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Beyond the densely settled and farmed slopes of upper Orotava valley the island's largest pine forest takes over, nourished by the mists that shroud these heights. The area is crisscrossed by many paths, most of them wide forest tracks that can be linked to form good hiking routes. A useful starting point for hikes in the area is La Caldera a picnic spot, in an old volcanic crater 2km north of the village of Aguamansa ; there's plenty of parking here and the regular buses (#345) from Puerto de la Cruz also stop here. A kiosk beside the crater also does light meals, including fresh trout - from a farm (open for viewing) a few hundred metres south down the road to Agaumansa. A rudimentary information centre serving the local woodland areas, beside the farm (daily 8am-3pm; tel 922/330 701) can give advice on local hikes. The best hikes from La Caldera head east towards Los Organos , a row of massive basalt pillars moulded by crystallization to resemble organ-pipes. The best place to view these is along the easy level track to the small forest shelter El Topo . The trail (2hr loop) begins from the northeast side of the car park at La Caldera and continues on the well-graded dirt road past the large pine trees draped in silvery-green lichen, taking in the views stretching 1200m below to Puerto de la Cruz. Follow signs to Aguamansa (or for a longer route head on to the tracks that link the forest shelters El Topo and Perez Ventoso, before heading to Aguamansa) where you arrive at a minor sealed road, linked to the main road where the bus to Puerto de La Cruz stops. A more strenuous, and more rewarding longer hike , takes you south on a sixteen-kilometre (5hr) loop around Los Organos along a narrow track above the cliffs, before descending to the wide forest track that links La Caldera with the base of Los Organos. From the south side of La Caldera, climb up a broad track marked "Zona de Encampa", following this to a bench and overlook, turning up a track behind this which turns into a steep climb before leading to the shelter at Chimoche . On approaching the shelter head east along a trail that soon hits a dry stream-bed where it turns slightly downhill before becoming a narrow track, which in turn soon climbs alongside a steep gorge. From here the trail ducks in and out of a number of dry gorges, with few real climbs, and up into a cliff face, until it beings to descend. Good views fan out from this trail over the whole Orotava valley, but none better than that offered from a promontory two thirds of the way along this section (once the site of a viewing-platform, now marked by its crumbling former foundations). Beyond this are some short narrow sections where ropes have been attached for support and not long after is a turn-off to the left, where a trail heads past a rocky outcrop before zigzagging steeply downwards. Though easy to recognize this essential turn-off is easy to miss if you're not looking out for it. The narrow path soon joins a wider forest trail. Keep left here, then turn right at the T-junction further down. On reaching the densely lush and atmospheric forest, ignore signs to Aguamansa, instead going back to La Caldera on a well graded flat forestry trail, past some buildings and a shelter to return to the start point.
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