El Retamar Viewpoint

The whole southern slope of Tenerife drops away in front of you. Dark Canary pines come first, then bare volcanic ground, then the built-up coast and the flat line of the Atlantic beyond it. At 2,100 m the air is thin and dry, and on a warm day it smells of pine resin.

On many days a layer of cloud lies well below the viewpoint, and you look out across the top of it towards the sea. The name comes from the retama, the broom that grows on the high ground of the island.

• There is no drinking water nearby; bring what you need for the day.
• Public toilets stand about 340 m away in a straight line.
• At 2,100 m it is colder and windier than on the coast, and the sun burns faster: bring a warm layer and sun cream.
• There is no information point nearby, so load a map before you set out.

The nearest bus stop, Las Lajas, is about 500 m from the viewpoint in a straight line. The two nearest car parks are a little closer, about 450 m away. Public toilets stand about 340 m out. Nothing else is on hand here, so arrive with water and a map already on your phone.

Best: early morning on a clear day.

Avoid: winter days of snow or ice, and afternoons when cloud climbs the slope.

The view is the reason to stop, and at this height the air is usually clearest before the day warms and cloud builds up from below.