Walking in El Hierro
£12.00
48 long and short walks and 4 car tours
by Noel Rochford
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A guidebook to walking on La Palma and El Hierro in the Canary Islands, featuring 48 of the best long and short day walks. We show trekking routes of varying difficulty throughout both islands, all of which are mapped in detail.
Hike around volcanic craters and the immense Caldera de Taburiente, trek the Los Tilos laurel forest and make the effort to get to El Hierro – the least-visited of the Canary Islands. Some walks incorporate sections of the GR131.
This guide also includes 4 car tours, touring maps covering each island, plans of Santa Cruz de la Palma and Valverde and free downloadable GPS tracks.
When to go: The best months for hiking on La Palma and El Hierro are October to June.
Note: Taburiente is not a volcanic crater in the usual sense of the word, created by erosion. All this may change depending on the eruptions in Sept/Oct 2021!
Print book: £14.99 / PDF book £12.00
Purchase the complete book as a downloadable PDF using the button below:
This new 8th edition of our guidebook to walking in La Palma and El Hierro has been completely redesigned in a wider format – with larger type and no mapping lost in the gutter.
Revised on the ground just a few months before publication, the guide also has several new hikes and all new topo walking maps with contours at 25m intervals. Based on OpenStreetMap mapping, the maps now show waypoints, and free downloadable GPS tracks are available for all the walks.
Colour coding on the contents page enables you to see at a glance the grading of various treks.
El Hierro, the least-visited of all the Canaries, at first appears to be a dried-up, sprawling mountain of rock, rising straight from the sea, treeless and barren. But Noel reveals the island’s hidden charms — as remarkable as any in the archipelago.
In natural beauty, La Palma rivals all the other Canary Islands put together. Its immense, abyss-like crater, the Caldera de Taburiente, is considered to be the largest of its kind in the world. Outside the crater, high on the cloud-catching hillsides, 20 million-year-old laurel forests grow as dense as a jungle.
In the southern half of the island, hills pitted with volcanic craters and mini-deserts of black lapilli speak of the island’s volcanic past.
Whether you tour El Hierro or La Palma by car or discover them on foot, Noel introduces you to the islands’ best beauty spots.
An excellent book… The size, the balance between text and images and facts and maps … makes it perfect for getting out and about. (GCH, Amazon)
Good guide for walkers. We were able to follow the walks on El Hierro and adapt them to our needs. (Shiela, Amazon)
The book proved a really useful (no, essential) addition to our holiday and made a good holiday really special. (HOH, Shrewsbury)
On El Hierro, which only has one bus each day, you’ll need a hire car and here the author recommends staying in Tigaday. On La Palma the author recommends Santa Cruz or Los Llanos for atmosphere and easy access to walks by public transport. But if you have a car, you can take your choice of the island’s resorts.
4 car tours, 48 long and short walks, 23 picnic suggestions
168 pages; 2 touring maps; plans of Santa Cruz de la Palma and Valverde; large-scale (1:50,000) topo maps
8th ed, Feb 2020; ISBN 978-1-85691-530-4; UK retail price £14.99 / USA retail price $20.00
Table of contents:
Preface 5
Acknowledgements; Recommended reading;
Useful websites 6
Getting about 7
Picnicking 8
Picnic suggestions on La Palma 9
