Tucked away in a verdant valley behind Arrieta lies Tabayesco - a small hamlet of no more than fifty houses.
General Information
The village sits at the mouth of the Valley of Temisa and is very picturesque, consisting of only two main roads, on one of which is a tiny chapel and the village social club – or sociedad.
Coast And Valley Views
There are wonderful views down to the coast from the village – as well as back up into the Valley of Temisa. And despite its increasingly multicultural make up Tabayesco still retains much of the feel of a typical Canarian village.
This is partly because much of the scenery surrounding Tabayesco is reminiscent of the more mountainous terrain found in the north of Gran Canaria. Especially as the hillsides are considerably greener here than in other parts of the island for a good proportion of the year.
The Long & Winding Road
You can approach the village from two directions – turning off the main road to Arrieta just before you pass the beach or taking the winding road which runs between Tabayesco and Haria.
If following the latter, once you have turned off from the main road to Haria, you will find it winds round and down into the valley, passing numerous fincas, where locals still cultivate steep terraces packed with onions, vines, potatoes and numerous fruit trees.
On The Terraces
The terraces are the remnants of a once thriving agro-business, cultivating the ice plant or barilla, as it is known in the Canaries, which was once an essential ingredient in the production of soap and a major export crop during the 18th century.
The terraces extend to the very top of Temisa, as the hillside is known, on the right-hand side of the valley as you face the sea.
Local Walks
There are numerous walks to be enjoyed in and around Tabayesco. One of the best runs along the valley floor, starting at the end of Calle Chafariz and alongside the route of the barranco which carries the occasional rainfall down to the coast. This dirt track extends all the way back into the valley and forks into two separate tracks where the valley diverges.
On either side of the dirt track, apart from the fields under cultivation, there are numerous parts of the hillsides which have remained untouched. So they are ideal places to observe the natural flora and fauna of this greener, northern part of the island.
Flora and Fauna
For instance, there are endless examples of the Tabaiba – a euphorbia which has bright lime green flowers in the spring.
There are also many examples of the Canarian truffle – papa criada – growing here.
This is a low growing plant with lemon coloured flowers with four petals. The tubers (or ‘truffles’) grow in between several plants at about four or five centimetres depth and are normally best if dug up in April, after the winter rain has allowed them to swell to their largest size.
They then need to be cooked gently in boiling water, to get rid of the grit and a thin layer of brown skin. The flesh is pale and creamy looking. But do be careful about digging up other tubers, there is another variety which is not at all pleasant to eat, with slightly darker, more apricot coloured, flesh.
Rocket Man
Other native species include wild rocket, which grows in abundance up and down the valley. It is easily detected if you step on it, as the leaves will immediately give off the pungent aroma of rocket. It also produces a pretty white flower.
In terms of wildlife, there are any number of butterflies and moths to be found amongst the plant life. There are also praying mantis, geckos, lizards and mice to be found in the grass. Numerous birds nest in the valley, including many kestrels, with beautiful russet coloured wings, barbary partridge, hoopoes, the southern grey shrike and snowy egrets.
The long eared owl has occasionally been spotted here as well. There are plenty of rabbits which provide great hunting material for the kestrels and the owl.
Reservoir Route
There is another walk, which begins in Tabayesco, just before you enter the village. Opposite the creamy-yellow finca at the start of the hamlet, there is a dirt track pathway, which will take you all the way to Mala and Guatiza.
This is what used to be old road connecting the villages of the north of the island to Arrecife. Just before the bridge, which crosses the motorway to Mala, there is a turning off up the hill, which takes you up to the reservoir.