Transvulcania Ultramarathon La Palma

Monday, 11th May, 2013, Isla de La Palma. 

1684 Athletes

83.3km

The race is on.

Yes, with more participants than ever - and many turned away once the list was full, this was the fifth Transvulcania Ultramarathon. 

With one of the most grueling courses in the world following the route of the GR131 El Baston, this is no ordinary run. Normally an exacting trek taking three to four days with accumulated descents and ascents totaling 8525 metres, the winners complete the run less than 7 hours.

Starting at Fuencaliente Lighthouse at sea level, the course moves swiftly upward to Los Canarios and the volcano route, often running on sand, pine needles and volcanic scree. The views are magnificent, should they pause to bother with that. Passing through the pine forests of El Pilar and onto the isolated and magnificent ridge of the Caldera, the route ascends even further up to 2426 metres and the Roque de Muchachos, the Rock of the Young Men (and/or Women).

This is the uppermost part of the run and possibly a cause for celebration. except that from here on in, it's steeply downhill all the way to sea level, running on loose stones which cover narrow, twisting paths. Finally back down at sea level once more and the small port-side village of Tazacorte, the route of El Baston ends. But not the run. 

With a final and, dare I say, painful twist the Transvulcania demands that the runners make one more ascent. A steep and merciless concrete path takes on all-comers and finally allows the survivors to arrive at Los Llanos, the largest city on the island, and the cheering crowds.

The Transvulcania Salomon Nature Trails  this year was won by Kilian Jornet in the men's division with a time 6:54:09 hours and Emile Forsberg in 08.13 hours. 

For those for whom the 83.3km might be a little too much to tackle, there is also a half marathon (still grueling just less of it) and fun runs.

Apart from the total of over two and half thousand entrants of the Ultra and half-marathon for whom we have immense respect, appreciation also goes to the organisors, staff and volunteers.  

Next year, in addition to the 83.3km Ultramarathon, the 26.8 km half marathon and fun runs, there will also be a 42km marathon.  Looks like you'd better repare your destiny.
You can see a short video here as the athletes storm Roque de Muchachos.

El Pilar to Santa Cruz PR-LP18 (13.4km)

Still on the theme of walks that involve the capital of Santa Cruz - but not the GR130 Camino Real - our latest expedition was something quite different to the Santa Cruz to Las Nieves walk and definitely longer. Five hours of steady trekking downhill tends to sort out the men from the boys and those with dodgy knees! 

The walk starts at the Refugio El Pilar - a glorious campsite at 1400m above sea level. Of course, it's not on a bus route or anything as easy as that but taxis are well used to taking people up there. At 25€ it was a fair price and we also got to learn a few short cuts as the taxi wended its way out of the city and through the suburbs before hitting the long and winding road up to the Refugio. 

The Refugio is a lovely place - an old favourite - and we have camped there several times and enjoyed a good many bbq's with groups of friends too. But this time, we hit the road straight away, following the walking sign to Santa Cruz. Incidentally, it is also the GR131 El Baston, which follows the same route for the first few minutes. 

With quite a chilly start at this altitude, we set off at a brisk pace walking on a downhill slope which soon became much steeper. We had seen mountain bikes at the start and could hear their shouts - there was no way they could make this path though - it was now a series of steep zig-zags over very rough terrain. Yes, you guessed it, two minutes later the bikes started to pass us and I was too surprised to even take a photo!

Fifty minutes from the start we arrived at the very attractive recreation area of Pared Vieja. Although the road passes just by here, I have to admit to not having been there before. A first - and one of the longest picnic tables I have ever seen! A great spot to stop for breakfast though and maybe even call back one day for a BBQ.

Crossing the road onto the next section of walk, we quickly met the road again and this was repeated - path, cross road, path, cross road. Happily, the road is very quiet and attractive with hardly any traffic, so this was no hardship.
Three kilometres from El Pilar, the path split with Santa Cruz to the right on the PR18 and El Llanito on the PR18.2. The later would also get us to Santa Cruz and on what looked to be a more interesting route and so we hung a left and followed the El Llanito sign.
The pine forests now gave way to lush fields and country paths lined with short, stone walls. Reminiscent of Ireland, or so I'm told, and although I've never been to Ireland, I can fully image that's just how it looks.

