LA PALMA (E)  INFO & DIARY  1

 GENERAL INFO (Jump to Diary)

La Palma is part of the Canaries, and has an area of 708.32 square kilometres, making it the fifth largest of the eight main Canary Islands. The total population is around 85,000. Its highest mountain is the Roque de los Muchachos, at 2,426 metres, being second among the peaks of the Canaries after the Teide massif on Tenerife. I is the youngest of the islands, and here was a large eruption in 2022.
At the time of European colonization, the Canary Islands were inhabited by native Canarians, referred to collectively as Guanches, although the natives of La Palma are more correctly known as Auaritas.
La Palma is characterized by two main climate types: the warm/hot summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb/Csa), characterized by dry summers and humid winters, is prevalent in the northern coast and in the mid to high altitudes of the island. At lower altitudes, particularly at the south and southwest coasts, the climate becomes semi-arid (Köppen: BSh). Average temperatures at the coast vary from 18 °C in January and February to 24 °C in August and September. For a Canary island, the weather is quite cloudy, as La Palma is far more exposed to marine air systems than easterly islands, caused by the Canary Current. As altitude increases moving inland, the climate becomes cooler and more humid, which provides conditions for laurisilva cloud forests.
La Palma has abundant plant life, including several endemic species. Although large areas have been deforested, the upland areas of La Palma retain much of the evergreen laurel forest, where species of Lauraceae, such as Laurus azorica, Persea indica, and Ocotea foetens are a characteristic component.
The native fauna is limited: La Palma giant lizard; Gallotia auaritae named "Bluebeard" and the Canary Gecko; Hemidactylus turcicus, which might not be native after all. The

My travel bag is slightly bigger on this tour. I will need proper shoos for walks in the rough volcanic nature, and I bring flip-flops in the bag. I figured; the long dark evenings calls for a 11" computer, to deal with the diary and daily photos. The rest can easily be stored in one pocket of my pans, as usually.

DIARY
15/10 2025. Day 1. Realising I won’t miss out much – if anything - in Denmark this autumn, I head for the cosy climate around the Canary Islands. This is not really planned as one of the usual explore expeditions, it is more a cosy winter-escape, with a few nice sights and lots of sun, to fill the days.

A short stop in Madrid and another on Tenerife, does make the arrival a bit late. Madrid airport is waste, and the bus-drive in-between terminals, is a real long detour. Luckily, I have the time, and get a appreciated but expensive snack along the way. Then it turns out Binter Airways actually manages to serve food on the 2;40 hour flight.
I am a bit stress, as we are approaching Tenerife, as we land exactly the same time my next flight is scheduled to leave. Luckily, I get saved by the time-zone, and even get time for a cup of coffee.

Then I reach La Palma, get a brand new VW Taigo, and head out on an eerie drive cross the island. It is pitch dark, and I hardly meet any other cars on the twisted mountains roads, with ridiculous low speed-limits.
I reach the camp at ten, just as I predicted a month ago. My real friendly host offers me bananas and mangos, straight from the plants, and I don’t get to go hungry to bed after all. Besides from a dog and some cats, I have the camp all to my self.

16. Day 2. It is a greyish morning, and only lightens at eight. I start the day with a cappuccino and some of the local small bananas. It is 20C and no wind, but no sun either. I still get to enjoy the view over the beach, way down - and the covered nurseries at the slope. The lovely garden is filled with huge cacti, palms and succulents, and my little hut have its own huge Dragenblood tree.

I start with a tour to the local Spar supermarket in Puerto Naos, before I head towards south and Volcán de San Antonio. Here at 1677 meters height, I have to pay €8 to get into the area, due to the museum, I guess. Here are a huge amount of writing and a few small photos of the area, outside the concrete walls. A cinema show a film with a lot of Spanish talking, and equal large amounts of English text.

In this tourist destination, I actually meet the only tourists; a small bus with around 20 Danes. Besides from them, I hardly meet any guests, except a few hikers from time to time. It is really a cosy and undisturbed island, which I have found. And so diverse at the same time, with deserts, fertile wilderness, beaches and mountains.

I find some trails in the area, and quite some interesting plants. The sun starts to penetrate the mist, but not that convincing. I end op in the little settlement with humble huts.

I head onwards, but stop along the main road, as the sun get to penetrate the mist. It is the right time to see the Giant Blue Lizards Gallotia galloti palmae. At first, I only see the striped youngsters, but then I manages to get fairly close to an adult and real blue male along with some adult female and teenager males.

Besides from the native succulents, here are quite some invasive and a bit unexpected; two ferns, doing fine in this harsh and dry environment.
One area is pretty young, and here, it is more the lava that seems interesting to me. Here are so many different types, and some are found in the greatest shapes. I figure; it will make the perfect souvenir for this rural island. But finding one, looking just right, take quite some time.

