To continue the Tabayesco Circle, follow the track along the ridge line. The route offers many spectacular views down into both the Tabayesco valley on the right and the Valle de Paloma on the left. You pass a number of small holdings and old Aljibes on your way and you can’t help but marvel at the ingenuity of the subsistence farmers of old and their constant battle for water.
Follow the farm track all the way off the mountain until it meets the LZ-10. Turn right here along the tarmac road. After about 800m there is a mountain road on your left (signpost for Bosquecillo) – little forest), take it and then immediately first right until the dirt track meets with the Valle de Malpaso walk, marked as part of the GR-131.
Alternatively after the Bosquecillo signpost, 200m further on there is the Bar Restaurante Los Helechos if you fancy a break. After the restaurant, simply continue on down the road about 330m and you pick up the Valle de Malpaso walk, marked as part of the GR-131.
Continue down the path as it crosses and re-crosses the LZ-10. At the bottom, after all the LZ-10 switchbacks the path crosses and continues in to Haria. However, we want to stay on the LZ-10 for about 410m until you come to the righthand turning for Tabayesco. The road may be closed to vehicular traffic, but it is quite safe to walk.
There are two options here, either take the path on the left about 350m along the road (option 1), or continue on the LZ-207 for about 2km (option 2).
Tabayesco Circle – Option 1
After about 80m take the narrow path on the right which after a number of fairly steep switchbacks leads to the bottom of the valley. Keep heading east and the track eventually joins the main Barranco de Chafaris track, passing many small holdings and grape vine plantations leading back to the start of the walk.
Tabayesco Circle – Option 2
At an almost 180o bend, the road meets up with the Barranco de Chafaris dirt track emerging from the left. At this point you could take a small detour and visit the Fuente de Chafariz. If not up for the detour, simple take the dirt track, which takes you through many small holdings and grape vine plantations and leads all the way back to the start of the walk.
Angel Hair
Depending on the time of year, the photo below was taken mid November. You quite often come across some spikey bushes on the side of the path that are covered in a strange golden shroud.
The actual bush, Aulaga (Launaea arborescens) is very common on Lanzarote. This is partly due to the fact that its thorns protect it from grazing goats. Nevertheless it has enemies, often it is seen covered in a mesh of orange brown threads.
This mesh can only be removed with great difficulty, as it is closely interwoven with the Aluaga. The threads are a plant called Angel Hair (Cuscuta approximata). It is a parasite extracting water and nutrients from its host plant. Everything Cuscuta needs is extracted from the host plant through specially developed organs growing into the host, hence Cuscuta is almost completely lacking in chlorophyll.
Other Walks
Another walk in this area is the aforementioned La Fuente de Charfariz, an easy walk with only a short scramble up to the Fuente itself. If you ever wondered how Lanzarote coped for water before the arrival of the desalination plant… then this walk is for you.
Tabayesco Circle – History
To read more on the history of the area you can check out the Historia de Haria website. The site is in Spanish, so if it helps I have tried to summarise a few topics of interest in the History section.