked trail climbs to a saddle - Mirador de Vallebrón - overlooking both the valley I came from, Tindaya Mountain, and the Vallebrón valley. Vallebrón is stunning - lush green slopes covered in old terraced agriculture, most of it abandoned. It’s clear many more people lived here in the past. Scattered ruined houses reinforce that impression, though the village still has life. Yellow blooms all around brighten the green landscape. I meet a local farmer cutting back the dense green growth to prepare fields for potatoes and carrots. I tried using his sickle - unsuccessfully... I knew it... we, left handed people need left handed friendly tools!
I decided to continue higher: a climb from roughly 250 m in the village to a 535 m saddle overlooking the southern valley.
The ascent was gorgeous, full of yellow and purple flowers, with expanding views of the valley and Tindaya. At the top, another valley opened up - Valhondo.
Nearby stood Montaña de la Muda, the highest peak in the area. I skipped it. Still a long day ahead, and the extra view didn’t seem worth the detour. Instead, I continued eastward, looping through La Matilla and along a road between houses. South of me rose another impressive green ridge with terraces.
I descended into the wide valley of Valhondo, walking east for quite a while. Less dramatic than Vallebrón, but with surprises - beautiful terraces right inside the streambed, evidence of a vibrant past. This area was an important site for the indigenous Mahos people (who left behind archaeological remains) and was later cultivated by Spanish settlers. On the southern ridge above me stood several wind turbines, visually intrusive but clearly practical in this windy region. I kept a fast pace, worried I wouldn’t reach Caldereta before sunset.
Eventually I reached a tiny cluster of mostly abandoned houses. The ruins, together with the deserted terraces, hinted at the once-active community. An elderly couple sat outside sorting seeds, they recently renovated and revived two houses here.
Footage was taken on February 18, 2026.
Further on I reached Guisguey, a larger village. In its center is a charming historical display: a model illustrating traditional rural life—water systems, agriculture, terraces, homes. A bittersweet reminder of how little of that remains today.
I hurried on - afternoon was fading - and I climbed north toward the Mesa de Candelaria, a table mountain. For the first time that day, the landscape felt truly desert-like. From the plateau, magnificent views opened toward the surrounding peaks.
Then the view opened toward La Calderetilla, a beautiful volcanic caldera filled with green and blooming flowers. I noticed pink patches on the northern slope and walked west to reach them. A perfect moment: views toward the town and Vallebrón, the sun lowering, and I arrived just in time. I sat peacefully, took photos, and enjoyed the quiet.
A loop inside the caldera revealed huge fields of daisies glowing in the low light.
This is where the video footage concludes, but my journey didn’t: I still had to walk over 4 kilometers eastward along the FV‑102 until it met the FV‑104, the road connecting Puerto del Rosario with Corralejo. I had planned to finish here, where bus line 6 stops.
It turned into my longest hike of this journey to the Canary Islands - over 30 kms - but deeply satisfying, full of scenery and bloom. As evening turned cold and windy, I layered up: T‑shirt, sweatshirt, jacket.
In the very last light, the bus arrived right on time at this “middle‑of‑nowhere” stop and carried me back to Corralejo, tired, cold, and absolutely exhilarated.