Outdoor and Walking Festival

La Palma is often described as a paradise for the walking enthusiast and it can hardly be denied with over 1000km of marked walking routes. In fact the whole island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

However, as you might imagine, it hasn't always been like this in that routes which were once well-used donkey tracks and paths criss-crossing the island had become overgrown and all but hidden. The past few years though have seen a tremendous amount of work on the walking trails of La Palma and there is now even an Outdoor and Walking Festival which is held annually in August.
Now in its fourth year, the event is really hotting up with more walks on offer and other attractions too. This year, the event is held on the 10th, 11th and 12th August and as before the central action will be in the Plaza de España in Santa Cruz de La Palma (temporarily named the Plaza del Senderista).

There you will find stalls selling walking related products (maps of La Palma, the GR131 and GR130 walking guide, Senderos de La Palma walking T-shirts, walking clothing and accessories, etc.). The walking clubs on the island will also be represented plus there will be La Palma wine and local cheese on offer and a children's section with rope slides.  At 9pm on the Saturday, there will be a concert with live music so all in all, it will be a fun event and definitely worth going along to.
If you would like to join in on any of the guided walks though, then you will need to put your name down in advance which can be done online via the website below.
There are eight long routes which include the North of the Island, the Volcano Route, the Caldera de Taburiente, the Rum Route (mmm, that's a new one which sounds rather interesting) and the Route of the Stars.
Then there are also eight short routes which include the Laurisilva Route, the Observatories and then in the evening, Walking under the Stars - simply a must for anyone with even a passing interest in astronomy and a great opportunity to enjoy the clear skies of La Palma.

 There are also two routes for those who are less mobile - the Laurisilva Route and the Llano de Las Brujas route.
And then finally a walking excursion between 'Lava and Wine.' I told you La Palma was fun!
You can check out the website here: http://www.walkingfestivallapalma.es/
If you are interested in trail running for the 2013 Transvulcania (ultramarathon at 83km or the half marathon at 26.8km), you can enrol here: http://transvulcania13.com/index.php/en/
And don't forget, for more La Palma news, you can sign up to our newsletter here: http://www.holiday-lapalma.com/newslettersignup.html

Pedal power

I have to confess that this blog post is not about walking the GR130 or even walking in fact. But it is to do with leaving the car at home and getting out and about on La Palma - but on a bike.
Ah, cycling on La Palma. Not always the most obvious thing to do on what many regard as being the most mountainous island in the world for its size. And in fact, in the past we have looked upon cyclists with some degree of pity as they huff and puff their way up some steep incline or another.
But each to their own and we have been very pleased (and hugely impressed) when people have actually cycled to us here in the north all the way from capital of Santa Cruz de La Palma 48km away and, even more bizarely, seemed to have enjoyed it!
What possessed us to get our Trek touring bikes intended for guest use out from the safe confines of the garage, I shall never know. But emerge they did. At first, it was a tentative cycle to the sports ground just half a kilometre away (downhill), a good few laps around it (flat) and then a cycle back (uphill). (Very uphill).

This was deemed to be a success in that we actually managed to return and, what's more, with and on the bike.
Next up was a trip into to Los Machines which can loosely be called the village of Franceses.

Los Machines, Franceses

Almost a kilometre away (downhill) this had the added benefit in raising a few smiles of the even fewer villagers - definitely of the bemused variety.  Well, it's nice to make people smile. And one old gentleman commented that he couldn't remember having seen bicyles in the village bfore - come on, let's hear it for Britain!!
The return journey (uphill) went off without a hitch although admittedly with something of an increase in blood pressure and at times in the lowest gear possible.
We were now ready for the next challenge (?). Unfortunately, the next logical step would be to set off in the opposite direction and make a complete circuit of Franceses, cycling up to the main road 1.5km away (uphill), along the main road 2 km and into Franceses by the old entrance with the wooden sign (downhill), through Los Castros to Los Machinos (almost flat) and then back to our starting point in Las Tierras (uphill).

Main road

Entrance road to village

In Los Machines, Franceses

I can't say I'm a hugely confident or experienced biker on anything other than more or less flat terrain and like most normal people, I don't exactly love very steep inclines or even very steep declines and so I didn't particularly expect to make the whole circuit actually using pedal power as opposed to pushing power, but I did.
Oh well, it can't have been that hard then after all.  Ah, how the memory fades ..

The farmyard goat was pleased to see me back anyway.  And, OK then, I was pretty pleased to see her too.

Walking Cuba de la Galga

To quote from information provided by Cubo de La Galga information point:

'This trail goes through one of the most fragile and valuable nature sites on La Palma.  It is a route that enables you to admire one of the best examples of laurel forest in the Canary Islands.'

It's a very long time since we walked the Cubo de La Galga, in fact, when the guide at the information cabin at the start of the walk asked if we had walked it before, we realised it was so long ago that he should consider us to be newbies.  Anyway, the information hut certainly wasn't there in those days and it's not usually a good idea to turn your nose up at free suggestions and advice when it comes to walking routes.

