Freebird Tenerife

Far be it from me to boast, i’m no Picasso, but i’m no slouch with a paintbrush either. I wanted to experience the full beauty of Tenerife and the Freebird Jeep Safari seemed just the ticket.

My senses certainly enjoyed a feast, the colours and shades of the volcanic mountains were stunning, red tints in seams through the rocks, blackened lava twisted into bizarre shapes where it had bubbled along years ago and the contrast of green vegetation growing out of the rich volcanic soil.

The north west coast provided me with plenty of inspiration, standing high up in the cool mist and cloud looking down on Garachico below with it’s distinct detached rock just out to sea was like a glimpse into history. Then down at sea level, it was fascinating to see how Garachico has adapted to the legacy of the volcanoes, using the lava pools as a bathing attraction and attracting a steady tourist trade without losing any of the old character.

Masca was a pleasing sight. I had heard of the damage done by the forest fires earlier in the year but while it has left it’s mark, the scars are already healing and the beauty shines through.

It’s going to be tough to match nature’s handywork but Freebird opened up a whole world of inspiration to me, so I best get painting.

They make the roads rugged and testing in Tenerife, but the Freebird jeeps are up for the challenge. Snaking up the tight winding hill roads, they feel safe and sure, the thought of swinging a coach round some of those corners is enough to make your breakfast feel uneasy.

The Toyota DGD Land Cruisers seat 7 passengers and absorb the worst that the islands’s roadways can throw at them. To be fair, the road systems of Tenerife are remarkable, the road to the village of Masca took 17 years to complete, just imagine getting all the heavy digging, levelling and tarmacing equipment up and down those hills.

The north west corner of the island is served by a spiralling road that drops down into the valleys, thankfully the government have ensured that special viewing points or Miradors, appear at regular intervals, to pull in and capture the sprawling plantations and rock formations below.

For comfort and protection, you can’t get much better than these stylish jeeps to crunch through the miles. Make way for the Freebird convoy, we are on the road to fun and discovery, and nothing’s gonna stop us.

Hugging the hills on narrow roads above a sheer drop, this really is getting close to nature. It’s worth it though as I look out on the panoramic views of banana plantations, old volcanic lava flows and the rugged coastline beyond. In the comfort of a Freebird jeep, the ground might rise and fall but the suspension has got it covered.

Like many holiday makers, I always thought that the beaches and nightlife were the start and end of Tenerife, but this trip opened my eyes to the history and true nature of the island. Our convoy of six jeeps, set off from the built up areas of Las Americas and Los Cristianos, but we were soon climbing through villages forgotten by time.

I’d heard of the hidden village of Masca but wasn’t prepared for the sight of it nestling in the folds of the towering mountains, almost looking like a model from afar. Onward to Garachico, and the legacy of past volcanic eruptions was all around, the large rock just out to sea was, i’m told, spat out there when the island roared with a fierce explosion many years ago. Down in the fishing village below, the rock loomed even larger and rugged outcrops made natural enticing pools.

Filling up my camera at each viewing stop, the contrasts kept coming, up to Chinyero, the site of the last eruption in 1909, blimey that’s a bit too recent, the low cloud cooled the air but we were all cosy in the jeeps. A typical Canarian dinner at a restaurant, fuelled us up for the next stage, and the locl wine gave us a taste for the vineyard shop in the village of Santiago del Teide. The local produce had to be sampled, well it would have been rude not to.

It left ample time for a stop above Los Gigantes to take in the towering cliffs that inspired the name, before closing the full day with a leisurely drive back to our pick up points.