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"Rambling Roger's your
man. In these days of instant gratification, it is rare to
find anyone so devoted to a task, which for him has been a true
labour of love. He is Gran Canaria's Wainwright and
deserves similar recognition"
Roger Vokes
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The Environment - Gran Canaria
One of the good things about walking on Gran Canaria is that
there are no poisonous or dangerous insects or animals on the
island. There are no foxes, or any other large wild
animals but you will hear and see many lizards scurrying around.
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A
Hoopoe
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Rocks above San
Bartolome
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Ayagaures
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In the North you may see herds of goats and sheep on the
mountainsides, and cattle
in enclosures. The largest wild mammal is the rabbit, you
will see and hear dogs, most will be hunting dogs which are
usually tied up or in an enclosure. The hunting season
here in Gran Canaria is late August to late November, Sunday is
the most popular day for the local hunters who shoot rabbit and
partridge etc.
Mosquitoes and tics are not a major problem but they do
exist, so a mosquito spray and an ‘after-bite’ pen are useful
items to carry. There are many interesting and endemic
plants on the island, and also many interesting species of
birds, including several birds of prey.
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Rainbow
over Fataga
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Waterfall at Barranco de la Mina
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I recommend a digital camera
to photograph whatever you see and then check the names of the
plants, birds etc. in the comfort of your home, hotel or
apartment rather than carrying heavy reference books with you on
the walk. Here are some recommendations of books and
websites to help you identify what you have seen etc:
BirdForum - The Net's Largest Birding Community, Dedicated To
Wild Birds
Bird watching trip report, by Dave & Gerda Flumm
The Canary Islands Hot Spot
Buy my recommended Books at Amazon
Wild Flowers of the Canary Islands: 650 Endemic Canarian Species Described and Illustrated
David and Zoe Bramwell, ISBN
8472071294
Flora of the Canary Islands
Jose Manuel Moreno, ISBN 8460481670
Plants and Flowers of Gran Canaria
D and R Brawn, ISBN 1899554122
Plant List for Gran Canaria
Lance Chilton, ISBN 1900802309
Checklist of the Birds of the Canary Islands: Lista De Las Aves
De Las Islas Canarias
Eduardo Garcia del Rey, ISBN 8495412144
Canarian Volcanoes Vol 3
Vicente Arana, ISBN 8472070182
Be environmentally friendly, make sure that you take all of
your rubbish home with you, including banana skins, orange peel,
plastic bottles and bags etc. If you are a smoker make
100% sure that your cigarette ends are properly extinguished.
Forest and grass fires can be a problem here especially during
the summer months. If you have to pass through a gate make
sure you secure it afterwards.
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The most important thing is to be careful about planning your
hikes in Gran Canaria to get the maximum enjoyment from what I
believe is a great hiking experience.
Rock
Pool near
Presa de Las Niñas
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Waterfall at
Barranco de la Mina
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25 great hikes
THE ultimate
guide
for hikers by
Rambling Roger,
resident in
Gran Canaria, Spain
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'Don’t leave Gran Canaria
without seeing it'
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Don’t
leave Gran Canaria without seeing it
