The plane ride to Tenerife is an adventure in itself. After waking up at 3am to travel to the airport accompanied by Max, my friend and film maker, I was ready to get excited about our plans for the next few days, and maybe snooze a little on the flight. Most of the people on our flight had very different intentions with this being the start of their stag or hen weekends, they wasted no time in getting the party started!

Tenerife Adventures, Sophie Radcliffe, One Life, Live It

As I was yet to discover, Tenerife - the largest of Spain's Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa - is an island with infinite opportunities to satisfy everyone's desires.

Vist Tenerife: Sophie Radcliffe Adventures One Life Live it

With two full days on the island, the challenge was ON to see how much adventure we could pack in. We were out kayaking, cycling, running, climbing, hiking and swimming, from sunrise to sunset every day. On the flight back to the UK, I had spent all my energy and felt as though I had challenged my limits in Tenerife, whilst only barely scratching the surface of what’s available!

Watch my film to find out why I think Tenerife is the ultimate island for adventure:

“When we face fear, we can overcome it. When we try new things, we broaden our horizons. When we live in the moment, our days feel long and full”

How we filled our days:

1. Cycling: Teide National Park

Tenerife lays claim to Europe’s longest continuous climb, 63km from sea to summit and with 365 days a year of sunshine, it’s a cyclist’s haven. I’ve cycled through some pretty incredible landscapes all over the world, but cycling through volcanic lava fields is something else. I’ve never seen anything like it! The road through Teide National Park snakes it’s way up to 2200m. There are cars and tourist buses to contend with, but the traffic felt calm and appreciative of cyclists.

Many professional cycling teams train in Tenerife and I can see why. With the epic climbs carving into steep hillsides and cliffs, a volcano for backdrop (often with snow on the top in the winter) and beautiful beaches to relax on, you need to go check it out! It seems cycling is more popular in the winter when it’s not so hot and less touristy.

We rented bikes, kit and were supported on our ride up Teide by Eduard from Club Active. Here's my Facebook Live from Mount Teide.

2. Rock Climbing: Cathedral Spire, Teide

After cycling up Mount Teide, we met Nestor from Teno Activo. His spirit of adventure, sense of fun and ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude, made us feel like we were in good hands. The climb, which consisted of five pitches up and three abseils down, was challenging enough to keep it interesting, but enjoyable. I like a challenge, but I also didn’t want to be freaking out and scared the whole time. It was perfect! Definitely a good one if you are a beginner but have a head for heights.

Sophie Radcliffe Challenge Sophie Mount Teide Tenerife

3. Kayaking: Los Gigantes

Tenerife kayaking Adventures, Sophie Radcliffe, One Life, Live It

I love being on, near, or in, the water, especially when it’s the warm, deep blue Atlantic Ocean! We headed out towards Los Gigantes on kayaks to explore these famous towering cliffs at sunset. I probably spent as much time in the water as I did paddling around in my kayak or jumping off rocks. Hosted by Teno Activo, on the way back, they offered us a selection of cold drinks. It was ear-to-ear smiles as we watched the sun drop below the horizon, drinking a beer with our new friends.

Tenerife Teno Active Adventures, Sophie Radcliffe, One Life, Live It

4. Hiking: Anaga Rural Park

Tenerife hiking anaga Adventures, Sophie Radcliffe, One Life, Live It

The North of the island feels like a different part of the world from the South. The cooler temperatures and lush, green Anaga forest was a stark contrast to the dry and arid Teide national Park. We spent the morning hiking seven miles through the forest with Ricardo from Anaga Experience. Eager to share his vast local knowledge with us, we chatted the whole way. The clouds created a mysterious, ethereal atmosphere with Mount Teide ever-present on the horizon. We hiked to the Northern tip of Tenerife before dropping down to sea-level and catching a boat ride back to the car.

There is so much to explore and experience in Tenerife – I really did barely scratch the surface, but this is what I love, as it’s a reason to go back!

These are the moments I live for! Stoked to share my film from Tenerife with you, hope you like it :)

Tenerife Faves

Unique Black beaches
Cycling – definitely have to come back and probably in the winter when it’s not so hot!
Trail running – the trail network is fantastic. You can just go and explore as they are well sign posted. We ran in the totally deserted (and boiling hot) mountain trails around Las Vegas and up Montana Roja (Red Mountain)
Friendly and welcoming people

Tenerife rock climbing Adventures, Sophie Radcliffe, One Life, Live It

Next Challenge:

An idea has been conceived to climb Mount Teide in winter when it is snow covered and paraglide back down. Apparently it’s achievable from sea to summit in one day. Who’s in?