GR131 Walk Vilaflor to Ifonche

We set out on the Vilaflor to Ifonche route on Sunday, which is part of the GR131, a walking route that spans part of Tenerife, El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma, designed for an island hopping walking experience. This route is also in Spain, France, Belgium and Holland.
We walked a very small part of it but it trully was magnificent. We walked 11km of the route, which was great.
We started from the marker as shown in the photo which is placed perfectly beside the Hotel El Nogal & Spa Villa Alba, Vilaflor http//:hotelnogal.com An excellent hotel and spa, in a very rural setting. From the hotel as a guest you can go on organised walks whilst staying there. It was the perfect place to end the route as hospitality in the hotel is second to none. We choose to begin here simply because we had seen the markers and thought it would one day be a good walk to do. It really was breathtaking. As you can see from the photos the scenery is ever changing and I can honestly say I have never seen a wild flower meadow in Tenerife looking so amazing. The flowers and the pine trees, the little bridges and all the wildlife, what a day out. The walk has been carefully crafted by the Cabildo to give the walker a real challenge but safely. We needed our sticks and we needed lots of water. At the end of the walk there is a restaurant/bar which was a welcome site. It is our best walk to date and although we felt a bit sore today (Monday) we are already planning the next one.

Herbs, Seeds, Great Gifts?

If you are always struggling around this time of year to think of different or interesting gifts for your friends and family, I thought I would share an idea with you.

I am biased about the uses of herbs and I also have my little online store www.pixiepod.etsy.com where you can buy great quality herbs and seeds at very affordable costs, and be sure in the knowledge that they have been harvested from Pixiepod´s garden here in Tenerife where we use no chemicals and make and use our own compost. However,

Herbs and Seeds can make great gifts.

You can buy a few assorted herb seeds and tie them in a little bundle, or buy a few bags of dried herbs for cooking and tie in a bundle, maybe embellishing the bundle with a sprig of dried herb or a stick of lemongrass, being a cook myself I know I would be happy with this gift.

It matters how you package the herbs too, I make healing bundles, a few of which are listed on my online store www.pixiepod.etsy.com but I can also make them to order. If perhaps you have a friend or family member who needs a little healing around this time of year, a bundle could be made for their needs, tied of course with appropriate colours of threads and ribbons.

Gardeners love the chance to grow something different, so seeds that they may not have in their collection might take their interest. Look through the shelves of www.pixiepod.etsy.com for that rarer seed that they might just love.

Well I hope I have inspired you and I hope also that I have ensured you of the quality of my products. Seeds are not just seeds, herbs are not just herbs, just like today how the importance of where we buy our meat and our fruit and veg from, make the right choice when buying your seeds and herbs.

They do not come in foil packets for better storage, they come in brown paper envelopes for immediate use, they are packaged in small quantities as I don´t produce an abundance of herbs and seeds for sale and the packet can be composted after use. This is Pixiepod´s ethos, pick what you can use and buy what you will use, what is the point in having excess seeds or herbs, the fresher they are the better.

If you purchase seeds now they will be ready for use in the Spring. The imaginings of Spring that each little seed will conjure up in the mind of the recipient will see them through the Winter I am sure.

Buy Green Today! www.pixiepod.etsy.com