Discovery Walking Guides walking route updates 27 April 2011
Walking Route Updates
The world is continually changing so it should be no
surprise that once we've finished researching a route, written up the
walk descriptions, designed the book ready to print, waited for the
printers to deliver, and then finally a new Walk! book arrives; it is
almost inevitable that someone has changed something. Updates to the
routes in Walk! books are thankfully few because our authors are
encouraged to use established routes meaning that our routes stay
current longer, unlike some walking writers who seem determined to
trespass on private ground.
Updates are incorporated into new editions of our Walk! books. Between
editions we keep our client family updated through our eNews and
Newsletters plus posting the Walking Route Updates here on our website.
Updates current at May 2011; Axarquia, Mallorca, Lanzarote, Madeira, Alpujarras, Tenerife, Sierra de Aracena, South Downs,
Axarquia
back to Axarquia
Walk 29 Rio Verde - “a simple matter of fording the Chorreras watercourse” has
become impossible as there is now a massive hole many metres deep, covering the
whole of the valley bottom and we were unable to find a safe way across this
area any more; so the route is no longer possible.
Walk 19 Lucero from Rambla de la Mota - 'the road is well maintained as the
quarry lorries use it' actually the quarry closed at about the time of the first
edition so may be subject to deterioration due to lack of maintenance.
Mallorca back to Mallorca
On Mallorca the Deia - Can Prohom - Deia route
(Walk 7 Walk! Mallorca North & Mountains) has suffered from landslips which have
carried away the path and its wayposts beyond Lluc Alcari making the route
dangerous.
Received April 2011
Lanzarote
back to Lanzarote
Risco de Famara (Walk 33 Walk! Lanzarote) is one of those 'must do' spectacular
routes diagonally across the cliff face with amazing views but has always been
subject to problems with rock falls. In the past these have been regularly
cleared off the jeep track but this clearing has become 'less often' over time.
If the track has been cleared it is an easy route, if not it can be 'very
tricky' indeed. Check with the local tourist offices to see if the track is
clear before planning to walk this route. Received April 2011
Madeira
Madeira
Updates page
Shirley Whitehead has forwarded her latest updates from the island authorities on how walking routes are affected. As this is such an important update for so many people we have set up a separate page for the latest Madeira Updates.
Alpujarras back to Alpujarras
Tenerife back to Walk! Tenerife
Note the 342 Titsa service is now back to its 16.00 (4pm) departure time again; thanks to everybody who contacted Titsa about the problems their timetable change was causing.
These updates apply to Walk! Tenerife reprinted 2008. New 2nd edition Walk! Tenerife published March 2012 has all the updates included in the main text.
Walk 10 Coastal Escapism.
A new development on Golf del Sur, Wps 21-24, is inactive and incomplete.
Instead of the pathway going inland you can use a well walked coastal path
to avoid the ugly development.
Walks 26 & D1 September 2010
A sign has appeared at the start of the trail off the road (Wp.2) saying
it is closed for 'security reasons' but the trail is just the same, an
interesting ascent up a pocket barranco to join the end of the dirt road
at Wp.4. See page 172 for the original wayposting of this trail as an
official walking route - so who has put up the new sign?
Walk! Tenerife - 23 True Grit - A Western
Classic.
Tenerife's ambitious road plan to link the TF-1 (southern motorway) and
TF-5 (northen motorway) into a round-island expressway has
impinged on our walking routes just west of Arguayo inconveniencing our True
Grit route.
Our original route from the top of the climb from Tamaimo (Wp.10) to
follow the donkey trail across the lava landscape before crossing the
TF-375 (Arguayo bypass) (Wp.12) is now tunnelled under the TF-5 (still
incomplete) but Bar El Cercado
(Wp.13) is closed and 'For Sale' so for refreshments we head two hundred
metres up the TF-375 to Bar Tropic.
The TF-5 is being tunnelled under Pico La Hoya to emerge on the lava
plateau east of Retamar (where True Grit's route is cut again) before
sweeping up to Santiago del Teide. A Bridge has been constructed for us
to cross the TF-5, though at the moment we simply walk across the incomplete
roadbed.
Walk 31 La Forteleza
On the peak a new kerbed path leads west to link with our original route,
the vehicle barrier (Wp.19) has been removed, plus the pines have been cut
back to 100m from the track between Wps 13-15.
Walks 33 & 34 Paisaje Lunar:- Pista del Madre Agua is open and operating as normal, with 20kmh speed limit, so we can drive to the start of our Paisaje Lunar routes. Should the vehicle barrier be locked for some reason then the nearest parking is at the Big Pine Mirador lower down the main road towards Vilaflor.
Walk 39 Cruz del Carmen Circular
A slight misprint on page 154 where we should be returning to waypoint
10, not 12 as in the text. Its very obvious on the ground and map, but
our apologies for the misprint.
Walk 42 Ensillada Recreation Area - Chamorga
If you are looking for a circular alternative based on Chamorga then you
can park on the roadside, at the start of the village by the ermita, to
take the trail on the south side of the watercourse which after the
cultivated plots climbs steeply up through the trees to join our main
route on the saddle at waypoint 14. Its a stiff climb but thanks to Alan
Lakin we now know that the trail is on the south of the watercourse,
approximately where the red P symbol is on the map, and not on the north
as shown on our map!
Sierra de
Aracena
back to Sierra de Aracena
Walk 9 Alajares - Linares de la Sierra
Now re-routed to be a Alajares - Madroñeros - Alajares circular.
Our original route has been blocked off just before Wp. 20, so no chance
of crossing the noisome stream or of continuing up the bramble tunnel
towards Linares. The authorities have signed a new route, following our
wpts. 9 to 19 then swinging left (NW) to follow the track shown on the
map to eventually rejoin our outward route at Wp. 9. Thanks to Keith M
for the update.
Meson Arrieros in Linares de la Sierra is a great restaurant according
to James H, who also recommends Finca Buenvino as the place to stay
though at the pricey end of the market. Hostal Venecia in Galaroza was
found to be derelict by Dave K in November 2006 along with Aurora
Pension in Jabugo. Note this is in November outside of the normal hiking
season so these might be seasonal closures. In all cases do phone ahead
for accommodation when hiking from place to place, even if only to check
they are open.
Liz H recommends using the local buses, timetables available on the
Autocares Casal web site, for making longer linear routes such as Alajar
to Almonaster and Alajar to Aracena. Service is rather infrequent but
timely and useful
Alan L combined Walks 6 and 7 by turning right at Wp.10 on Walk 6,
though I think Alan means Wp.9 according to the map, to take the track
over the Sierra de Picachanes: spectacular views before dropping down to
join Walk 7 at Wp.10. You can use this track to make both Walks 6 & 7
into circular routes from either direction.
Alan also recommends a 'delightful' route from Navahermosa to Valdelarco
following the dirt track shown on the map. Plenty of car parking at
Talenque recreation area and a bar at Valdelarco, plus you could turn
this into a longer circular using the tracks shown on the map.
Walk! the South
Downs
back to
Walk! the South Downs
thanks to Roy and Sue for this one.
We think that your Guide book on the South Downs is excellent. Walk 31
is supposed to start at the Newburgh Arms Pub, The pub closed and is now
a private house. As a first time visitor to the village, it would be
difficult to see where the Pub was located. Another problem at the start
of the walk is that at the other side of the play park, the left turn up
the tree lined farm track, has been cut off by the farmer with an
electric fence [this may have been because the field was full of new
born lambs]. However we restarted the walk by going up Mill Lane &
joining the wood as indicated.