Not so much a fork in the road, more like a full set of cutlery. Contradicting signs on the track down from San Miguel  Arcangel church demanded a return visit to descend to Aldea Blanca, not far from Las Chafiras in the south of Tenerife.

Mix and match seemed a good idea so this time I started from the La Centinela mirador (viewpoint) high above Valle San Lorenzo in Arona. Volcanic cones popped up on the  lower horizon but sadly the La Centinela restaurant with its panoramic views had been closed for several years. At least the wooden cross above it stood firm as a rough dividing line between the municipalities of Arona and San Miguel, as well as a hard work destination to carry the statue of the Virgin for the top spot on the annual fiesta.

The downward trail into the bowl of the valley showed off some great natural features., Wild ferns and grasses popped up between stacks of cracked stones, crop terraces clung to hills, and a stone viaduct bridged a plunging ravine. Above all this, the modern road curved along with the fragmented El Roque standing guard over the drop below. The big attractions to settlers and travellers were two old springs for drinking and washing, most of the water now stays below ground, leaving the eroded concreye troughs a little green and mossy.

A steep concrete ramp led up to the restored Caserio  de la Hoya and a recent dipping tarmac road . Another sign for Aldea Blanca pointed down to where I had just come from, and looking up, I could see the previous dual dilema from the earlier walk. This time my aim was true, and was rewarded with the sight of a classic two tier tile kiln. The road had no pavement but soon delivered the encouraging view of a football ground below, it had to be the Aldea Blanca pitch. Other tell tale signs were the distant buildings of Las Chafiras and the turrets of the modern breeze block castle, built for Medieval Banquet shows – but even bold knights are on hold for Covid for now.

Let´s not leave San Miguel as a bit part player in this walking saga, The walk from San Miguel church is an exceptional uncovering of layers of building history. Great designs, well looked after, and with in depth history panels in a range of languages. With friends on the original trip we took the top path at the identical signs and reached the gurgling water channels before the path faded. Including La Centinela and Aldea Blanca as options make the area even more tempting and well worth the effort.

After about 30 minutes of walking down the tarmac road from the tile kiln, the tightly packed dwellings of the hamlet of Aldea Blanca opened up to reveal the dainty plaza and church showing pride in the 500 year history. Beyond this point there were a good selection of cafes and bars and a relaxed, sedate atmosphere. A wide, overgrown water source offered more possible answers to the confused sign posts. It promised upcoming work on theree barrancos (ravines) although there was no date on this intention. There are a few bus links through Aldea Blanca and a short divertion leads to Buzanada with a busier Titsa bus service. I took the longer route out through Las Chafiras to the motorway and a wider choice of buses.

You wont find Tenerife sports venues named after, crisps, credit cards, or male grooming products. It´s more about honouring influential local figures. Take the busy Centro Deportivo Jesus Dominguez Martin “Grillo”, in Los Cristianos..Built in  1958, it´s eight 25 metre lanes of the swimming pool are churned up by swimmers of all ages, local and international. The tennis courts and multi use outdoor hard court with a suspended roof, are just as popular as the indoor sports hall where volleyball and boxing are among the many activities that take place.

Jesus Dominguez Martin “Grillo”, the nick name referred to his  constant energy which reminded people of a cricket, would have approved of the facillities. Born in 1926 to a local Arona fishing family, he excelled as a swimmer, becoming a 29 times champion for Spain with honours in crawl, breast, and butterfly strokes. Competing in 60 international competitions, he held 56 Spanish records and swam for his country in the 1948 Olympic Games in London.

And what of the imposing Antonio Dominguez Alonso stadium, home to CD Marino football club. Named after a local lawyer and politician born in 1849. Fourty years of civic service included six stints as Deputy for Tenerife, and twice as Senator for the Canary Islands. In later years Antonio moved to the Phillippines whre he became Governor of  Manila.

The stadium on the border of Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas, was built in 1969 and holds 7,500 for football and 27,000 for concerts. Originally Marino played at a now demolished ground nearer their fishing foiunders port in Los Cristianos. The smaller Anexo stadium next door didn´t join the family until 1998. Athletics clubs thrive around the running track and they welcome many international competitors, particularly for the annual Arona Combined Events two day event, on 12 and 13 June in 2021.

