Route Adeje and Guía de Isora

The hamlets of Chirche and Aripe are situated in the upper zone of the middle slopes of Guía de Isora and are a storehouse of much of the rural nature of southern Tenerife. Located between ravines, they exhibit an unusual scenic beauty, characterized by areas of pine forest and badlands, memories of their volcanic origin. Chirche and Aripe are separated by less than 1 km, about 5 minutes from the centre of Guía de Isora. We recommend seeing Aripe first and then going to Chirche and enjoying the beautiful views that can be seen along the whole of the route. The neighbouring Island of La Gomera, the sea and the middle slopes will accompany you on the trip. These hamlets preserve remarkable examples of traditional Canarian architecture and part of the original urban layout, composed mainly of former farm tracks. It is worth stopping and enjoying the peacefulness of their streets and squares and walking the footpaths, whilst discovering part of the Island's rural history. Special mention should be made of some small streets, recently restored, following traditional building techniques with the utmost respect. The homes comply with the typical, local types of construction, featuring thick walls made of clay and small stones, with a single or double or four-pitched roof. From the nineteenth century roofs became generally flat, better adapted to environments with low rainfall. The houses are generally accompanied by numerous constructions such as water tanks, , threshing-floors, bread ovens and tile kilns, places for sun-drying fruit, etc., that constitute outstanding examples of the Island's rural heritage. It is possible to wander all around these areas, enjoying many pleasant walks. The "La Campana" footpath linking Aripe and Chirche is worthy of mention. This is a short path, it is barely over one kilometre long, but is of great interest from the scenic and ethnographic point of view. Along it you can see different elements of traditional agriculture and everyday life of the common man, like tile kilns and threshing-floors. Right at the entrance to Chirche, at the old water spouts, on the right, you will find a panel with a detailed explanation of the footpaths in the area. Here we should mention the existence of aboriginal remains, the most important being the rock carvings to be found in the vicinity of Aripe. As you see, the area was inhabited from pre-hispanic times, although the origin of these villages dates from the second half of the XVIIth century. The basis of their economy has been livestock and agriculture reflected in the vegetable plots, nateros**, threshing-floors, etc., still in existence in the area, and the Almond Fair in Aripe, held every year in late October, and which allows visitors to learn more about the traditional almond harvest. The visit is rounded off with the opportunity to make a small detour in Aripe to go to the church of San Pedro, located alongside the ancient road connecting the village with the neighbouring hamlet of Chiguergue. The church square next to the church itself is a unique vantage point from which to contemplate the beauty of the natural environment surrounding these villages and make the most of the panoramic views of the town and its coastline. **natero: natero is the name given to a system of using for agricultural purposes the run-off water which flows down the hillsides or ravines and is diverted to the cultivated plots or terraces to increase irrigation and raise the fertility of the soil as a result of the accumulated sediment that is washed down.