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MAS PALOMAS-AYACATA.
WARNINGS:
- Do not stop your vehicle on the road except at points where the road
widens and traffic is not affected, in order to avoid delays or accidents.
- Be careful of groups and individual cyclists along this road.
- When in natural protected areas and especially in pine tree areas, make
sure that you closely follow safety rules regarding fire during periods of
heat and strong winds
- There is a risk of falling rocks and landslides in steep areas with heavy
wind or rain.
- RECOMMENDED: Itinerary of important landscape, geological, botanical,
ethnographic, and recreational features. Lookout points. Presa de Soria
and Cueva de las Niñas (reservoirs). Rural villages.
The riverbed along the lower half of the ravine forms the administrative
boundary between two municipal districts and is a natural frontier that
separating the phonolitic slopes of Santidad to the east, and the Tauro
slopes to the west. Its steep slopes that reach up to a height of 600 m.
give the ravine its characteristic "V" shaped profile. The basaltic
outflows and eroded rocky crags offer severe, but beautiful rural
landscape.
The road is in line with the general characteristics of the inland network
over Gran Canaria, which follows the great ravines that run down from
the summits in the centre of the island to the coast. In
this case, the road goes down the Barranco of
Arguineguín, which is also called Ayacata and Soria in
its upper sections.
After you have past Cercados de Espino, the main
inhabited nucleus to be found in the ravine, the road,
which has so far been flat and straight, begins to climb
steeply up the western slope. Five kilometres of steep
bends take the road up almost 500 meters. A real must
is to stop at the La Higuerilla natural lookout point, which
is the ideal place to enjoy the spectacular views over the
ravine and the southern slope of the Cumbres (summits).
You will then arrive at the rural village of Barranquillo Andrés, just before Soria and its reservoir, the largest on the island. The road now goes up to the mountain that divides the Arguineguín and the Mogán basins and takes you into
the Roque Nublo Rural Park, the one with the greatest extension of
natural protected land of the island, where important examples of
endemic fauna and flora are conserved. Continue along the next stretch
of dirt track, which is in a good state of repair and with marvellous
views, to the junction with the road that goes down to Mogán, near
Cruz de San Antonio, where you will reach the GC-605 road.
You will go through the old pines of Pajonales, past the reservoir Presa
de las Niñas, and its recreational/camping areas, where you may rest,
eat, and if weather conditions are right, swim before continuing your
journey.
After a long climb along the edge of the Inagua Integral Natural Reserve,
the road reaches Ayacata, a picturesque village in the mountains where
it is worth stopping to choose one of the options for the next stage of
the journey and, at the same time, to enjoy the beauty of the setting.
LOOKOUT POINTS
You will come across lookout points offering the visitor every facility or
just open fields, where there is no indication of its landscape importance.
Lookout points or area of high panoramic importance are found along
the roads throughout Gran Canaria. There are outlook points scattered
along the route and even whole sections of roads with magnificent views.
One such spot is about 4 Km. from Cercados de Espino, at 548 m above
sea level.  It is only a dirt car-park. which is quite wide, from where you
can enjoy views over the Barranco de Arguineguín, the Montañon crags
and the southern slope of the Cumbre where the Roque Nublo stands
out.
There are many aerial views to be enjoyed over the Barranco de Mogán
and Veneguera and the island's steep south-western slopes from the
section of dirt-track between the small Salto del Perro reservoir and the
Cruz de San Antonio.
As you approach Ayacata, there is an even more spectacular and beautiful
view of the foot of the crags, especially when the slopes turn white in
January and February, thanks to the blossom on the almond trees.
RESERVOIRS
 Twenty-five percent of the rainwater and surface water that does not run
to the ocean is collected in reservoirs. More than 60 large -or mediumcapacity
reservoirs and 400 smaller ones provide the island with water for
agriculture and public use. These hydraulic constructions change the landscape by forming great
artificial lakes and aquatic ecosystems where native fauna meet, as well
as fauna that has been introduced, such as some fish species. These inland
beaches are of great recreational and sport interest, as can be seen from
the number of camping and recreational areas in the area.
The route goes past two large reservoirs: the Presa de Soria, which has the
largest capacity on the island with about 40 Hm3 and its dam was constructed
in 1971 and rises up to 120 m; and the Cueva de las Niñas reservoir, whose
capacity is 5,181 Hm3. The recreational and camping areas are found in the
shade of the pine trees that grow around the edge. They are equipped with
barbecues, tables, water and other public services where you can have a
nice stop or enjoy the day.
DESCRlPTlON
The easiest and fastest way to Arguineguín, where the GC-505 road begins,
is using the main motorway or GC-1. However, we recommend that you go
to Arguineguín along the GC-500 road, if you have time to enjoy the beauty
of this stretch, especially the section between Pasito Blanco and Arguineguín.
This road, which has very few bends and a slight gradient, will take you
along the coastal route, past the beaches of Montaña de Arena, Carpinteras
or Galeón, in the Santa Águeda bay there are 9.4 km from the main
roundabout of El Tablero de Maspalomas to the roundabout where the GC-
505 road to Arguineguín begins. The petrol station at the Maspalomas
junction is at 0.8 Km. from El Tablero.