The Povedano gym has produced some top boxers and a big upgrade is due to see an expansion of training areas. Twenty years ago plans were drawn up to stage Spain´s Davis Cup tennis competition on with several courts on the football pitch area.That would have been a major serve for Tenerife sport. Maybe those plans could be dusted down in the future .

Refusing to be upstaged by a red mountain overlooking a surfers paradise, Montaña Pelada is well worth the wander to the east of El Medano. Where else can you experience a flattened volcanic cone born out of an epic tussle between red hot magma and the deep cold sea. Even a gallery of misfit neighbours can´t reduce the impact of nature.

Taking the wooden boardwalk around the headland to Playa del Cabezo, we passed the concrete look out bunkers and the Hotel Arenas del Mar. Veering off we answered the lure of the  Playa de la Pelada with its secluded cove of dark sand. There was plenty of contrast from the yellow tinted base of the mountain, and the sea had sculpted big rocks into altars for the less shy sun worshippers to sit astride and bare all.

Going for a more frontal assault on the crater, we crossed pock marked rock and ash like earth deposits. The diversity of the ground called for  maximum attention, the wider circular track would have been a far easier ascent. Even in the throes of a calima dust cloud, we could pick out an old satellite station down below, all rusted with age. Hitting the plateau we caught our breath. A dep rumbling, a metallic shimmer, and a burst of power proceeded the take off of a large plane from Tenerife South airport. A rare sight in these Covid restricted travel days.

Following the marked path around the edge of the crater, we took in more small coves below, linked upwards by more slender tracks. ITER renewable energy centre boasted an array of wind turbines and a field of solar panels. Next to them, Granada portdwarfed the oil rig and Africa Mercy ship, both looking forlorn and abandoned in the seldom used modern addition to the coast. The sandy coves were quite remote but had a steady stream of visitors, some popping in on jet skis.

Completing a circle of the crater we tried a couple of unmarked steep descents rather than the far path that fed of the marked area. It was quite testing but brought us down by a small ravine that guided us back to the entrance point. It was good to get a different viewpoint on the south east coast and it was rounded off with self indulgent paddling along the shore of the La Jaquita beach.

Clawing back an early deficit, CD Marino failed to convert long spells of dominance into a victory. The price of a 1-2 home defeat to Recreativo Granada could be a heavy one in the relegation phase of their Segunda B division season. Dimas roasted the visitors defence in the opening minutes with crosses from the right. N´Diaye headed one on past the stranded goalie but just outside the post, and caused mayhem with a second bomb into the reds defence.

Emerson cut loose and made a hopeful hand ball appeal for a Granada penalty after his rocket shot canoned off a home defender with no response from the ref. The same attacker tried again, taking the ball wide down the left before skewing a shot over the bar. Nami was full of running for blues, he latched onto a long free kick and beat Montoro before goalie Costa claimed the ball to deny a home lead. Towering Torrente couldn´t cope with the smaller Marino forwards, Nami rose above him to set up another close call from Dimas.

Emerson was the visitor to fear, having failed from a short corner, he was more lethal with a near copy that beat Galvan in the home goal just before the half hour. A low shot from Lopez just after wasn´t good enough to extend the lead. N´Diaye was influential for Marino so it was a huge blow to loose him just before half time with a head injury that saw him stretchered off to receive a Tenerife hospital check over. The Dimas-Nami combination produced two more chances before the half time whistle gave the home team time to refocus.

A win was vital for Marino in the first of eight games in the mini league to try to secure another season in Spain´s third tier. A double change for the second half saw forwards Borja Llarena and Rodrigo join the chase. Granada had their tails up and Arencibia and Jurgen had to clear two good attempts to stretch their lead. There was renewed hope when Dimas floated in a shot from the edge of the box while the Granada defence and goalie froze as the ball nestled in the back of the goal. Marino kept the pressure on by adding attacking right back Nikki with 20 minutes left on the clock. The speedy player troubled Costa with two powerful strikes, it could have been third time lucky when Nikki raced clear of his marker only to be pulled back by the refs badly judged offside call.

It was a thrilling finish as Borja blasted a shot wide in the 90th minute. Marino minds were on attack but when the ball broke to Rodriguez on the left, he sped inside and tucked the ball past Galvan. It was the second time in two consecutive home games that Marino had fallen to a last kick winner. Empty handed in their empty stadium, Marino were left hoping for away points and another return for their home fans to help save their season.