So, in addition to an interesting display in the cabin of what types of flora and fauna we could expect to see, the warden brought up a map on the computer and showed us the route.
Our choice then was whether to walk directly from the information hut that sits by the LP1 main road, drive in on the asphalt lane one kilometer or even drive a second kilometre on a rough track after the asphalt as we had the Land Rover. We opted for setting off on foot right from the start - after all, we had come to walk. Heroes, if only for a day (and it is only an 8km walk, although admittedly with a good bit of ascending and descending).

As it turned out, the asphalt lane was a very pretty start to the walk, although already starting to slope up fairly quickly. Being a hot day, we were grateful of the intermittent shade.
Walking further into El Cubo and following the now dry river bed, great cascades of creepers flowed down the sheer-sided canyon walls. Along the way, we noticed a cave or two up in the craggy wall - could it be this one where Jonathan Ross spent the night with Bear Grylls .. or that one just by a handy path .. we shall never know.

Whilst still on the asphalt track, we passed under the latest aquaduct, built in the 1960's when 2350m of gallery was dug to increase the water flow needed for increased levels of agriculture. This was done on an 'as needs' basis rather than as a commercial enterprise and the aquifer (underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock) was not damaged. In the 19th century, there were seven springs and even today, El Cubo provides La Galga with drinking water. Info courtesy of  information sheet at the cabin!

Where the rough track ended, I had thought the serious ascent would probably start, the warden having told us that there was as an ascent of 400m. However, the good news was that the ascent was quite gradual and with well-made steps along the way, we seemed to gain height without the usual associated pain. Amazing how that can happen when you keep walking in an upward direction!
Along the way we had the treat of mahogany trees (once called Canary Island ebony), Ironbark tree and the ebony. Plus of course, giant ferns.

As the path zigged and zagged us through the leafy forest, we came to a second aquaduct, this one much more attractive than the first being made of old stone. Passing through the archway was very much like walking into the secret garden. This was, to my mind, one of the loveliest and most tranquil parts of the whole walk and a great place to pause and take in the calm.

Just after this viaduct, we came to a T-junction in the path - either right for the Somada Alta viewpoint or left for La Galga. We chose the Somada Alta which was signposted as 1.9km away - and probably upward since it is a viewpoint at 800m above sea level.
However, the going wasn't tough and the path was well-made and with some impressive views into the gorge below.

The walk up to the view point took us 50 minutes, not walking too fast and pausing for quite a few photos. After an easier start with some steps and short, attractive slopes, the longish stretch (1km) of uphill forest trail took a bit of energy! However, once at the top the view was excellent over Puntallana, San Bartolo and even Tenerife and La Gomera in the distance.

I would say however, that it may not be the best place for a picnic on a hot day as there is no shade, unless you are willing to sit on the ground under a little wooden tunnel! Oh, and no seats anywhere either apart from some pretty hot paving slabs on the top of walls.
The walk down from the viewpoint took us along a little narrow path which soon came out into open farmland and rows of potatoes growing. Fifteen minutes later, we had to choose whether to head on down to La Galga or rejoin the Cubo. Without thinking about it too much, we followed the signpost to the Cubo, which would complete a circle and bring us back onto the rough track 2km from the visitor's centre where we had originally started. One thing we hadn't banked on was it being uphill again!

And another thing that we also hadn't completely realised is that anybody taking their car in for the first part of walk, might be disappointed to find that if they chose the route to La Galga rather than the Cubo de La Galga, they would have a 1km walk at the end of it to get their car!
All in all, a great walk and even better to finish off with a swim at the sea pools of La Fajana de Barlovento (28km marker from the main road). Having listened to so many birds as we walked through the woods, now we were swimming with multi-coloured fish. Oh well, all in a day's work I suppose. 
Degree of difficulty: Not a complete walk in the park. Bit of hiking involved.
Approx time: 4 hours
For more information on walking and trekking on La Palma, check out Walking on La Palma
Short You Tube video with bird song: http://youtu.be/NAe62Gnco2k

Luggage-transported walking holidays on La Palma

El Camino Real, La Ruta de la Costa, the GR130 or whichever name you like to give it, is the new way to go.  Yes, I can really see that his amazing and unforgettable, 8-day walk around La Palma will one day be the Mecca for any walker wanting a challenge and to immerse themselves in some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable.
Great then that all the work that was done in 2010 to clear the paths, put up new signs and generally give the whole route a massive make-over, has not been in vain.

Apart from the diehards who carry their huge rucksacks on their backs, a new trend is the luggage-transported holiday.  For anybody who doesn't know what this is, the idea is that your luggage is transported for you between accommodations and 'all' you have to do is the walking. When you arrive at your accommodation, your luggage is waiting for you.  The great thing is that you can pack all your creature comforts to have at hand after a long day's walk and you don't have to go the minimal route.
It has been said to me on a number of occasions however, that this is not really possible in La Palma due to the lack of suitable accommodation along the route.
Well, it might not always be easy to find but I am pleased to say that, in part also to a fabulous taxi company, our luggage-transported holidays are stepping out in style!