Product Description

This thoroughly revised edition has been completed by a walking and tourist guide who lives in the Canary Islands. Changes from the last edition include the renumbering of all roads and an update on EU-sponsored new footpaths.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #176784 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 136 pages

Review
"The hallowed blue books. You'll be happy to have them for company."

About the Author
Noel is the author of many best-selling 'Landscapes' guides, including Tenerife, Corsica, Lanzarote, Corfu, etc

Customer Reviews

Landscapes of Gran Canaria
We had some wonderful, arduous walks on Gran Canaria in December, using the Landscapes book.

Departing inland from Playa del Ingles on an early bus, we were a little worried when the driver disappeared into a bar during a half-hour bus "change" (we got back on to the same bus) in a village and amused when a passenger had a haircut at the same time.

Later in the day, deep in a barranco, we were also a little worried to meet a chap with underpants on his head. He turned out to be a cyclist reducing his load to the minimum. He explained he had 2 pairs of underpants; one he wore conventionally and the other, washed the previous night, he wore as a sunhat while it dried. He was English of course.

My wife and I have used the Sunflower Landscapes books on our overseas walking holidays for many years, from the time we were novice walkers to the present when we are quite experienced.

The walking advice in the books was invaluable to us when we were novices and is still useful.

We invariably find that the walk descriptions are sufficient for route-finding, using the limited mapping, a compass and a bit of common sense when necessary. We only bother with more if we expect to be going into difficult, remote country - in our experience the walk summaries in Landscapes books clearly indicate likely difficulties.

As committed users of local buses we have had a couple of tight schedules on return journeys. We always get an up to date timetable on arrival at the resort and sometimes find a bus from our resort to the start of a walk that isn't listed in the narrative. If there is only one return bus we have learned to build in some time for unexpected delays and to allow for the bus leaving early!

We used to buy updates to the books. They provide brief comments and revisions from readers about changes they have experienced. They are now available free to download from the Sunflower website as a welcome support service to users.

The best choice for walking in Gran Canaria
This book is the most pleasant I found for walking in Gran Canaria (although it doesn't exist in french...): its weight and size are quite correct for most pockets, the maps and information generally enable you to find your way rather easily, pictures give you an idea of the interest of most walks and makes the book quite pleasant.
The walks described are various enough in length, difficulty, and alternative walks, so that any one can easily make his own choice.

Very good walking guide for this island
I was very pleased that I made Noel Roachford's guide my choice for my trip to Gran Canaria this year, and very much enjoyed the walks I did for my first ever walking holiday.
The guide is very informative in a number of ways:
- detailed introduction
- detailed information on how to travel around the island
- picnic areas are mentioned in detail with directions
- 4 car touring itinerary, although we didn't bother doing these
- masses of detailed walking advice - useful for me as this was our first walking abroad (including info on nasty dogs and some "Spanish for walkers".
- 26 detailed and informative walk routes - we walked mainly in the centre - up to the impressive Roque Nublo and Guanche Cemetery.
- useful bus info
My only criticisms of the book were:
- The maps are not detailed enough to rely on for the walks. Most walking books that I use in the UK are the same, and if they don't have sectors of the trusted OS maps within them (like the Jarrold books) then I know where to get the OS 1:25000 maps. For Gran Canaria I could only find a 1:50000 map from a specialist dealer, making my trip that bit more expensive. Maybe Sunflower could look at getting some more detailed maps into their Gran Canaria book for future releases.
- The photography within is a bit limited and amateurish, though I guess the written content is the important factor, and on this the book is very professional.