Walk 14 - Valle Gran Rey walking and hiking route

Walk Instructions

Sometimes described as the most beautiful valley on La Gomera, Valle Gran Rey is a long road journey from El Balcon de Santa Ana, but the timetabled ferry service needs only 20 minutes for its enjoyable trip along the coast to Vueltas, the port for Valle Gran Rey. This comparatively gentle mainly circular walk provides an introduction to the lower part of the valley, visiting the settlements of Vueltas, Borbalan, La Calera and La Playa Calera.
Tarmac or good earth/stone roadways throughout, with no steep or prolonged ascents.

Start Point

Vueltas harbour. Use the Garajonay Express ferry from Playa de Santiago.
Refreshments:
Plenty of bar/restaurants in the various settlements.

From the harbour turn left at once to follow the road beside the coastal defence wall, soon reaching a roundabout.

1. Keep left here to stay by the sea shore, with magnificent mountain scenery now very apparent. On reaching the little bay of Charco del Conde turn right, inland, along a street with a small supermarket on the left corner. In about 100 yards the street ends. Turn left along a wide new asphalt road, passing banana plantations and with views up the valley.

2. On reaching the main valley road, go straight across into a little street called ‘Borbalan’, rising gently past a school. Pass the ‘Aurora’ guest house then turn left by a wall of a building, along a narrow footpath. Keep left by the Borbalan apartments, soon reaching a road. This is a section of the old road, made redundant by the newer main road, close by.

3. Turn right to follow this road, soon joining the main road. This track and surrounding land is now fenced of for development and is inpassible.

4. Turn right, along the roadside, for about 600 yards, as far as a road junction. Turn sharp left to rise along the minor road leading into the attractive modern settlement of la Calera (signposted, inter alia, to the health centre and the pharmacy). At the fork keep right to walk through the built up area for about ½ mile.

5. Towards the seaward end of La Calera the road twists and turns downhill. At a junction with a few car parking spaces turn right to descend more gently, passing the bar/restaurant El Mirador (which has panoramic views over the valley and served a range of tapas at lunchtime). The road narrows to become a (surfaced) footpath. Continue past the top of a steep path on the left. In a further 100 yards turn left down a long flight of steps (by the Apartmentos Rivas). At the bottom of the steps turn left, passing two seats. In a further 60 yards turn right, down more steps, to reach a road, close to a modern church and to a road junction.

6. Turn right, passing a bank. Take the main road where you turn right towards the sea at La Playa Calera, between extensive banana plantations.

7. At the road junction by the beach settlement (spreading fast), turn left to walk along the road behind the main beach. Playa de Valle Gran Rey, passing Hotel Valle Gran Rey before rejoining the outward route at Charco del Conde Bay and continuing to Vueltas harbour.

Disclaimer: This route was correct at time of writing. However, alterations can happen if development or boundary changes occur, and there is no guarantee of permanent access. These walks have been published for use by site visitors on the understanding that neither HPB Management Limited nor any other person connected with Holiday Property Bond is responsible for the safety or wellbeing of those following the routes as described. It is walkers' own responsibility to be adequately prepared and equipped for the ‎level of walk and the weather conditions and to assess the safety and accessibility of the walk.