Ventana del Nublo Rock Window

Step up into the opening and Roque Nublo stands straight ahead, with Teide rising over the sea to the west whenever the cloud clears off Tenerife. Shout, and the rock throws it back: the echo at the top is strong.

Few people make the walk. The sound up here is mostly birds and wind, and the same view of Roque Nublo comes without the crowd that gathers at its foot.

The approach is part of it. The path crosses old lava flows, rough and broken underfoot, and the arch shows itself at the end.

• There are no toilets and no drinking water at the arch or nearby. Fill up before you leave the car.
• The path is rocky the whole way. Trainers are enough, but watch your footing on the lava.
• Cloud can hide Teide and sometimes Roque Nublo too, so the view depends on the day.
• The walk is easy enough for young children to manage most of it on their own feet. Keep hold of them near the arch.

The usual start is the Bailico campground, where you leave the car. From there, walk along the road to a signpost with an arrow, then follow the path off it across the old lava flows. Guideposts for trail S-50 stand along the way. The walk takes 20 to 30 minutes on a rocky but easy path.

Another car park lies about 1.5 km from the arch in a straight line. Without a car, the nearest bus stop is at Ayacata, about 1.3 km away in a straight line.

Best: a clear day, when Teide shows across the sea behind Roque Nublo.

Avoid: days when cloud sits on the summits.

The whole point is the view through the window, and in cloud the opening looks out onto white. In winter the high ground turns cold and windy, so bring a warm layer.