he strange little hills in El Médano are the result of geological formations of fossilized tree roots or rhizomes.
When one sees these earthforms for the first time, the brain spins. We are talking about seismite mounds or seismically formed mounds, called sismitas in Spanish. The mounds are usually small, with a height of only a few centimetres to a few metres, but can reach heights of tens of metres undisturbed by man, weather and wind. So there are crazy hills in El Médano.
The municipality of Granadilla de Abona, in southern Tenerife, has natural landscapes and nooks of great geological value, which in terms of biodiversity, makes the area one of the richest on the island. Formations of great importance can be found in many places in the area. Both scientific, cultural and natural importance at national and global level, they have been the subject of study for years.
Location
In the vicinity of Montaña Roja, there is a curious concentration of fossilised remains resembling sand tubes, which originated after the largest earthquake called the El Médano earthquakes.
A stone’s throw from Playa La Tejita is the Reserva Natural Especial de Montaña Roja. We follow the hiking trail that heads towards Montaña Roja and, just before reaching the mountain itself, we leave the path on the right to take a diversion to the left. The destination is about 200 metres away, towards the coast, practically at the end of the beach that lies a little further on. That’s where the crazy hills in El Médano can be found.
NASA
There you can see the geological formations with a strange morphology. They are a tubular sandstone structures emerging from the ground and although they are not really noticeable, they are quite remarkable once you catch sight of them.
There are several theories about the formation of seismic mounds. Some consider them to be the remnants of earthquakes that occurred in the past, others claim they are fossilised tree roots or rhizomes, created like nests by worms during their incessant digging in the sand.
It is said that even NASA researchers have visited the site to study it, as identifying structures like earthquakes could help in the search for water on other planets. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that the seismic spectacle, apart from its scientific importance, has an undisputed photographic appeal.
Two possible causes
Luis González Vallejo, professor of geological engineering at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), explained in 2011 that the earthquakes at El Médano were caused by a single large earthquake originating in an underwater fault, between 3,000 and 10,000 years ago, which compressed the moist terrain and allowed water to escape in the form of sand volcanoes.
The professor says these formations are unique in the world because of their exceptional state of conservation. Nevertheless, many of these sand volcanoes were destroyed by the extraction of sand and soil for the construction of the TF-1 highway in the 1970s.
On the other hand, CSIC geologist, Joan Martí, explained that the mounds of fossilised remains are actually worm nests, formed by so-called rhizocretions (pedodiagenetic mineral accumulations around plant roots) and that worms around them expel the sand to make their nesting pathways and nesting habitat.
Photography
Whatever it may be, from a photographic point of view, this is an interesting subject to capture on camera. Once the seismic hunger is satisfied, we can move on to landscapes and the Red Mountain as a central feature. Take advantage of its proximity to the sea and the beach to take pictures with long shutter speeds or take your first steps in sports photography to shoot the surfers, at least if you have a telephoto lens.
More trivia [HERE]
Unknown © Photography
Strange hills in El Médano ©
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