El Hierro

Along an ancient pilgrims’ path and past the little village of Tiñor, the tour leads along with views onto the sea to the replanting of the historic ‚Rain Tree Garoe’, which the legend says, saved the indigenous people from dying of thirst. After that the walk continues through bizarre trass landscape via Betenama to Mocanal.

On your way from Mocanal to Guarazoca this walk leads you to the fascinating stone structure of ‚César Manrique’. Swiftly followed by an area resembling the Scottish highlands around San Andrés and then an ever green descent down to the ‚orchard’ of the small village ‚Frontera’. Amongst other fruit, pineapples are grown here and are exported to the other islands.

After a short transfer the deserted south western part of the island. Visit an exposed  lookout, the ‚leaning’ juniper trees of Hierro and the treasured shrine of the island, a modest chapel, home of the miraculous statue of Mary ‚Virgen de los Reyes’. You reach full circle and the old shepherds’ path leads you back downhill.

A fascinating change in vegetation: Initially caught up in the Baumerika- and Gagelbaum forest and heading through a pine forest to the highest point of the island, before reentering the fragrant pine forest via pitch black ashfields along the Golf valley ridge. Visibility permitting you can make out La Palma on the distant horizon.

Across young lavafields the trail leads to the most significant diving haven and fishing habour of the island, La Restinga. It was here in 2011 where only five kilometres off shore the latest lava erutptions of the Canaries were documented. From here you can either return to Pinar or proceed to one of the most amazing beach spot of ‚Cala de Tacorón’ and then finally across ancient cultural areas walk back to El Pinar.

This walk offers spectacular views of the ragged cliffs of the East coast and the deep blue Atlantic Ocean. After leaving Taibique, then via Las Casas which will blow you away with its two impressive outposts with great views into the oldest part of the island complete with ancient shepherd’s trail. At the end of your walking holiday you will spend a night in the outstanding Parador-hotel, situated directly at the beach of Las Playas.