Two hours 45 minutes and 6.3km from the start of the walk, we had arrived back in civilization - houses, yay! In fact, not just any civilization but the area of Brena Alta and the Route of the Crosses. 

Now began a fascinating trail, cross by cross, each one with its name and information about its history. Fifty minutes later, we were still wading our way through the crosses! 

Now we had reached San Pedro and whilst the route was not immediately obvious, we remembered having puzzled it out before because from here on in, we had joined the GR130 Camino Real. Plain sailing!
A little bit of walking at the side of the wide and important looking road (but in reality with very little traffic) and then we took a right down past the Maroparque zoo. Here, we paused for coffee and then got our teeth into the steep descent down to Santa Cruz.

The narrow, cobbled streets streamed downhill towards the capital past every colour and every style of house. Meanwhile, the road wound its way down the hill like a slithering snake with our route cutting through it at right angles like a hot knife through butter. How tempting it would be to actually catch the bus. which we seemed to magically be keeping up with. But no, this had to be done although by now our knees were starting to remind us that this had been quite a long descent.
But so very worth it.

Santuario de Las Nieves

As you may already know, our normal territory for walking is the north of La Palma and all things GR130 Camino Real on any part of the island. Oh and of course the GR131 which lurks some 2000m above us and which we are always promising ourselves to finish.  But at times, needs must and we just have to break out and enjoy a new walk out of our usual territory. New walk for us that is.
Santa Cruz is an area where we have done relatively little walking except for a five-hour circular walk from San Pedro, a 2-hour circular walk from Mazo and the GR130 (obviously) and so it was time to reach for the La Palma Rother Walking guide to see what suggestions we might find in there. Two walks immediately sprang out at us, a walk directly from Santa Cruz to the Santuario de Las Nieves and to the Mirador Concepcion - both short at around 2.5 hours each but could be combined. We chose the Las Nieves route.

Bearing in mind that the walking guide was over 12 years old and the city bypass that we would somehow have to get the other side of has been built since the book was written, this was going to be interesting. Nonetheless, this did not explain why the route description didn't seem to fit the walk and it wasn't very long before we began to realise that whilst we might be following the signs to the Santuario de Las Nieves and the instructions of 'helpful man,' we were definitely not on Mr. Rother's route.
But for those of you who don't want to get involved in the quandary, the route is easy enough if you follow the signs - just to note that because it is a circular route, there are obviously two directions in which it can be walked.
To begin the walk then (going in either direction), start at the Naval Museum (big boat by the Plaza de Alameda).

(photo taken a previous time)

It was after this that we immediately went wrong by crossing the bridge too early! However, it transpired that by walking it in this direction, not only was this the longer and more scenic route to Las Nieves covered in the first half leaving the shorter and less glamorous return route for later, but this is the way the signs indicate.
So ... having crossed the bridge 50m uphill from the Naval Museum to the other side of the barranco (river bed/ravine), we continued up the road with the barranco now on our left. In just two minutes, the first sign appeared which was by the corner of a house and which indicated Santuario de Las Nievas. This is where 'helpful man' keeps watch from his flat roof indicating where walkers should go. I can't of course completely guarantee he will be there when you walk the route but I feel there is a good chance.

The route from there wends uphill along stone steps and behind a staggered row of houses until five minutes later it arrives at the lovely Plaza de la Encarnacion with its benches and sturdy laurel trees all presided over by the parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación. This place of worship apparently was the first to be built in Santa Cruz de La Palma after the Spanish Conquest and the second on the entire island. If nothing else, it's probably worth a quick nip up to see it for its historical importance.
Leaving the plaza and church behind, we now set off directly from the plaza up a straight road lined with houses of every different type. Straight uphill roads are not my absolute favourite I have to admit but the houses proved interesting enough and after all, our goal of Las Nieves was only at 250m above sea level so this was just a gentle exercise rather than some madcap near vertical ascent such as on other walks.
Fifteen minutes later, we were treated to another church, or hermitage, the Ermito del Santo Cristo del Planto, founded in 1611.This was starting to turn into a 'route of the churches' which can often be the case on La Palma.

