The paradise of trekking
Practising trekking, riding a bicycle, diving or just lying down on the black
sands of a remote creek, constitute some of the 1001 possibilities that La
Palma offers for the enjoyment of nature.
Where do you think it is
possible to feel the wind whistling at the highest
parts of the island and, shortly after, to have
a swim in the sea? Where can you walk or ride
a bicycle along subtropical forests, sunny pinewoods
or volcanic cones covered with flowers? It is
really amazing the contemplation of the evocative
moon landscapes at the south of the island, where
the brimstone smell reminds us of the original
power and strength of the bowels of the earth.
But what indeed will delight the
lovers of nature is the neat signposting of its
network of trails. They lead to everywhere, since
they constituted the only way of communication
not a long time ago. Most of these paved paths
date from the time of the pre-Hispanic inhabitants
of the island, the benaoharitas or auaritas, who
lead their cattle along these paths from the winter
pastures at the coast, to the summer pastures at
the heights of La Palma .
Nevertheless, all this belongs to
the past. Nowadays, La Palma possesses a good road
network, so that the old paths are only used by
forest rangers, goatherds and by those tourists
who practise trekking.
The Insular Council has undertaken
the signposting of more than 1000 kilometres,
following the international rules. This signposting
includes not only the long routes, such as
the Crestería or the Ruta de los Volcanes,
which follow the ridge of La Caldera and La
Cumbre, or the coastal path, which goes along
the edge of the island, but also the smallest
paths, so that the walker can start long or
short walks without fear of getting lost.
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