Mrs Usher says...
The walking on El Hierro was excellent, the paths are very well waymarked and generally in good condition. The local agent Ralf was excellent and looked ...
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El Hierro is the least known, and most westerly, of the Canary Islands. In fact, it was the most westerly point of the 'old world'. El Hierro has escaped mass tourism and with a population of just over 6500 it has a very different feel to the other Canarian islands. The Herrenos are fiercely proud of their island and are very welcoming towards visitors who come to appreciate the environment, such as walkers.
Like its neighbours, El Hierro was formed by volcanic activity along an offshoot of the mid-Atlantic ridge. There has not been an eruption on the island since the 18th century, but the cones of ash and old lava flows are a prominent feature of the island. The small central plateau, at 1000m or more, offers a mixture of volcanic scenery, pastures (cattle, sheep and goats provide fine cheeses), and the beautiful Canarian pine woodlands. To the north the lowland of El Golfo resembles a huge bite taken out of the island, and the impressive bordering escarpment, reaching 1500m in altitude, features in our walks. On the lower land of El Golfo vines, bananas and pineapples are grown. The islanders have preserved a number of local traditions and some of their sites are included in our routes. Overall, there is a surprisingly rich variety for such a small area!
The walking is designed to pass through the variety of landscapes on the island and to seek out the most spectacular views and a number of locations of cultural and historical significance to the islanders. No two days are the same. Your El Hierro experience begins in the small town of Valverde up on the plateau- the official capital of El Hierro. For early arrivals there are short walks locally to help you to get the feel of the island. From Valverde the route winds across the plateau, down to El Golfo and up again, then across to the far west of the island before heading back again across the plateau to descend and finish by the east coast.
You accommodation is a mix of simple and charming apartments and hostels, to 3 star hotels. All have restaurants either on site or very close by and so we have included half board for you on this holiday.
Walking on El Hierro generally requires a good level of fitness and stamina as the paths, although well waymarked, can often be rocky or loose underfoot. There are some very steep gradients on the paths which ascend/descend the escarpments, but the paths are so well engineered that they are free of exposed vertiginous sections.
On arrival in Valverde, we will transfer you to your hotel for your first evening on the island of El Hierro.
You stay at Hostal Casaña in Valverde, (evening meal).
From Valverde a circuitous route introduces you to the varied volcanic and pastoral landscapes of the plateau area and includes an ancient, abandoned village and the Arbol Santo – the sacred tree.
You stay at Hotel Villa El Mocanal in Moconal, (breakfast and evening meal).
Leaving Mocanal you first make for the Mirador and Ermita de la Pena, emerging onto the crest of the escarpment with the imposing panorama of El Golfo way below. You follow this crest up to 1200m to arrive at the Mirador of Jinama. From here an amazing safe path, superbly conceived, leads down the face of the escarpment to La Frontera.
You stay at Apartmentos Los Verodes in La Frontera (breakfast and evening meal).
You will be transferred to Sabinosa – the most western village of the ‘old world’. A stiff but exhilarating climb up the escarpment brings you to the very different landscapes of La Dehesa, a pastoral plateau open to the full Atlantic. The circuit of the plateau takes in the Mirador dos Bascos, the amazing, distorted trees of El Sabinar – one of which is the emblem of the island – and the Errmita de la Virgen, a site of great importance in island culture. If lucky, you might catch a farmer milking his sheep. The day ends with a descent of the same path to Sabinosa, where your transfer will be waiting.
You stay at Apartmentos Los Verodes in La Frontera (breakfast and evening meal).
Again, you will be transferred from La Frontera and taken to a path halfway up the escarpment. Once on the crest you follow this – easy walking – over Malpaso, the highest point of the island, with more superb views. The volcanic ash landscape gives way to the wonderful native pine forests, and then you head across pastoral country to El Pinar.
You stay at Apartamentos Caracol in El Pinar (breakfast and lunchl).
Today you head to the south coast harbour village of La Restinga, using ancient paths, returning by the same route. However, there are other options for the return – one is to take a taxi (not included) to the pleasant cove of Tacoron, have a swim in the Atlantic, and walk back to El Pinar, with little difference in walking time. You can also halve the walk by returning by bus from La Restinga – the choice is yours.
You stay at Apartamentos Caracol in El Pinar (breakfast and evening meal).
Leaving El Pinar, the route starts through pleasant rural scenery before emerging on the crest of the eastern escarpment, with dramatic views of the Las Playas coast – and your destination hotel – way below. After following the crest for a while, pass through the village of Isora before taking another magnificent path descending over 1000m to the coast below. Celebrate your completion of the walk with a swim in the hotel’s excellent pool, or by relaxing on the beach.
You stay at the Parador El Hierro in Las Playas (breakfast and evening meal).
Today you will depart your hotel after breakfast and we will transfer you back to Tenerife, for your onward journey. Enquire at time of booking for extra nights to extend your stay on this fascinating and beautiful island.
(Breakfast is provided).
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Centrally located on Calle San Francisco in Valverde, the capital of the island of El Hierro, Hostal Casañas is the oldest hotel establishment on the island. This simple but charming hostel has undergone several refurbishments that have made it an ideal place for overnight stays on the island. Your evening meal will also be provided here and the town of Valverde has everything you may need to prepare for your trip including banks, restaurants and shops.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
NEARBY:
Located on the southwest of the island in a quiet secluded location, these family run apartments have their own vineyard and are a fabulous base for your walking holiday. Each apartment has a bedroom, kitchen and outside terrace, with Wi-Fi throughout and everything you should need for your stay. They are simple and lovingly furnished with a rustic feel and in keeping with the sustainable practices of the island, the hot water is powered by solar energy.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
The walking on El Hierro was excellent, the paths are very well waymarked and generally in good condition. The local agent Ralf was excellent and looked after us very well. For future trips to El Hierro please note that the path normally taken from Jinama to El Frontera is closed due to a landslip, so Ralf collected us from there and drove further along the escarpment to the next path. Also, please note that when we arrived in Tenerife, there was no taxi arranged to take us to the ferrybport, although a phone call soon sorted that out. Also, although we were told we were staying in Los Verodes in El Frontera, we were actually booked into Apartments Alameda, so that caused some confusion. This may have been due to the changeover from New Experience to Headwater.
Wonderful location, amazing walks and landscapes, friendly helpful locals.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 7 night self-guided walking holiday includes:
Hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of and hotels
All breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 evening meals
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
Comprehensive route directions provided prior to departure
Luggage transfers between hotels
How to book:
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' or 'check availability' button below.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'check availability' button below.
We do not currently have departure dates and prices available on-line. The season may have ended for this tour, or we are still in the process of adding these details to our website. Please contact us for further details.
Solo travellers
Please call for details and prices
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Self-guided walking Managed locally by Headwater appointed agent.
Departures
Meals
All breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 evening meals
This holiday does not include any flights or rail.
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button above.
If you need further information before you book simply complete our Holiday Enquiry Form and a member of our sales team will get back to you.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'Check availability' button below.
