Los Troches Beach

Sit on the boulders and let the Atlantic do the rest. Each wave runs in, rakes the stones and drags them back with a rattle, and behind the shore the cliffs of the Anaga massif close off the view inland. Few people make the effort to find the place, so it tends to stay quiet.

It earns its keep at the end of a walk. After the trail to Chinamada and back, the water is the obvious place to put tired feet. The two patches of smaller, rounded stones are the kindest spots to sit, and the view out over the sea is the reason to stay.

• Swimming is poor: the beach is all big stones, waves throw them up the shore, and rocks lie hidden under the surface.
• The way down crosses the boulders and the line is not obvious; wear shoes with a firm grip.
• There are no toilets and no drinking water at the beach or nearby, so bring water with you.
• Towel space is scarce; the two patches of smaller, rounded stones are the only comfortable places to sit.

The beach lies at the edge of Punta del Hidalgo, on Tenerife's north coast. The nearest bus stop, Punta del Hidalgo, is about 630 m away in a straight line. Arriving by car, you leave it at one of two car parks, about 970 m and 1.4 km away in a straight line, and walk the rest.

The La Laguna tourist office stands about 590 m from the beach, and the signpost for the Chinamada trail about 390 m. The last part of the approach is a scramble over the stones, and the line down is not obvious, so take it slowly.

Best: a calm day with a low swell, ideally at the end of a walk on the Chinamada trail.

Avoid: days of heavy swell, when the waves throw stones up the beach.

The shore faces the open Atlantic on Tenerife's north coast, where the swell tends to build in winter, and a boulder beach turns dangerous as the waves grow.