Event Info 2023
Fri Sep 29
0700 – Meet at San Telmo
0730 – Support Car Loaded
0800 – Walk start from San Telmo
1800 – San Mateo Centro Hipico
1900 – Transport Back To Las Palmas
& The Long Walkers continue up to accommodation
2100 – Dinner
Sat Sep 30
0800 – Hearty Breakfast
0900 – Day 2 walk starts up to the summit
1300 – The Highest Point – Pico de Las Nieves
1600 – The Zig Zag!
1700 – Cruz Grande and Glamping!
Sun Oct 1
0700 – Hearty Breakfast & Stretching
0800 – Day 3 walk starts along The Backs of Maspalomas
1300 – Lomo Pedro Afonso (The Last Leg)
1700/1800 – El Pajar (The Last Mile)
1830 – Playa Las Marañuelas (The Big Picture)
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The Long Walk Route 2023
View the full route on Google Maps
General Information
Join us for one, two or three days
Or just join us for The Last Leg (12km half day) or the last mile (1.6km) on Sunday 1 October
Friday
25.9km
Photocall at 07:30 – START 0800 (sunrise) – Finish 7pm (before sunset!)
We start at the original old port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in San Telmo, at 7am, bags packed in the support vehicle and ready to walk at first light, heading inland towards the old Castillo Mata, and the main Cabildo de Gran Canaria, we start our day with a stroll through the leafy old neighbourhood of San Bernardo in the merchant quarter that grew up with the colonial Atlantic city of Las Palmas, before heading up the ancient Guineguada ravine and into the foothills of an area known as Las Vegas, “the pantry of Las Palmas” past the world famous botanical gardens and then a stop for lunch below the historic town of Santa Brígida before we continue to the old agricultural market town of San Mateo, which we will pass at the top of a final climb, but head on a little further to our final meeting point at the Restaurante Trinitá below the old view point over looking the Centro Hipico and the surrounding countryside.
There transport will meet us to return our noble Day One Challenge participants to the city, while The Long Walk expedition heads on for a further two kilometres to their first night’s accommodation.
It’s a beautiful walk past some of the earliest colonial towns on Gran Canaria, as we head back in time towards the pre-hispanic pathways that crisscross this island, and which acted once as the primary Canario highways between the various populations who have inhabited these hills for millennia.
Mostly gentle inclines with a steep climb at the end, to total 900+m altitude gain, over 26km
Saturday
16km
Breakfast 0800 – START 0900 – Summit by 1pm – Finish – 5pm
A much shorter walk on Saturday from San Mateo to the highest point on the island and then down again to Cruz Grande.00
We start at 0900 and should finish by 1700.
Walking the old Camino Reales (Royal Paths) through some of the most epic sub-tropical wilderness in the world, our walkers get to enjoy climbing right to the heart of Las Cumbres (the summits), with unparalleled views back down to the capital and out to the east, a vast and verdant vista, as we pass through the ancient pine forests and some of the most outstanding places of natural beauty anywhere to be found.
We head up to the highest point, for our traditional toast to eat our packed lunches before heading down the other side towards our night 2 accommodation Glamping in the great outdoors at the crossing point between the east and west of Gran Canaria, Cruz Grande. There we will prepare a meal together and get plenty of rest for the final day heading back down to the south coast.
Sunday
27.7km
Breakfast 0700 – Start 0800 – Lomo Pedro Alfonso (The Last Leg) 1300 –
El Pajar (The Last Mile) 1800 –
The Food Project Arguineguín 18.30 –
Playa de Las Marañuelas Sunset – 1900 for The Big Picture.
The final stretch crosses over the network of ridges that connect the barrancos that lead down to Maspalomas, as such they are known as the Backs of Maspalomas. With outstanding views down into the Chira valley we will head up into the hills over Maspalomas which offer commanding views of the entire south coast of the island. We hope to reach any half-day walkers joining us for The Last Leg (12km from Pedro Alfonso to Arguineguín) by around 1300
By 1800 we should all have arrived at the coastal village of El Pajar, where we will be joined any cheerleaders or supporters willing to help us along the coastal path and final stretch towards The Food Project, where we expect to arrive by 1830. There we will all join together in the final act of the event The Big Picture, an image of solidarity, just before sunset on the main beach of Las Marañuelas.
Kiki’s 3-day Coast-to-Coast challenge over Gran Canaria
Support Kiki's 3-day coast-to-coast challenge over the highest point on Gran Canaria... raising funds and awareness…
Kiki’s 3-day Coast-to-Coast challenge over Gran Canaria
Luna Lansu
celina Vandeweghe
Nicola Thornton
Well done Sarah xx
S E Clarke
Well done!