Picnic suggestions on El Hierro 10
Touring 11
LA PALMA’S VERDANT NORTH AND THE ISLAND’S SUMMITS (Tour 1) 13
Santa Cruz • Los Sauces • Barlovento • Garafía •
Roque de los Muchachos • Santa Cruz
VOLCANIC SPLENDOURS IN THE SOUTH OF LA PALMA (Tour 2) 19
Santa Cruz • Los Canarios (Fuencaliente) • El Paso
- El Pilar • Santuario de las Nieves • Santa Cruz
CALDERA DE TABURIENTE (Tour 3) 24
Los Llanos • Caldera de Taburiente • Barranco de
las Angustias • Los Brecitos • Tazacorte •
Mirador El Time • (Puntagorda) • Los Llanos
EL HIERRO — HIGHLIGHTS (Tour 4) 26
Tigaday • Sabinosa • La Dehesa • (Faro de Orchilla) •
Cruz de los Reyes • Hoya del Morcillo • El Pinar •
Cala de Tacorón • Mirador de las Playas • Mirador
de Jinama • Mirador de la Peña • Mocanal • Pozo de
las Calcosas • Valverde • San Andrés • Tigaday
Walking (see explanation of grading symbols on page 33) 32
Grading, waymarking, maps, GPS 32
Where to stay 34
What to take 35
Weather 35
Dogs — and other nuisances 35
Country code 37
Advice for walkers 37
Spanish for walkers 38
Organisation of the walks 39
WALKS ON LA PALMA 40
1 From the Mirador La Tosca to Gallegos 42
2 Los Sauces • Mirador de las Barandas • Barlovento 45
3 Las Lomadas • Barranco del Agua • Los Tilos • Los Sauces 48
4 Two viewpoints from Los Tilos 52
5 Casa del Monte • Nacientes de Cordero • Nacientes de Marcos • Los Tilos 54
6 Casa del Monte • Nacientes de Cordero • Casa del Monte • Las Lomadas 59
7 Barranco de la Galga 63
8 Cubo de la Galga circuit 65
9 Puntallana springs 67
10 Puntallana, short and sassy 69
11 From Tenagua through the jungle to the lavaderos in the Barranco del Agua 71
12 LP4 (Pico de la Nieve turn-off) • Pico de la Nieve • La Cumbrecita • Ermita de la Virgen del Pino • National Park Visitors’ Centre 74
13 From La Cumbrecita to the Ermita de la Virgen del Pino and the National Park Visitors’ Centre 80
14 Lomo de los Mestres • La Pared Vieja • Refugio El Pilar • National Park Visitors’ Centre 83
15 Lomo de los Mestres • La Pared Vieja • Cumbre Nueva • Camino de la Faya • Mazo 87
16 Los Canarios (Fuencaliente) • Volcán de San Antonio • Volcán de Teneguía • Faro de Fuencaliente 90
17 Ruta de los Volcanes 95
18 Birigoyo, or Ruta de los Volcanes ‘lite’ 101
19 Pico Bejenado 102
20 Caldera de Taburiente from Los Brecitos 104
21 Barranco de las Angustias and the Cascada de Colores 110
22 From the Mirador El Time to Puerto de Tazacorte 112
23 Tijarafe • Poris de Candelaria (the ‘Pirates’ Cove’) • Tijarafe 114
24 From Tijarafe to Tinizara 117
25 El Fayal • Las Tricias • Cuevas de Buracas • Las Tricias 121
26 Garafía • El Palmar • Juan Adalid • El Palmar • Garafía 125
WALKS ON EL HIERRO 132
27 From the Pista al Derrabado to Sabinosa 130
28 Sabinosa • Mirador de Bascos • El Sabinar • Ermita de los Reyes • Sabinosa 132
29 Coastal walk at Arenas Blancas 135
30 Frontera • Mirador de Jinama • Ermita Virgen de la Peña • Mirador de la Peña 137
31 Frontera • Mirador de Jinama • San Andrés 140
32 Circuit from the Fuente de la Llanía 143
33 From San Andrés to the Arbol Garoé 145
34 Fuente de la Llanía • Mirador de las Playas • La Torre • San Andrés 148
35 Fuente de la Llanía • Mirador de Isora • Parador 152
Some plants you may see on these islands 150, 151
Bus timetables, flights and ferries 155
Index 159
Fold-out touring maps inside back cover
(with plans of Santa Cruz de La Palma and Valverde)
This index contains geographical entries only; for other entries, see
Contents, page 3. Bold type indicates a photograph; italic type indicates
a map. Both may be in addition to a text reference on the same page.
‘TT’ refers to transport timetables.