Two minutes after this church, the route takes a 90 degree right turn and onto a very pleasant wide and flat cobbled path. Time to look around - there's usually a goat down in the valley somewhere. Oh yes, we weren't disappointed.

Four minutes later, the route had done with the flat bit and we swung a 90 degree left as indicated by the sign and were heading directly uphill again. Ten minutes of walking uphill on a fairly gentle gradient, we were then thrown into a bit of a quandary when we came to a junction which offered the Santuario de las Nieves por carretera (by road) or the Camino del Dorador. Well, we didn't want to go by the road and so pondered on that idea that the Camino (path) del Dorador was probably some form of code word for Las Nieves. And in fairness, it seemed that Las Nieves hadn't been mentioned recently, only the Camino del Dorador.
But it wasn't the right way and after ten minutes we were back at the sign for Santuario de las Nieves (por carretera) and resigned to a potentially longish stretch by road. But in fact, it was only a few minutes until we came to a fairly major T-junction where we took a left and then as we rounded a bend, we could see the Santuario ahead of us.

I did wonder if this was going to be a long stretch of road where you walk and walk, never getting any nearer and Las Nieves would forever be an illusion on the hillside. This is after all the pilgrim's route and I've got a good imagination. But no, there were to be no heroics and in seven minutes we had closed right in on our goal. Interestingly (slightly), we were now at a junction where a new bypass was built about six or seven years ago because up to that point, the narrow road went right through the gap between Las Nieves church and the 'House of Pilgrims' which is opposite. An absolutely picturesque route but in reality completely impractical in terms of traffic.
However, for walkers heading up to Las Nieves, it is slightly unclear as there isn't a signpost, although there is a white over yellow blaze on the high stone wall which might suggest, and correctly so, that you turn left and walk uphill. Just two minutes later and a short cobbled path takes up to the Santuario de Las Nieves.

 Now that you have arrived, you can spend a very pleasant time looking around the church, the Casa de Romeros (House of Pilgrims), the gift shop and there is also a restaurant.
The outside of the church is not particularly awe-inspiring, apart perhaps from its large size, but it's the interior which is what most people come to see. And this is after all where the statue of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, the patron Saint of the La Palma, resides apart from once every five years when in a great procession she is brought down to Santa Cruz (The Bajada).

When it comes to the 'other' things to see and do at Las Nieves, I must admit we were slightly out of luck. The restaurant La Parilla Las Nieves was closed, it being a Thursday, but normally it is open 12.30 to 17.00hrs and then 19.00 to 23.30hrs. A return trip by car to test it out is called for!
The House of the Pilgrims was also undergoing restoration works which look as if they will continue for a month or two yet. But I'm sure that will be worth a visit when it is open again.

The souvenir shop is however open every day but you won't find anything such as traditional embroidery, cigars or even key rings with a plastic bunch of bananas. It's strictly all things religious and to do with Las Nieves. If that's what you are looking for, then you are in a very great deal of luck.
The return route along the PR-LP 2.2 begins just outside of the souvenir shop where a signpost indicates Barco de La Virgin 2.8 km away. The route at first is a slightly awkward downhill path over loose stones but after just a few minutes levels out and is a gentle amble back down to the capital. In fact, just after two minutes and you are on the flat passing an old building where goat's cheese is smoked. It's a smell that to me is quite iconic of La Palma!

After this, the route criss-crosses the stony barranco, all signed perfectly well and with little chance of going wrong or mis-interpreting the signs. Along the way, you can have fun spotting caves and a few old stone dwellings.

