The feeling one gets when about to climb a 12,200 foot volcano rising from a 30mile wide volcanic crater, is one of angst, fear, and utter ‘I-can’t-effing-wait’ness. As we drove the short distance from Arona along the windy bends of the base of the National Park at 9.30pm, it was only until ‘Highway to Hell’ by AC/DC came blasting through the speakers that we doubted the idea of climbing this beast at night, in probably not enough clothing, and armed with only chocolate fingers, cheese sandwiches and a flask of champagne. Nevertheless, we started the trek with positivity and a sense of enthusiasm, making it to the summit just in time for the beautiful sunrise which we welcomed with smiles and countless photos from the GoPro which I set on time-lapse mode on a rock nearby.
The beautiful curve of the horizon with the beaming glow from the sun as it slowly rises from its sleep, gives you the realisation how powerful and breathtaking the world is from a different angle.
The view from Teide puts all my other mountain experiences to shame. With a constant variation in the array of colours gleaming from the horizon, it’s an experience definitely worth the walk up.