LA PALMA
Barlovento 9, 10, 13, 16, 42, 45, 46, 47, 121, 125, 127, TT 155, 156
Laguna de Barlovento 10, 13, 16, 46, 47, 48
Barranco de La Galga 14, 63, 64, 64-5, 66
Barranco de las Angustias 10, 24-5, 103, 105, 106-7, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113
Barranco de Ribanseras del Castro 106-7, 108, 109, 111
Barranco del Agua 14, 15, 45, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56-7, 59, 71, 73
Barranco Río Almedro Amargo 106-7, 108, 111
Breña Alta see San Pedro
Caldera de Taburiente 5, 10, 12, 18, 22, 24, 25, 54, 74, 86, 100, 101, 102, 104, 106-7, 109, 111, 112, 125
Casa del Monte 54, 56-7, 59, 60-1
Cascada de Colores 106-7, 109, 110, 111, 111
Cráter del Duraznero 97, 98
Cruce del Refugio 78, 88-9, 109, 110
Cumbre Nueva 23, 75, 77, 78, 79, 82, 83, 86, 87, 88-9
Cumbre Vieja 76, 77, 95
Dos Aguas 104, 105, 106-7, 109, 110
El Fayal 10, 24, 25, 121, 123
El Palmar 125, 126, 127
El Paso 19, 22, 76, 77, 80, 86, 96, 102, 106-7
National Park Visitors’ Centre 19, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 82, 85
El Rodeo 102, 103
Ermita de la Virgen del Pino 22, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 82
Fuencaliente 2, 19, 20, 21, 34, 90, 91, 92, 97, 99, TT 155, 156
Faro de Fuencaliente 2, 20, 21, 90, 91, 92, 92, 93, 94, TT 155
Franceses 16, 17, 18, TT 155, 156
Gallegos 16, 42, 43, 47, 127, TT 155, 156
Garafía 13, 18, 125, 126, 127, TT 155, 156
Hoyo de Mazo 19
Juan Adalid 125, 127
La Cumbrecita 19, 22, 36, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 102, 103, 106-7
La Galga 13, 56-7, 60-1, 63, 64, 65, 66, TT 155
Cubo de La Galga 64, 65, 66
La Palmita 42, 43
La Pared Vieja 9, 19, 23, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88-9, 95
La Tosca 9, 16, 42, 43, 44, 136
Las Indias 19, 20, 21, 90, 91, 92, 93, 97
Las Lomadas 14, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 54, 56-7, 59, 60-1, 62
Las Tricias 18, 121, 122-3, 123, 124, TT 155, 156
Llano del Jable 10, 23, 78, 79, 84-5, 86, 95, 96
Lomo de los Mestres 75, 79, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88-9
Los Brecitos 24, 25, 103, 104, 106-7, 109, 111
Los Canarios see Fuencaliente
Los Llanos 22, 23, 24, 25, 34, 96, 102, 106-7, 112, 114, 117, 121, TT 155, 156
Los Sauces 13, 15, 45, 47, 48, 51, 56-7, 60-1, 62, 68, TT 155
Los Tilos 9, 13, 14, 40-1, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56-7, 58, 59, 62, 64, 104
Mazo 19, 20, 38, 87, 88-9, TT 156
Mirador de las Barandas 45, 47, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56-7, 60-1,
Mirador de las Indias 21, 92, 97
Mirador El Time 24, 25, 112, 113
Mirador Espigón Atravesado 52, 58, 56-7, 60-1
Mirador La Cumbrecita 75, 82
Mirador La Tosca 9, 16, 42, 43, 44
Morro de la Era 19, 109, 110, 111
Nacientes de Cordero y Marcos 54, 55, 56-7, 58-9, 60-1, 62
Observatorio Astrofísico 13, 16-7, 18
Parque Cultural La Zarza 13
Pico Bejenado 22, 102, 103, 103, 106-7
Pico Birigoyo 95, 100, 101
Pico de la Nieve 18, 71, 74, 75, 76, 77, 82, 102
Piscinas de la Fajana 16, 17
Playa de los Cancajos 19, 34
Playa de Taburiente 76, 103, 106-7, 110
Playa de Zamora 21
