LA PALMA HOLIDAY 24 APRIL 2026

 25 APRIL 

A good flight marred only by bit of wait while we did our photos and fingerprints. Beautiful hotel good room and lovely food!

Saturday we booked a car for 6 days from Monday then walked into Santa Cruz took about an hour as went bit wrong. Wandered round, had coffee and cake, saw church got bus back. 

Went to pool side and had a short swim, not bad. pina colada helped!

Sunday 26 April

Cloudy with odd spot of rain, walked along promenade to end then back to coffee place. Sunnier in afternoon sat by pool reading, had another swim. 

                    Waterfall in hotel

Monday 27 April

Got our rental car today a tiny Kia Picanto, just as well given the size of the roads and being the steepest island in the world given its size of 48 km long and 28km wide. We set off to do a hike in the mountains, thick cloud and no views at 4000 ft up we abandoned the walk and drove to the other side of the island which is said to be the sunnier. Down to the coast and sat in hot sun, we then after a few missed slots found the new road that they have built since the volcano erruption 5 years ago. We drove over the middle of it was sad to realise how many homes were lost but only one life!

The weather here is typical of mountainous area, hoping we get to do some of the hikes we've planned without the cloud.

                                                                    MAP OF LA PALMA

                                                                        driving through middle of lava field

                                                                    Caldera de Taburiente

Tuesday 28 April

Finally we've managed a hike, set off at the start but sign said closed so we went to the end and did part of the Barranco de la Madera - all uphill then all downhill. So peaceful, pretty flowers, just perfect, warm but no sun, can't have everything in life!

Wednesday 29 April

Drove to south of island and had a 6 mile hike across lava fields and saw San Antonio and Teneguia vvolcanoes. Tough walking as all down then up. Interesting at the Visitor Centre to Volcan San Antonio.

Almost got to the Faro de Fuencaliente.

Thursday 30 April

Sunshine at last and up to 23oC. We drove the tortuous road up to Roque de los Muchachos, the highest point in La Palma, but got an hour up and then found the road was closed from 9am to 5pm! some parked up and we put boots on and just walked half an hour up the road with some good views but hours away from the top. crazy that there was no sign at the bottom! Back to the hotel and sunbathed and swam. 

                                            TENERIFE IN DISTANCE

    

                                ROY DRYING HIS SHIRT OUT

                                            Tenerife

    

Friday 1 May

We attempted to get a pass to go up the only asphalted road into the Caldera but all places already booked in car park, so we parked up just before the barrier and walked up said road for 4 km to La Cumbrecita which took us an hour and quarter. We then did walk to Mirador de los Roques but quite cloudy so couldn't see highest point at opposite side of caldera. Walk back down to car was not as bad as going up.

                        a wild turkey we think

Our last day we finally got to drive the whole way up to the highest point in La Palma, Roque de los Muchachos at 2426m thats 7959 feet! Thats one long wiggly road. We stopped just before the top to do a 5 mile trek first, which seemed just as hard even though Roy said it was not! We have most of tomorrow to relax as don't fly till

8.45. We spent the last day walking into Santa Cruz again for coffee the bus back and sat by the pool. Flight late after crazy business ant airport with photo fingerprint mess up. 

Back home at 4am Tuesday.