Loraine Sissons
well done Sarah ,very proud of you xx
Hannah D
Dicey Reilly’s
Mark Timon .:.
Cafe Mambo’s
Priti D
Aunties kitchen
Alison Timon .:.
Delilah’s Gran Canaria
Natasha Charles
Love you ❤️
Clair Sobye
Good luck. You will smash it. X
Clair Sobye
Good luck. You will smash it. X
L Gallagher
Victoria Nesbit
One day walker - uphill
Elizabeth Stewart
I&P Gallagher
Well done Linnet. Great cause.
Ian campbell Direct panels
Good luck x
Martin McCulley
Good effort Ciaran
John Morrison
Have a good day Ciaran know you are out there now. Hooe youse get all u need. See you and your da next year all being well. John Geraldine Belfast
Cindy’s 3-daagse uitdaging om te wandelen – Cindy’s 3-day Coast-to-Coast challenge over Gran Canaria with Lantaarn Bar
Support Cindy's 3-daagse uitdaging om te wandelen van kust naar kust over de hoogste top van…
Cindy’s 3-daagse uitdaging om te wandelen – Cindy’s 3-day Coast-to-Coast challenge over Gran Canaria with Lantaarn Bar
Luna Lansu
celina Vandeweghe
Nicola Thornton
Well done Sarah xx
S E Clarke
Well done!
Loraine Sissons
well done Sarah ,very proud of you xx
Hannah D
Dicey Reilly’s
Mark Timon .:.
Cafe Mambo’s
Priti D
Aunties kitchen
Alison Timon .:.
Delilah’s Gran Canaria
Natasha Charles
Love you ❤️
Clair Sobye
Good luck. You will smash it. X
Clair Sobye
Good luck. You will smash it. X
L Gallagher
Victoria Nesbit
One day walker - uphill
Elizabeth Stewart
I&P Gallagher
Well done Linnet. Great cause.
Ian campbell Direct panels
Good luck x
Martin McCulley
Good effort Ciaran
John Morrison
Have a good day Ciaran know you are out there now. Hooe youse get all u need. See you and your da next year all being well. John Geraldine Belfast
Donate to The Long Walk
You can also send a donation via Paypal: This year our goal is to raise as…
Donate to The Long Walk
You can also send a donation via Paypal:
Scan/Click/Tap here
This year our goal is to raise as much money as we can for our local charities. Sign up now now or donate.
Luna Lansu
celina Vandeweghe
Nicola Thornton
Well done Sarah xx
S E Clarke
Well done!
Loraine Sissons
well done Sarah ,very proud of you xx
Hannah D
Dicey Reilly’s
Mark Timon .:.
Cafe Mambo’s
Priti D
Aunties kitchen
Alison Timon .:.
Delilah’s Gran Canaria
Natasha Charles
Love you ❤️
Clair Sobye
Good luck. You will smash it. X
Clair Sobye
Good luck. You will smash it. X
L Gallagher
Victoria Nesbit
One day walker - uphill
Elizabeth Stewart
I&P Gallagher
Well done Linnet. Great cause.
Ian campbell Direct panels
Good luck x
Martin McCulley
Good effort Ciaran
John Morrison
Have a good day Ciaran know you are out there now. Hooe youse get all u need. See you and your da next year all being well. John Geraldine Belfast
The Last Leg
If you can’t joins us for one day or the whole walk, come along for The Last Leg, a half-day 12km hike from the hills above Maspalomas to the sea – 25€.
Or simply join us for The Last Mile, a 1.6km stroll along the shoreline from El Pajar to Arguineguín. It’s free to join, but 12€ gets you an amazing Long Walk t-shirt. All funds raised this year go to The Food Project and their ongoing work.
Thank You To Our Partners
Muchísimas gracias a nuestros colaboradores
Schedule
Full List of Events
Registration OPEN
You can now sign up to join the prestigious Long Walkers club and help raise money for local charities in Gran Canaria! All you have to do is find some sponsors and then walk coast-to-coast over a mountain…
Every weekend in September we do at least one nice walk in the mountains, and some midweek too, to prepare for The Long Walk. Join our WhatsApp group to keep up to date – +34 643 276 724
All Sponsorships Paid - Sept 25th
Many walkers are self-funding, paying for transport, insurance and accommodation themselves, and then raising money and awareness. Others find friends, family or businesses who pay their sponsorship to enable them to participate and highlight our very worthy cause.
It is thanks to this system of sponsorship that we are able to say 100% of all donations from the public go directly to the charities and projects we support.