Poris de Candelaria (‘Pirates’ Cove’) 114, 115, 116, 116
Puerto de Tazacorte 25, 112-3, 113, TT 155
Puntagorda 10, 18, 24, 25, 117, 121, 123, TT 155, 156
Puntallana 8-9, 13, 23, 67, 67, 68, 69, 70, 70, 71, 72, 73, TT 155
Refugio El Pilar 9, 19, 23, 78, 79, 83, 85, 86, 95, 96, 101
Refugio Punta de los Roques 74, 75, 76, 77
Reventón Pass 77, 78, 79, 79, 82
Río Taburiente 106-7, 108, 109, 110, 111
Roque de los Muchachos 13, 16, 18, 76
Roque de Teneguía 21, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94
Ruta de los Volcanes 5, 33, 83, 95, 96, 97, 98-9, 100, 101
San Antonio 13, 17, 19, 20, 90, 93, 114
San Isidro 9, 23, 84, 87, 88
San Pedro (Breña Alta) 23, 84
Santa Cruz 7, 10, 13, 14-5, 19, 23, 34, 156, 158
town plan with touring map
Santuario de Las Nieves 19, 23
Somada del Palo 65, 66, 106-7, 108, 154
Tajuya 22
Tazacorte 24, 25, TT 155
Tenagua 71, 72
Tigalate 20
Tijarafe 25, 114, 116, 117, 119, TT 155
Tinizara 25, 117, 118-9, 120, TT 155
Volcán de San Antonio 90, 93
Volcán de Teneguía 20, 21, 90-1, 92, 93, 94
Volcán Deseada 95, 97, 98
Volcán Martín 5, 97, 98-9
EL HIERRO
Arbol Santo (El Garoë) 31, 128-9, 145, 146-7, 147
Arenas Blancas 27, 135, 136, 136
Bailadero de las Brujas 143, 144
Cala de Tacorón 11, 26, 29, 30
Cruz de los Reyes 26, 29
El Golfo 10, 27, 28, 30, 130-1, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 141, 144, TT 157
El Pinar 11, 26, 29, 30, 148, 149, TT 157
El Sabinar 1, 28, 132, 134
Ermita de la Caridad 138
Ermita de la Virgen de los Reyes 11, 17, 26, 29, 132-3, 134, 142, 143, 148, 152
Ermita Virgen de la Peña 10, 26, 137, 138, 139
Faro de Orchilla 26, 28
Frontera 10, 11, 26, 27, 29, 34, 137, 138, 140-1, TT 157, 158
Fuente de la Llanía 10, 11, 143, 144, 148-9, 151, 152-3
Fuente del Lomo 143, 144
Guarazoca 10, 30, 138, 139, 142, 147
Guinea, Eco-museum 29
Hoya de Fileba 143, 144
Hoya del Morcillo 11, 26, 29, 30, 144, 148
Isora 31, 148-9, 151, 152-3, TT 157
La Dehesa 26, 28, 131, 132, 133, 134
La Restinga 11, 29, 30, 34
La Torre 148, 151
Las Casas (El Pinar) 29, 149
Las Playas 148-9, 152-3, 153
Las Puntas 26, 134, 137, 140, TT 157
Meseta de Nisdafe 138, 140-1, 145
Mirador de Bascos 132, 133, 134
Mirador de Isora 31, 152-3, 153, TT 157
Mirador de Jinama 10, 26, 30, 137, 138, 140-1, 141, 142
Mirador de la Llanía 29, 143, 144, 144, 148-9
Mirador de la Peña 10, 26, 137, 138, 139
Mirador de las Playas 11, 30, 148-9, 150, 152-3
Mocanal 26, 31, 146
Montaña Bermeja 151
Pista al Derrabado 130-1
Playa del Verodal 11, 26, 27, 136
Pozo de la Salud 28, 114, 130-1, 134, 135, 136, TT 158
Pozo de las Calcosas 26, 31
Puerto de la Estaca 11, 31
Sabinosa 26, 27, 130-1, 131, 132, 133, 134, 137, TT 158
San Andrés 11, 15, 26, 30, 31, 68, 140-1, 142, 145, 146, 147, 148-9, 151, 152, TT 157
Taibique (El Pinar) 26, 29
Tamaduste 31
Tigaday 26, 27, 29, 31, 34, 130, 137, 138, 140
Timijiraque 11
Tiñor 31, 145, 146, TT 157
Valverde 7, 26, 28, 29, 31, 141, 142, 145, 146, TT 157, 158
town plan with touring map
LA PALMA AND EL HIERRO: See the La Palma Update page
GPS files for use with Landscapes of La Palma & El Hierro:
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