Eight climates in fifty kilometres

Why the shape matters

A round island with its summit in the middle offers every orientation at once. The north-easterly trade wind hits the northern half and leaves it damp and green; the southern half sits sheltered, dry and sunny. And because the summit is central, both climates are the same distance away.

In Tenerife, north and south are separated by a long mountain range. Here they are separated by a radius, which means the journey between extremes is short.

What you notice while driving

• ·South: dry, bright, with the sand of Maspalomas and the Fataga ravine climbing inland.
• ·Centre: pine forest, reservoirs, cool air and the rock monoliths. It genuinely gets cold here in winter.
• ·North: cloud, farmland, banana plantations and a coast more battered by the sea.
• ·West: the least travelled part, with the deepest ravines and the slowest roads.

The planning mistake

Looking at distance in kilometres. On Gran Canaria the inland roads climb into and out of ravines, and that multiplies the time: straight-line distance tells you nothing. A 40-kilometre run up to the summit does not take 40 minutes.

How to make the most of a few days

With only one day away from the coast, the route that gives the most contrast per hour spent is up from the south to the centre and back: in one day you go from sand to pine forest. With two days, the second goes north, which is a different island altogether.

And a clothing warning: anyone who drives up to the summit in swimwear and flip-flops has a bad time. There are more than 1,900 metres of difference from the beach where you had breakfast.