Settings off from the south of the island take the TF1 in the direction of Adeje. At the end of the motorway take the road to Guia de Isora and then just after Chio turn off to the right to start climbing into the villages of Arguayo and Las Manchas. You will eventually come to the pretty little town of Santiago del Teide and on the road to Masca there are several look out points giving spectacular views of Masca.
Masca is one of the most picturesque parts of the island being surrounded by deep ravines and winding roads where one hairpin follows another. The bends are so tight that coaches cannot use them and even minibuses have to do a bit of reversing to get round some of the tight bends.
Presumed to have been a Pirate hideaway, Masca is a three-hour walk from the coast through dramatic countryside. Masca did, unfortunately, suffer in the forest fires in July 2007. However, while there is evidence of the fires nature is doing an amazing job of recovering its former beauty.
Stop for lunch in one of several restaurants in the village, there is one about halfway down the hill and serves homemade, soups, breads, pies and only non-alcoholic drinks.
After a very filling lunch at only €5 a head it is back up the hill to the village square where you find a small shop selling souvenirs and a couple of people with craft stalls making their goods as you watch.
To continue the journey head out the other side to Buenavista (that is the direction the coaches come from) a charming town known for its great golf course and its chocolate shop ( Pastelería El Aderno).
After a few miles you arrive at the pretty little town of Garachico on the Northern coast, to the west of Puerto de la Cruz. Park along the sea front and walk amongst the rock pools created by the lava flow, which buried most of the town in the 1700s and where the council have creatively made walkways with paved areas around the pools where visitors can sunbathe go swimming or just walk out into the sea area as long as the sea is not too rough.
Stroll up into the town making sure you look out for the beautiful Canarian wooden balconies that many buildings have. Visit the church of Inglesia Santa Ana and the former convent, Convento de San Francisco. Here for €0.60 you can visit the small museum and take in the exhibition that describes how the lava stopped just at the edge of the town. It is also worth a visit just to admire the beautiful floors around the central courtyard and the wooden gargoyles.
Enjoy a drink at the bandstand in the square, a lovely spot where you can sit in the shade of the trees to get out of the afternoon sunshine.
In another park - Plaza de Abajo is the famous 'Puerta de Tierra' (Land Gate) the only remains of the prosperous Garachico Port. Built in the 16th century and destroyed in 1706 by the volcanic eruption. The park also contains the old wine press.
Finally, enjoy the view from the ramparts and the fossil collection of Castillo de San Miguel on the seafront. This is a small fort, built in the 16th century to guard the harbour from pirates and survived destruction from the lava flow.
After a pleasant afternoon in Garachico head back towards home taking the top road to El Tanque then retrace your journey through Santiago del Teide towards the motorway and back home in time for tea.
At the point you leave Garachico, you could make a detour to see the famous Drago Tree in Icod de los Vinos or visit Puerto de la Cruz.
For the adventurous and/or eco-friendly, these places can be visited by bus. The Bono bus ticket would be very useful for this, and the timetable is at www.titsa.com (downloadable along with a bus map of the island).