The road then crosses an viaduct, and I walk it to both sides. The surrounding plants and lava make it a great experience, but the sun is missing. The array of plants species seems to be quite limited on the island, except from those which I expect to be invasive. The cacti and agaves are doing great.

I find the old and real old light towers at the southern point, and at their foot: Salinas de Fuencaliente, the salt works. Some of the tiny square ponds are pink, most bright white. A bit further along the coat, a little bay is home to some fishermen. They have their dinghies in a long shelter.

Next sight is Playa Nueva with two lagoons and little else. Well, it is a new area, formed by the 2022 eruption, I guess. Same goes for Playa de Echentive, and I soon head on. I follow the coast for some time, and most of the beach area is covered in banana plantations, some open, some sheltered.

A bit up the hills, I stumble over Los Canaries; a cosy little town with several shops - a first. Most houses are the old colonial style, and I actually like the place. It is getting late, and I head homewards.

It is by the internal main road, leading through mist, pines and scatted settlement. The neglected LP210 might be the old main road, now leading to Mendo, and it leads way into the pines, and reach 1100 meters height. That offers some great views to the pine-covered lava and nature in general.

When I finally get home, the computer refuses to connect with the camera. I can't transfer the 277 photos and work with them, I can't send photos to Europcar with the scratches, I discovered this morning, in daylight.

Then I get to delete the diary I've been working on, all day. The internet is on/off all the time. Figures I getter get something to eat, but the kitchen door refuses to open. I try to find the souvenir-lava, bit it have vanished. I'm in a bad mood!

I share the sunset with two other old farts, and the view to the bright coloured sky and clouds is fantastic. Back home to re-write diary and order a SD-card reader - before I find the one I brought from home. Midnight occurs way too early, once more.

The highlights from Day 2.   The lot from Day 2 (Both open in a new window)

17. Day 3. It has been rained during the night, and it still drizzles in the early morning. I just start processing yesterdays photos, after the banana breakfast. At ten, I'm finish, the rain not so much. YR.no predicted 0,7mm for the day - we got that by now, and then some! Never the less; I head up the west coast, aiming for the most northern part of the island, although it might get more rain, as it is the fertile part.

The weather soon improves, although not that steady. If I got it right in metrology-class, the other side of the high mountains ought to be dry.
A short drive down to the coast, and then into the mountains. It is truly an amassing road, between pines, mountains, giant Euphorbias, gorges, small settlements and undisturbed nature.

The occasional fog and mist only add to the experience. It bring out some three centimetre black Portuguese millipedes; Ommatoiulus moreleti and a few snails. The lizards, on the other hand, sleep long, while the finches are busy, the predator birds enjoy a shower and the humans are more or less absent. Well, this coast have slightly more settlement than the south, but the nature make up for it.

At 500 meters, the fog get more president, but I still truly enjoy the drive. I leave the amassing LP1 to make a detour into a village; Las Tricias, to stock lunch, and then head on by smaller road: LP114. It is truly an adventure. Deep gorges, vertical mountain sides, sea views, unspoiled nature and total tranquillity.

Another stop at the old mill El Calvario. It have not been used since 1960, and sure look authentic. I then reach the little cosy town of Garafia, and admire the old colonial houses, the church and the giant dragon blood trees; Dragos Salvatierra, along with some big-footed trees, I ought to remember the name of. I pass the old Molino de Santo Domingo on the way back to the car.

I found a road which I just have to drive, reaching Juan Adalid. It is first through a green and serpentine tunnel. The mixed trees are not tall, but real dense. It leads out to a real dry coastal plane, mainly with invasive Opuntias, a few huts and a magnificent view to the ocean. I find fruits on a “public” fig-tree, and as expected; get tremendous sticky.

I see some of the Red-billed Chough, Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, but little else interesting. I skip the next site; Don Pedro, as I expect it to be similar - as well as the last planned site of the day: El Tablado.

First up to LP1, and pass the giant pine trees, then serpentining down to the little and apparently abandoned El Tablado. Here are quite some great looking houses and a great view to the sea. And while their avocado bushes are small, their dragonblood trees are huge. I do a big part of the settlement without meeting anyone, but finches and lizards.

I figure, I better head homewards, if I want to make it in daylight - and do a few stops. The GPS suggest some shortcuts, connecting LP1 from time to time, and I’m easy to lure.

I reach home at five, with a three hours of daylight to spare. Apparently, the daylight is from eight to eight. Dinner in the sun, overseeing the sea, way down.

Then I manages to transferee both photos and diary, and spend the evening, processing them. I have only made 200 photos today - I wonder, what a sunny day will do?

The forecast for tomorrow is lots of rain, all over the island. That was not my plan, and I will go chasing the sun.
The highlights from Day 3.   The lot of Day 3.

               Time to head on in Diary 2.