Merenderos Barranco De Los Cernícalos
The Barranco de los Cernícalos in Valsequillo is one of the few watercourses on Gran Canaria that runs all year round. One of the island's best wild olive woods grows on its slopes and a willow grove thrives on the bed; the water comes channelled down from the summits and forms small waterfalls. The name comes from the kestrel, the bird of prey that nests in the ravine. The picnic area marks the start of the easiest walk, about three kilometres long.
The Barranco de los Cernícalos packs a great deal of ecological value into very little space. Water runs all year along a narrow bed fed from the high watersheds of Gran Canaria, which is exceptional on an island where most ravines only carry water after rain. That constancy supports a willow grove on the bed and, on the slopes, one of the best preserved wild olive woods in the archipelago.
The most accessible walk starts at the picnic area and follows the streambed for about three kilometres to the waterfalls, which are the main draw. The ravine can also be walked end to end on well-marked paths, and there is an official route that leaves from the centre of Valsequillo and climbs the Subida de las Haciendas in the Las Vegas district. Footwear with good grip is worth having, because the ground stays damp almost all the time.
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