2016 Hike La Palma, Caldera de Taburiente, Rothers nr 49

Left Santa Cruz de La Palma Marina at 0850 hrs 21/9/2016 and drove together with Annie and Tom from S/V Vela to the car park at the streambed of the Baranco de las Angustias 5 km from Los Llanos arriving there at around 1020 hrs. Had a bit of a navigational problem on the way - got a bit confused on the LP3 which resulted in us going back towards Santa Cruz via the long tunnel at one stage.

(Map below is from the ViewRanger App. - very handy maps for hiking)

 

We arrived at the car park (250 m) just in time to join another couple in a taxi to Los Brecitos (1030 m) 

- cost €17/ couple.

The taxi took up the steep winding mountain road arriving  Los Brecitos at 1043 hrs - well worth the cost as it saved us climbing the 780 m which would have added another 2 1/4 hrs to the hike.

(Map below is from the ViewRanger App. )

 

The graph below is taken from the Rother La Palma Walking Guide and shows the altitude profile of the hike 

 

Los Brecitos

 

 

 

 

The weather was superb and the views stunning for the entire hike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch break by the gravelly river bed

 

 

 

 

Along the track we visited an information centre which gave information about the volcanic events which had created La Palma and had a model of the Caldera de Taburiente 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The very colourful Cascada de Colores

 

 

 

One of the many crossings of the stream that meandered over the gravelly sometimes rock and boulder covered river floor

 

Some sort of water management construction possibly feeding the levadas

 

 

 

Levada

 

Our trail along the riverbed was blocked by this rock formation and we had to retrace our steps to find the path which climbed up the rocky cliffs to bypass it

 

Tired but happy we reach the end of the trail and reach our carpark - 6 1/2 hrs of unforgetable pleasure.