Thirty minutes after leaving Las Nieves, we arrived at a goat farm where the route goes right past the goat shed. We very much had the feeling that we had reached civilization - not that I have begun to mistake goats for people but more the fact that we were on a concrete road with a few houses about.

However, five minutes later we had reached the city bypass but still with 1.3km to go before reaching our start point. Wondering how we should best tackle crossing this major road, in fact it was very easy as the route takes you to the left and a slip road with zebra crossing and then a second slip road, again with zebra crossing. The traffic was so light that we didn't need cars to stop for us but at peak traffic times, I can imagine that more care is needed.

The route brought us down through the housing area of Benahoare and, on our right, the barranco with a few chickens and cockerels scratching a living. At the first bridge which crosses the barranco, there didn't seem to be any indication of where the route went, but we crossed it anyway and it turned out to correct. We also realised at this point that this was where Mr. Rother had intended us to walk. From here on in, it was downhill all the way until we reached the Naval Museum a few minutes later.
All in all, a lovely walk which is not too taxing and a good idea to combine it with lunch at the Restaurant Las Nieves. Just not on a Thursday.

Walking the GR131 El Bastón

At last, a chance to write about walking the GR131, El Bastón, one of the two long-distance trekking routes on La Palma. I will hasten to add straight away though that this is not about me taking on this megga-route but about Steve Hughes, an experienced long-distance trekker.

For those who are not familiar with the La Palma GR131 trekking route as opposed to the other long-distance trek of the GR130 Camino Real , let me just give you some background information.

 The GR131 route spans between Tazacorte at sea level in the west and the Fuencaliente lighthouse at sea level in the extreme south, a distance of roughly 70km. In between the two, it rises to the highest point of the island, the Roque de Muchachos, at 2426m above sea level in something like a walking stick shape, hence the name, El Bastón.

To add to the fun, for almost all of the three to four day route (apart from near the beginning and end) there is simply no habitation. That means no accommodation (apart from one refuge hut, the Punta de Los Roques) and nowhere to buy food or drink. And for even more added interest there is no guaranteed water on the 26km section between Roque de Muchachos and El Pilar which is at an average height of around 2000m above sea level.  And let's just say that the terrain for much of the route is, well, challenging.
So. You're tempted, huh?

But of course, this doesn't put some people off, far from it. Steve contacted us to see if we had any input regarding the walk and we had an exchange of ideas about the best way to tackle the route. Unfortunately ... (shame, shame) we still haven't completed the middle section of the GR131 route ourselves so I can hardly call us experts - although we have walked from El Pilar to Fuencaliente lighthouse and from Andenes to Tazacorte.  However, Steve has kindly sent us his notes from the walk along with some conclusions and some great photos (those within his text). So here you are - enjoy - and I think you will find the information on walking the GR131 and accommodation logistics extremely useful.
* We completed the GR131 in 2015, yay!
Saturday 8th Dec. – Arrived at La Palma airport from Tenerife late afternoon. Bus to SC de La Palma, staying at Pension La Cubana.

Sunday 9th Dec. – Bus to Fuencaliente in morning where I booked into Pension Los Volcanes. Left rucksack behind as I walked down to Faro (lighthouse) and back in afternoon to get my walking legs working again. 

Noted that the marked path took me West of Volcan de San Antonio whereas route marked on Kompass 232 map was to the East. Wandered around rim of Volcan Teneguia before getting down to lighthouse and beach. Rained steadily on way back as I found the ‘old’ path to the East of Volcan de San Antonio. This came out into the car park of the volcano visitor centre, passing signs which, on looking behind me, instructed me not to go this way!
Monday 10th Dec. – Headed North from Pension on steady upward slope. Path easy to follow. Weather dry but cloudy at times. Diverted from GR131 to cross Volcan de San Martin, summited Volcan de la Deseada, then diverted again onto minor path crossing Montana de los Charcos to reach Pico Birigoyo before descending to Refugio de El Pilar where I camped. No warden to be seen which was handy since I didn’t have a camping permit anyway.