Longing to get down and dusty after a smooth, modern road led us out of the historic centre of Granadilla de Abona. Lycra clad cyclists whizzed downhill towards San Miguel, and El Medano loomed large looking across to the south coast. At this stage we had only a fleeting glimpse of the ancient Camino del Real track that criss crossed Tenerife when foot power was king.

Maybe we felt a little under whelmed to be retracing the route of our Titsa bus but Charco del Pino was warming up in the wings and greeted us with surprises and insights into the past. “Pond of the Pine” arrived with a hint of Ooh La La in the shape of the church of San Luis IX. Petit and classy, it honours the 12th century King of France who brought the crown of thorns from the head of jesus, to Europe, Paris to be precise, during the crusades.

Alongside the church, a lane took us up to the Chiñama mirador, offering spectacular views of  natures harvest for miles around in every direction. The importance of water to this part of the island became apparent as the fluid of life filled small reservoirs and encouraged the growth of crops. There was a stone wall barn bonanza as well, some small holdings had two or three of the iconic buildings, simple, strong, and effective. In the main street there were a few cafes to quench the thirst and fill provide protein boosts for the cycle squads. My eyes grew misty as i admired the old cinema building for Charco del Pino – I yearned for a choc ice and a Kiora.

When we began the walk from the Plaza Gonzalez Mena by the leafy gardens and admin offices in Granadilla town, there were no clear pointer to routes start point. There was similar uncertainty just after the church of Charco del Pino. A wide path dropped down to the south and seemed to head for the lip of the La Orchilla barranco, but it veered off in the wrong direction and turned out to be a false dawn. After puffing back up we found the true path in all its glory, a few yards from the main road. The universally regocnised white and green  bold stripes on large rocks confirmed our path down into the deep ravine.

It was like a green cathedral once we followed the zig zag path down, and it was framed nicely by the 1940s bridge that spanned the main road high above. What a pleasure to test the legs on the tight turns and the steep climb back up the far side. Varied crops battled for supremecy as we squeezed past a fence dividing a modern farm from the old Camino. The thought of herding animals up that challenging climb gave us a new respect for the farmers craft. When we hit the top road it was like a culture clash, seeing how easily modern machinery had carved out the road like a knife through butter. It left us with just a short walk down to San Miguel where cold drinks welcomed us as we refelcted on the many other walks that spilled out among the hills that spread down to the coast.

There was plenty of hunger shown by CD Marino, but San Fernando were early to the table with a second minute free kick winner. It was served up as a well flighted Rodriguez strike taht found the bottom corner of the home net. Marino were robbed of three key players by injury and it took them a while to adjust against a Gran Canaria team destined for the promotion play ofs.

Moreno was always pushing for the pink shirted visitors but N´Diaye and Pedro Aleman combined well a few minutes later to take up the chase. Marinos nerves showed when goalie Kikvidze ´s soft clearance had to be tidied up with a back pass from N´Diaye. San Fernando  had their own let off when Nami beat two static defenders and was only halted by the knee of keeper Perales. The keeper recovered his composure with a  follow up tip over from an N´Diaye shot.

Nami on the right and Dimas on the left swapped flanks to give the blues their best spell of the game just before the break. Moussa was quick to get into a good position as a N´Diaye  glanced header came his way but there wasn´t quite room for a threatening shot. Kikvidze did well to pluck out a high shot from Bernal to keep the deficit to the single goal. The maspalomas based visitors could have sat back in the second half but came out all guns blazing. Bernal tried to atone for his earlier failed attempt, and Rodriguez had the home goal in his sights  before Aleman came to the rescue.

Rodrigo replaced Nami and held the ball up well as Marino fought to get back on terms. Kikvidze had a busy game, a full length diving save was the pick of his busy work load. The second phase of the Segunda B (Spain´s third tier) season was beckoning. Regional groups will split into new groups to chase the long road to possible promotion and relegation. San Fernando were assured of their upper chase and Marino were already booked in for the relegation battle, but as league points are carried into this second phase, Marino needed to fight for at least a draw from this last first phase match.

A double substitution refreshed the blues urgency, Borja llarena added pace and an eye for goal from the right, and Julien added his creative vision from midfield. Borja was close with his shot from a Julien hanging cross, Perales had to stretch to grab the ball to safety. Right back Nikki was the final home sub, another fleet footed ‘player, he took on San fernando down the right and left wings and caused them problems. Rodrigo produced a couple of decent shots but San Fernando held firm and were delighted to give themselves a boost ahead of the next set of games. It´s been a hard season so far for Marino after their promotion  but they will have to dig even deeper over the next couple of months to secure their elevated status.