Registration closes - Sept 23rd
To give us time to finalise transport, accommodation and the support team, registration closes one week before the walk start.
Day 1 - One Day Challenge
We meet at the old site of the original Port of Las Palmas, San Telmo, for 0700, to dump our bags in the support vehicle and take a photo together.
By 0800 on Friday September 29th our intrepid Long Walkers and Day One Challengers begin the ascent to the mountains of Gran Canaria.
Day 2 - Over The Top
Shortly after breakfast, our Long Walkers and Weekend Walkers begin the trek across the top of Gran Canaria to the highest point on the island and then down to Cruz Grande.
Day 3 - The Long Walk Down
After a morning stretch and a hearty breakfast, our Long Walkers and Weekend Walkers begin the descent towards the south coast and Arguineguín, passing through some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world.
Day 3 - The Last Leg - 1300 - 12km Oct 1st
A 12km half day walk from Lomo Pedro Alfonso to Arguineguín
The Last Mile - 1700 - Oct 1st
At 5pm our Long Walkers will be joined by the Last Leggers who will accompany our intrepid travellers on the last 1,6km of their journey from El Pajar to Arguineguín
The Big Picture - 1900 - Oct 1st
Champagne out. Our tired walkers will reach The Food Project and their final destination, just round the corner, at sunset ready for The Big Picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration / Sponsorship
What is the latest date for registration?
The earlier the better so we can organise. We ask that you register and pay your Walk Sponsorship no later than September 9th, this gives you at least 3 weeks of fundraising, but of course the earlier you are committed, the more time you’ll have to tell the world about your epic intentions.
Day Tripper registrations will be accepted for the One Day Walk (Friday Sept 30) no later than September 25
How do I register?
Just go to the Join Us page and fill in the form?
We need to get your full details as soon as possible, and we ask that everyone (particularly if this is your first time joining us) comes on 2 or more half day training walks. Contact us for more details
Do I have to pass a fitness test?
If you are unsure if you can do the walk please join us on a training walk and we can help you to asses. In our experience most people are quite capable of doing the walk, once they set their mind to it, but of course every body is different, and so we need you to listen to yours and help us to figure out what is the best way to get you over that mountain in triumph
No matter who you are, nor what your fitness levels: This Will Hurt. Your commitment is key to your success.
Join our WhatsApp group and we’ll tell you when the training walks are – +34 643 276 724
How much does it cost?
Day Tripper – One Day – 50€
Weekender – Two days – 150€
The Long Walk – Three days – 250€
Walk sponsorship pays for insurance, organisation, support team, support vehicle, accommodation and anything else that might be needed to ensure we have a safe, successful event.
Your walk sponsorship is not a donation, some people pay it themselves, others raise it from one or more businesses, or friends; it is this that then facilitates you as a fundraiser to ask for donations in support of the epic effort you are about to undertake. Once we have your walk sponsorship confirmed then we create you an official fundraising page which we ask you to share out to as many people as possible to tell our story, and ask for their support. 100% of all public donations raised in this way goes to charities we support and we encourage everyone to raise as much money as they can.
What help will you give raising money?
We will set you up with an official personalised donation page on The Long Walk website once you have completed your registration, where you can collect donations in support of your Epic Challenge.
As well as this, anyone can create a fundraiser for us using our Facebook facility. As a registered and authorised not-for-profit charitable association, facebook covers any fees whenever your friends, family or contacts donate there, and if you are a registered walker, we will manually add any money raised through one of those fundraisers to your overall total collected.
We encourage you to get creative in giving people reasons to support you. Not only will this be a huge challenge, 3-days, rough terrain, coast-to-coast, over the highest peak on Gran Canaria, but you can also suggest people sponsor you per km walked, or for wearing a costume or branded clothing, or they could donate money for you to do some sections backwards, or just in your bra, or silly hats, just in a jock strap… there really is no limit to how silly you can make the challenge, just so long as it can be done safely and without hampering any of the other walkers in the quest to cross the mountain. As us if you’d like some more ideas, and check in with us if you have any really silly ideas so we can help you get it done effectively and safely.
Remember fundraising starts with the word FUN.
Health & Training
Is the walk easy?
This Will Hurt. How much, will depend on how much training you put in. You need to get your body ready for some endurance.
We cover an average of 80-90km over the whole event, and by day two it can start to get quite tough, as your body begins to tire, your joints will really start to feel each step, especially when we begin to descend from the summits. By day three you will already know if you have done enough preparation or not. Either way, without permanently harming yourself, it will be down to your own commitment to completing the challenge, depending as much on your mental preparations as it does your physical abilities and preparedness.