 Tuesday 11th Dec. – Still no warden. Filled water bottles from taps saying it was non-potable, then added chlorine tablet just to be safe. Continued North in dry and warm but often misty weather. Path easy until Reventon, then fairly relentless upward climb across Pico Ovejas and Pico Corralejo until I arrived at Refugio Punta de los Roques where I met German guy. Down to 1 litre of water so refilled from ‘rain collection’ tank, but didn’t like the look of it as it had bits of paper floating about in it. Decided to carry it but only use it only if I really had too (after further filtering and chlorination).

 I continued North as German guy headed South. Quite slow progress around caldera. Had intended to reach Roque de los Muchachos, but light fading by the time I reached Pico de la Cruz, so pitched tent on flat area by summit, using marker post and rocks to secure tent as I couldn’t stick pegs far into the rocky ground.

Wednesday 12th Dec. – Ice on inside and outside of tent after cold night. Finished remaining litre of ‘clean’ water and still feeling thirsty, but resisted drinking stuff collected from Refugio Punta de los Roques. Lucky to enjoy glorious sunrise and see telescopes across caldera to the East. Mist creeps in as I walk so that visibility is down to several metres by the time I get to los Muchachos.

Still cold, but tap by visitor centre is not frozen, so I can flush away unwanted water and refill with nice fresh stuff. Had a good drink to rehydrate. Continued onward toward Tazacorte. The downhill walk was relatively easy, but slowed at times by the need to take care with foot placement. It was around 4.00pm when I reached the road at El Time and I had not made any sleeping arrangements yet. However, a Dutch couple I met on the way down had their car parked at El Time and offered me a lift to Los Llanos de Aridane, which I accepted. Stayed in Hotel Eden, who charged me just 25 Euros for an en-suite room with a bath (a welcome luxury).

Thursday 13th Dec. – Caught bus from Los Llanos to El Time to walk final part of route down steep slopes to Puerto de Tazacorte and then on to Tazacorte. Gloriously sunny day and I was able to leave my rucksack at Hotel Eden, so no load to carry.  Had I walked this part the previous day I wouldn’t have had this much pleasure.  Returned to Los Llanos to collect rucksack then caught bus back to Pension La Cubana in Santa Cruz.
Friday 14th Dec. – Morning flight back to Tenerife.      

Conclusions about the walk.
1.       Firstly, on a multi-day walk it is much easier to be precise about your start time than your finish time. Thus, where one is using public transport, it works well to start from a place visited by relatively few buses (such as Fuencaliente and Faro) to a place where there are plenty (such as Tazacorte and Los Llanos).
2.       Next, there is a lot more to see and do in Tazacorte and Los Llanos than Fuencaliente, so this is a better place to finish.
3.       Walking North and then West means that the sun is behind you most of the time rather than in your eyes.
4.       I would suggest that for someone carrying a heavy rucksack (like me) the slightly gentler slopes encountered by walking North from Fuencaliente are preferable to the more punishing slopes that rise out of Puerto Tazacorte.
 5.       The views walking the last few kilometres down into Tazacorte are far more spectacular than those walking down to Faro.
6.       Although it is practical to complete the walk in three days, doing the very end sections (Faro to Fuencaliente and El Time to Puerto Tazacorte) as separate short walks without the hefty rucksack greatly increases the enjoyment factor.
7.       Refugio El Pilar is a good place to camp, but take on plenty of water there before proceeding North as you might not fancy what water is available at Refugio Punta de los Roques and the next replenishment might not be until the following day.
8.       Whilst it may be possible to camp discreetly at Roque de los Muchachos, it clearly gets busy with tourists early. Thus, in retrospect, it was probably a good thing that I wild camped on the summit Pico de la Cruz instead. Had the weather turned unfriendly, there were plenty of rocks on the summit to provide shelter and the road was very close.

Hope this provides some useful ideas and advice for others considering doing the walk in one go.   Steve

Our sincere thanks to Steve for his work in compiling this information and allowing us to use it here. And of course congratulations on completing the GR131 El Bastón, La Palma.