Set your kilometre counter to O at the beginning of the route, which starts
from the roundabout where the GC-505 road (signposted: Cercados de
Espino, 12 Km., Presa de Soria 22 Km., Ayacata 40 Km.) climbs towards
Arguineguín. The big eucalyptus and banana trees are left behind as you
90 through a more arid landscape through the stony riverbed full of balas
(Canarian vegetation - plocama pendula) and Canary tamarisk at the foot
of slopes covered with Canary Island cactus-spurge and shrubby spurge.
You will also come across palm tree oases and outdoor tourist centres,
caravans, services, etc. (7.5 Km.)
This area is dedicated to the growing of tropical fruit, such as avocados,
mangos, papayas, etc., and is scattered with the  odd house or hamlets,
such as Los Peñones, at the foot of impressive rock faces, cut stones, until
you reach Cercados de Espino, the main inhabited nucleus in the ravine.
(11.7 Km.).
The road now forks and leads off in two different directions, which are
indicated by a signpost (La Filipina, 2 km; Caidero, 6 km; Bllo. Andrés, 9;
Soria 11).
The one to your right goes through the village (health services,
supermarket, shops, restaurants, bars...) and re-joins the left branch a
little further on.
The ravine seems deeper the further you go into it, with steep slopes looming
500 m high over the riverbed. After you have gone through La Filipina, the
road climbs up the western slope to the foot of the Tauro Mountain, with
winding roads for more than 5 km. We recommend a stop at the natural
lookout point located en a sharp bend to the right of the road (approx. Km
17). The landscape is arid and steep, with rocky stratums of different colours,
which is the backdrop for the wide range of fauna thanks to the small water
springs. The view over the surrounding landscape, whose colours depend
on the time of day, includes the middle section of the ravine, the upper
parts of the eastern slope and the island's Cumbres (summits), with the
Roque Nublo standing out.
In Barranquillo Andrés (19.3 Km.), the road that forks off to the right (Sign:
Tejeda, 34 km; Mogán, 14 km.; Soria, 2 km) offers an interesting visit to the
village and reservoir Presa de Soria (2.2 km). The route continues along the
left-hand fork, where the road narrows and steeply winds up between
crops and houses, up to the reservoir ir called Presa Salto del Perro. At this
point you enter in the Rural Park of Nublo, where the rest of this journey
will continue up to Ayacata. The road is no longer steep and flattens out
through a more typical mountainous landscape with broom, tree Lucerne
and Carline thistle, etc.
The road descends towards 8arranco de Mogán
and offers the visitor magnificent views over the surrounding landscape.
It then joins a dirt road that goes down to this municipal district (23.5 Km.).
It continues on the right, going up the GC-60S road, which is not tarmac
but in a relatively good state of repair, towards Cruz de San Antonio (25.1
km), where the road is once again tarmac and wider, (Sign: Tejeda, 25 km;
Las Palmas de G.C., 69 km), and crosses the Pajonales pine forest (old pines,
limit of the National Hunting Refuge and of the Inagua Integral Natural
Reserve) towards the Presa Cueva de las Niñas. A camping and recreational
area with tables, barbecues and amenities. When you reach a road junction
(26.8 Km.) with a signpost, there exists the option of returning to Soria
along the road to the right.
Continuing on the GC-60S road, you leave behind Majada Alta and a long
and panoramic slope begins along the western slope of the ravine, which
is called Barranco de Soria along this stretch, and then becomes known as
Barranco de Ayacata. As you go up, the view from below increases the
greatness of the high rocky mountains of Ayacata that rise over land covered
with almond trees. After passing by a parking place between huge blocks
of stone where climbing is practised, our road ends at a junction (37.9 km)
with the GC-60 road. (If you continue along the road to your left, you reach
the main village of Tejeda in 11.3 km). A few metres further on to your right,
there is the mountain village and climbing centre called Ayacata (medical
centre, small church, restaurant...) and once you reach the junction, you
can choose from various combinations.
COMBINATlONS
At the junction next to the church of Ayacata, you can choose a shorter
circular journey, going back to Maspalomas (Viuda de Franco) along
Route 1, via San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Fataga on the GC-60 road.
(34.4 km) However, it is worth going from Ayacata to Pico de las Nieves
along the last section of Route 1 and maybe even stretch your legs with
the short and unforgettable walk up to Roque Nublo before returning
(Ayacata - Pico de las Nieves, return trip, 24 Km.).
During this trip up the island's summit region, you go past the Llanos
de la Pez  junction, where you can choose to complete the figure-ofeight
circuit, by going down towards Las Palmas de GC on the Centre
road (32.6 km) and towards Cruz de Tejeda (4.7 km).
At another junction,
near the Pico, a road goes down to Telde through the Cazadores village
(28 Km.).
The most highly recommended combination of routes to see the great
ravines of the south and the island's summit region is undoubtedly the
figure-of-eight circuit that begins in Maspalomas (Viuda de Franco),
goes up to Fataga (Route 1) or through Arguineguín (Route 2) up to
Ayacata. This mountain village is where the circular journey of 38.7 Km.
begins and ends, and which goes past Pico de las Nieves, Cruz de Tejeda
and Tejeda. Once again in Ayacata, you may return to Maspalomas
along a different route to the one you used to go up. Total: 122.4 Km.
more or less. This circuit is equally attractive no matter in which direction
you complete it. There is a risk of falling stones in adverse weather
conditions (heavy rain and strong winds...). |