This is not an easy walk and you will need to prepare but most people, in our experience, are capable of doing it. Our most senior walker has been well over 80 years of age (actually we couldn’t catch him!), our largest walker has been well over 22 stone (140kg), we have included walkers with registered physical disabilities, as well as first time walkers, and even dog walkers.
Our whole message is: You Can Do This. But. Not everyone is always fully prepared, so listen to your body, work with us, and try your best; we will do everything we can to support you, and get you there safely.
If you would prefer an easy walk, please join us for the Caminata Maspalomas, from Parque Sur at 5pm on Sunday October 2
What training do you recommend?
Start with about one hour of brisk walking, and then add ten minutes extra every day. Or add one hour every week. Within 6 weeks you will have a very good idea, near enough, of what it is like to walk for a full day. You need mentally prepare yourself to carry on walking, climbing hills, and descending slopes for extended periods, and the best way to do that is to physically prepare your body for long periods on foot.
Training for going down hill is perhaps as important, if not more important, than training to go up, everyone who comes to this recognises that by the third day. Remember to stretch, properly, for a minimum of ten minutes every day. If you would like us to show you all of our best stretches just ask and will happily take you through a full stretching session.
We recommend you start getting your body ready, on a daily basis, with plenty of stretching, as early as you can. That is the best way to ensure you do not suffer unnecessarily out on the trail.
How do I join the training walks?
Join our WhatsApp group to find out more about training sessions – +34 643 276 724
We do a minimum of one half day walk every weekend in the 6 weeks prior to the event, and often more walks during the week. We recommend you walk everywhere you can to help boost your training.
What is the maximum age
There is no maximum age. Our oldest walker so far was 82 years old (though fit as a fiddle and an experienced walker). However if you are worried it might be too much please ask your doctor beforehand, come out on some training walks with us, and we can help you assess your capabilities.
This isn’t for absolutely everyone, not everyone makes it to the end, but there are parts that everyone can do, and for us cheerleaders and FUNdraisers are just as vital to our project as walkers.
Whether you do the last 6km with us, or walk The Last Leg (half day), or do a full day, a weekend or the entire 3 days of The Long Walk, we want you to make a big noise and tell people that #WeCrossMountains to inspire people facing all sorts of challenges, and that age is not really a factor, so much as attitude and your willingness to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Walk Info
Do I have to walk the whole way?
We have a support car that meets us at regular intervals, and a great team, so we are confident, with the right planning, we can get you through it, but we want all participants to be aware of themselves, and if you have any doubts to check first with your doctor before committing.
If you don’t want to do the full 3 days, don’t worry, plenty of people join us for half days or just small sections, our aim is to keep you safe and have you be part of our core message: that crossing a mountain may be difficult, but it starts with putting one foot in front of the other, and being aware of your body and its limitations, but if you keep going you will get there. This is not a race, your competition is the mountain, and yourself.
I don't think I can walk. How else can I help?
Anyone who feels they may not be suited to the entire challenge can still play a vital role cheerleading, fundraising, helping with support and spreading the word. (We love cheerleaders, the more vocal the better, but all support is vital to getting us through this)
You can donate directly, you can help with the food, transport, logistics or please just spread the word and let as many people as you can know about us
Our message is simple: Together, one step at a time, #WeCrossMountains
Accomodation & Transport
Can I have a room to myself?
For the purposes of logistics and cost saving we organise shared accommodations for the duration of the walk, of course you can have your own bed, and it is pretty flexible who you share a room with, we organise as we go.
But Yes it is usually possible for you to have your own private room if that is what you require. It will cost a little extra and will be subject to availability, so please contact us if that is something you would like to explore, or with any other questions you may have.
What transport is included?
Day Tripper – One day walker – Cruz de Tejeda back to starting point (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
Weekender – From the South (Faro de Maspalomas) to Cruz de Tejeda / Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
The Long Walker – From the South to the start point (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria)
*This requires special arrangements so we need to know as early as possible to be able to confirm your transport
Are all meals included?
We organise a light lunch for the half way mark on Day 1 for everyone including the Day Trippers
For everyone accommodated with us for one night or more, we also include Dinner and Breakfast and they are pretty tasty too.
That means anyone walking more than one day is expected to organise their own packed lunches, and other energy boosting snacks and trail mix along the way. We also carry a first aid kit and plenty of water in the support vehicle.
Join The Long Walk
Join us for 1,2 or 3 days, enjoy the mountains of Gran Canaria surrounded by amazing company whilst you support important local causes on our island.