Although perched on a grassy knoll, we were innocent of taking down two Guanche kings. Their absence at the edge of the Basilica Plaza in Candelaria was caused by the constant undermining crash of waves. The gap still looked strange from a steep path curling up behind the church tower but we could see the coast was clear to head south on the Sanmarines trail.

Crumbling mountain edges had to be respected but the way forward was beckoning us to follow. The sea breeze, call of the gulls, and the glint of the ocean induced a feeling of peace and solitude. Tufts of tabaiba plants looked like a green moss from a distance but  closer up they clung to any inviting rock face at the steepest of angles.

Samarines beach had a well trodden track meandering down and up through a small cove. Sprayed by the waves it looked refreshing but big razor sharp rocks lurked not far below the surface. The coast was always close to us but on cresting the next hill, the path ran close to the industrial estate. At one stage a detour to the main road was the best option before cutting down the wider rocky stretch that channelled us down tino Playa de Viuda (Widows Beach) a small fishing hamlet. Weather beaten dwellings seemed to be breathing in away from the  eager grasp of the sea. The tides had clearly knocked on a few doors and even the wooden barriers looked pickled by the salty swell.

Further along, El Socorro welcomed us with its choice of a sandy cove or a wilder surfers beach. In busier times, a couple of shacks, near the mural of the Virgen, would be seling drinks and snacks. Crunching pebbles were denied the pleasure of making their mark on polished boards that were looking to ride the waves. Old low level crumbling homes blended in as lava marked the start of the Malpais de Guimar. We were a mere 10,000 years late for the volcanic flow but picked our way along paralell to the sea. Our  gratitude to the dedicated path maker s soared with each step.

El Puertito de Guimar was getting nearer as the sea served up increasing driftwood. looking inland we could see the motorway linking Santa Cruz with the south, and Montaña Grande spreading to the junction up to the historic heart of Guimar in the hills. As we left the lava behind, young explorerswere led by family over the threshold to sample the legacy of the past ages. It´s hard not to be inspired by the dramatic intrusion from beneath the earth.

Elation, relief, and pride in a relentless performance. CD Marino reeled in Recreativo Huelva after trailing, and sealed a 2-1 victory in the fourth minute of added time. The sound of celebration ripped into theTenerife  evening sky for the blues first home win of the Segunda B season. Everyone played their part against the cynical visitors who only showed hunger for all three points at the end of normal time.

Backed by a 400 plus crowd, Marino showed their desire from the start. Julien broke through on the right and exposed defender Madrigal before the ball ran on and out of play. Manu Dimas was next to torture the big centre back and test the erratic goalie Nauzet in the mainlanders net. Blues Fede Olivera made a rare slip to leave the ball in an enticing position, Arencibia was quick to cover and close the gap.

Santana was the danger man for Recreativo, he was brought down on the edge of the Marino box and Quiles gratefully converted the penalty for a 23rd minute lead. That could have signalled a collapse but Marino stuck to their promising format. Nadjib was making creative runs down the left, Dimas was elusive as he drifted out wide to surge in from the right, keeping the orange shirted defenders off guard.  A sloppy back pass by Jimenez put keeper Nauzet under pressure and he was lucky to get away with a scuffed clearance kick to avert the threat just before the break.

Marino returned with more intent and Dimas levelled from the spot after being brought down after 53 minutes. Recreativo spurned a chance of a quick reply when they blasted a shot over the bar. Home coach Kiko de Diego made an inspired triple change after 73 minutes to bring on Ahmed, Moussa, and Borja llarena. The crouching goalie had to scramble to cover a Borja shot, it served as more encouragement to the blues. Nunca Se Rinde (Never Surrender) was the message from the stands, and the team responded. When play moved to the other end, David Kikvidze made a sharp save to further fuel the sense of hope.

