Punta de Teno, Tenerife (Punta de Teno, Teneriffa) (Punta de Teno, Tenerife) 03.2013.

Punta de Teno is the westernmost corner of Tenerife, a very intersting place that is difficult to access. It is separated from other parts of the island by the Teno Mountains and the colossal cliffs named Acantilados de Los Gigantes. Some extremely rare species found refuge at these places, namely the Tenerife Speckled Lizard (that was only described in 1996) and the plants Limonium fruticans and Teline salsoloides, extinct from other parts of the island. Location: Punta de Teno. Date: 27.03.2013.

Majona and the South, La Gomera (Majona und der Süden, La Gomera) (Majona és a déli részek, La Gomera) 03.2013.

On our way back from La Gomera, we shortly visited the southern part of the island and the Majona Nature Park. This island is only 24 km wide but it has an unusually high variety of landscapes and also many protected areas. Location: La Gomera. Date: 25.03.2013.

Garajonay National Park, La Gomera (Nationalpark Garajonay, La Gomera) (Garajonay Nemzeti Park, La Gomera) 03.2013.

We took a short trip to La Gomera starting from Tenerife in March 2013. This small island is the greenest of the Canary Islands. Its lush laurisilva forest is called Garajonay, also a national park and part of the World Heritage. Location: Garajonay National Park. Date: 24-25.03.2013.

Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera (Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera) (Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera) 03.2013.

At the western cost of La Gomera lies the valley named Valle Gran Rey with its deep ravines and steep cliffs. This staggering landscape is a protected area under the name Parque Rural de Valle de Gran Rey. Location: Valle Gran Rey. Date: 24.03.2013.

Exotic species of Tenerife (Exotische Arten aus Teneriffa) (Tenerife egzotikus fajai) 03.2013.

Tenerife, the 'Island of Eternal Spring' has been inhabited since at least a thousand years and many exotic plant species have been brought here from all around the world. These are mostly found in the cities, where they regularly escape from the gardens, but many species also threaten the indigenous flora of the beautiful natural habitats of the island. Of course, there are many non-native animals as well.

Paisaje Lunar, Tenerife (Paisaje Lunar, Teneriffa) (Paisaje Lunar, Tenerife) 03.2013.

We traveled to Vilaflor, the highest village on Tenerife, to take a hike to the Moon Landscape, the Paisaje Lunar. This place got its name from formations of tuff, made of many layers of volcanic ash pressed together. Erosion has a constant effect on the tuff, but there where stones blocked the rain, it was protected, resulting in the formation of tall pillars - a fascinating sight. Location: Paisaje Lunar. Date: 23.03.2013.

Tenerife: Orotava Valley (Teneriffa: Orotava-Tal) (Tenerife: Orotava-völgy) 03.2013.

Tenerife is the largest of the 7 main Canary Islands, characterised by its main volcano, the Teide (3718 m). With my wife, we spent almost 2 weeks here and on the island of La Gomera in March. This time of the year is good to catch many of the islands endemic plants in flowering period. The plant and animal life on the Canary Islands are incredible, a very high proportion of the species are endemics and and even the types of plant communities are very special, found nowhere else on Earth but on other Macaronesian Islands. Tenerife, due the presence of the Teide, has an astonishing vertical zonation and many of its areas are protected. First, I show photos of the biggest valley, the Orotava Valley, which faces the Atlantic Ocean on the north of the island.

The Caldera of Teide, Tenerife (Caldera des Teide, Teneriffa) (A Teide kalderája, Tenerife) 03.2013.

The caldera of the Teide is 15 km wide and its lowest point is around 2000 m a.s.l. This unique volcano is part of the World Heritage List and also a national park (Parque Nacional del Teide). Location: Teide. Date: 23.03.2013.

Tenerife: Anaga Mountains (Teneriffa: Anaga-Gebirge) (Tenerife: Anaga-hegység) 03.2013.

The Anaga Peninsula is the gratest place on Tenerife to get away from mass tourism and to find natural laurisilva forests which once covered much of the island. The highest point of the Anaga Mountain Range (Macizo de Anaga) is just over 1000 m, which doesn't count as high on the island, but the peaks are really steep and the valleys are small. This has caused the peninsula to be sparsely populated and to retain its natural beauty.

Corona Forestal and Las Lagunetas, Tenerife (Corona Forestal und Las Lagunetas, Teneriffa) (Corona Forestal és Las Lagunetas, Tenerife) 03.2013.

The vulcano of Teide undoubtedly dominates the landscape of Tenerife. The highest point of the island is surrounded by a forest belt that is lush and green on the northern side and arid on the southern. The area is a nature park called Parque natural de la Corona Forestal. An adjacent mountain range that stretches towards northeast is the Pedro Gil with protected forests such as the dense Las Lagunetas that is always covered by clouds. Location: Corona Forestal and Las Lagunetas. Date: 20.03.2013.

Aguamansa, Corona Forestal, Tenerife (Aguamansa, Corona Forestal, Teneriffa) (Aguamansa, Corona Forestal, Tenerife) 03.2013.

  

Aguamansa is one of the best places in for hiking in the northern part of Tenerife. The area is part of the Forest Crown of the Teide (Parque natural de la Corona Forestal) and lies between 1000-1200 m above sea level. The forests here often get covered by the thick clouds of the Atlantic. The vegetation is dominated by Canary Pine and heath. Location: Aguamansa. Date: 20.03.2013.

Badland of Güímar, Tenerife (Malpaís de Güímar, Teneriffa) (Malpaís de Güímar, Tenerife) 03.2013.

The Badland (Malpaís) of Güímar is a special nature reserve on the coast of Tenerife, near the town of Güímar. It is known from its incredible landscape with vulcanic cones, basaltic lava flows and a vegetation extremely adapted for dry and hot conditions - a one-of-a-kind place indeed. Location: Reserva natural especial del Malpaís de Güímar. Date: 19.03.2013.

Teno Massif, Tenerife (Teno-Gebirge, Teneriffa) (Teno-hegység, Tenerife) 03.2013.

The Teno Massif or Teno Mountains form the westernmost part of Tenerife. The mountains here are often covered in clouds and they are sparsely populated. The local vegetation is still quite natural but there are many introduced species here also. We traveled through the mountains and stopped at Masca, a tiny village that was not accessible on road until the 1960's. Location: Teno Alto. Date: 18.03.2013.

Caving in Bükk mountains, Hungary (Höhlenklettern im Bükk-Gebirge, Ungarn) (Barlangászás a Bükk-hegységben, Magyarország) 03.2013.

We visited a cave in the Bükk National Park with a guided tour. Many karst caves are known in the Bükk mountains and some of them are open to tourists. The one we visited is about 300 metres long and it has an interesting arthropod fauna.

South-Nyírség, Hungary (Süd-Nyírség, Ungarn) (Dél-Nyírség, Magyarország) 03.2013.

Today, we traveled to the southwestern part of the Nyírség, a region of the Great Hungarian Plain. The area we visited was once covered with sandy grasslands and patches of lowland oak forest, nowadays it is partly used by the agriculture, partly covered with locust tree forests. A relict of the original vegetation, the Spring Meadow Saffron has still survived in some areas - now it is strictly protected and its habitats are managed by the Hajdúság Landscape Protection Area.