Moussa used his sixe and determination as he ran at the Recreativo defence, forcing a corner that was cleared. Ahmed showed his attacking instincts, he went close with a header as the pressure grew on the visitors. When Dimas was held down in the penalty area by Valentino, there were strong shouts for a penalty but the ref kept his whistle silent. Recreativo keeper Nauzet rushed to the half way line to take a free kick for his side as the game entered the extra four minutes, but it didn´t find one of his team mates and he had to retreat at top speed to avoid getting caught out. As Marino pushed for the winner, Recreativo broke upfield  twice only to find Kikvidze on top form with two sparkling saves. There were precious seconds left as Moussa pounced on the ball and charged down the right before slipping the ball across to Borja to bury it past the goalie just before the final whistle sounded.

“Don´t go changing to try to please me…” crooned the singer. maybe Billy or Barry had Playa San Marcos in mind. First glimpses from the corkscrew road down revealed the ingredients of most peoples Tenerife dream setting. Driven by a noble quest for self improvement, Icod de Los Vinos has tried several times to extend the black sand and pebble beach and reclaim more coast under the embracing cliffs.

As on previous visits, the strongly pulsing tide, mix of old houses and refurbished apartment blocks, and neat fishing port, had my full attention. Mount Teide´s summit was the snowy icing on the cake. An hourly bus link with Icod station unlocked this part of Tenerife´s north west coast. I shadowed the tight road down under the motorway, making sure not to step back too far when squeezing into the side of the road to avoid oncoming traffic. I could have taken a liquid break at a nice cafe hiding under the bridge but was enjoying the slowly revealing stretch of the coast along to Garachico and beyond. Square fields of crops and a rogh stone bridge, worthy of a troll and a billy goat, kept me alert. Clouds of pigeons erupted now and then from a leafy ravine, my eyes were on constant alert so not to miss any of natures show.

The Paseo Maritimo walkway above the beach was getting a big facelift with white pergolas leading to the small church, and cafe terraces. Further around the Avenida Maritimo boasted shops and a chemists. The beach is well attended by life guards, and also offers limited mobility access.. It was clear that the beach was used to being ravaged by the sea from time to time, a few long waves were bowling in to stop the sun bathersw from nodding off. Big swells were also sweeping over the fishing port wall as I took the stone steps up to the headland a bit further back.

Looking along the coast beyond the bay, there were no easy points for gentle swimming, that puts places on the small beach at a premium, even if you have to fight for elbow room at Mother Natures table. Everything about Playa San Marcos underlines its determination to stake a claim at this point of the coast. It´s well worth seeking out to appreciate why it has a special place in local hearts.

Tilling the chalky volcanic soil may have looked like a thankless task but the beauty emerging through the haze of a calima was priceless. The mineral rich jable plays a big part in producing the distinctive wines of Vilaflor and the other crops of Tenerife. It´s a great insulator and keeps the  warmth in the ground

The mountain peaks dominating the skyline added to the welcome as we got off the 482 Titsa bus from the south via Arona town, before spotting our 3 km stroll into Ifonche. It wasn´t just the air that was dry, cracked, and broken, roof tiles popped up above cactus and crops. Closer inspection at the edge of the roads showed a jumble of pipes and troughs spreading the valuable water.

One man who strolled these tracks as a young goat herd was Hermano Pedro. A shrine to the Vilaflor born wanderer, had a clear drinking water source and a shelter for reflection. Nature struck a chord with Pedro who later became a missionary in Guatemala, and ultimately became the Canary Islands only Saint. Modern travellers to Ifonche can find a restaurant and bar bearing the local lads name on the early stages of the walk.

Caves abound in these hills, just beyond a large hewn dwelling, a sign pointed to El Refugio, another popular eating place, sitting on the lip of a ravine strewn  with conflicting signs about directions and privacy. Casting our eyes up and beyond to an old ruin at the foot of the smaller peak, it was possible to trace the path backwards and through the mix of bushes and stone steps through the ravine. Aiming to the left of the elevated ruin kept us well away from the modern conversion that stands on private land in the opposite direction.

We emerged between the peaks of Imoque and Los Brezos and in a huge threshing circle. To the left the valley plunged but a wooden railed fence coaxed us round the tight downward turns overlooking the barranco far below. Roque del Conde loomed ahead with terraced fields cascading down our inside track to Arona town. Our path was gentler and brought us out on the more familiar side of Roque del Conde. The table top showed the face that looks down on Los Cristianos.

One more down and up weave through Barranco del Rey and Arona town was in sight, 6 kms and nearly four hours from the start. Cold drinks at the Atletico Arona bar just before the bus stop gave us time to reflect on a tough but rewarding trip through history, nature,  and culture.