La Gomera



Port of San Sebastián

San Sebastián is the capital of La Gomera, a small town with the port as the main gateway for tourism coming in by ferries from Tenerife.

San Sebastian Port


Calle Real

From the square in front of the church De la Asunción.

Calle de Ruiz de Padrón

Quite a few of the charming old houses in the old town are abandoned and waiting for repair.
Calle Real Calle ???


San Sebastián

The town occupies the valley floor with newer houses on the slopes.

Torre del Conde

An old fortification built in the 15th century.
San Sebastian Torre del Conde


Fires

A memorial to the devastating forest fires in 2012.

Water

One of several reservoirs, the Presa de la Encandadora near Vallehermoso.
Memorial Presa la Encandadora


Vegetation

Although the island is rather dry, by Canarian standards it is remarkably green: Agaves, palms, and, higher up, pine trees.

Roque de Agando

This rock (1250 m) was the target of a dayhike from Playa Santiago up a barranco to the middle of La Gomera.
Upper Barranco de Santiago Roque de Agando


Taco

A village in the Barranco de Santiago with its palms and gardens.

Wheelbarrows

Two immobile hikers in Pastrana.
Barranco de Santiago Wheelbarrows


Roque de Agando

Behind the rock is our destination, the road to San Sebastián with a bus stop. What looks like a road on the mountain flank is in fact a water channel. Without water, most of the time.

Roque de Agando


Playa Abalos

A bay north from San Sebastián. Good for a swim, although getting in and out is tricky with waves pushing you around on slippery stones.

Road

Further up the coast, this road leads into a death end at Puntallana. The trail from which this was taken is even more adventurous.
Playa de Avalo Street


Playa del Águila

Here the road ends.

Ermita

...de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, the reason why the road exists in the first place.
Playa de Aguila Ermita de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe


Panorama

A view across mountains on the northeastern part of La Gomera with Tenerife in the background.

Panorama


Geology

Although La Gomera is of volcanic origin like all of the Canarian Islands, there is not a trace of recent volcanism to explore.

Volcanic ash layer Stone


Garajonay

A simple walk on a road took us to the highest point of La Gomera at 1487 m.

Garajonay summit Garajonay summit


From Garajonay

You just have to defeat the Passat-clouds for catching this view. El Teide tries to look through the clouds.

From Garajonay


Wall

A good trail cuts through the vertical walls of the Barranco de Guarimiar.

Barranco

From the rim of Barranco de Santiago near Targa, with Roque de Agando in the background.
Trail Barranco


Chipude

Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria.

Sunset

The sun quit while we were waiting for our bus.
Chipude church Chipude sunset


Rock

Roque el Cano towers above Vallehermoso, a settlement in the northeast of La Gomera.

Vallehermoso

The view from the town's center square in the evening sun.
Roque el Cano Vallehermoso


Ferry

A ferryboat from La Palma on its way to Tenerife.

Coast

The view goes along the north coast to Tenerife.
Ferry Coast


Plant

Euphorbia canariensis, endemic on the Canarian Islands, with San Sebastián in the background.

Gardens

Palm trees on a valley floor inmidst of garden-like fields.
Cactus Palms


Trails

Signposts on a pass not far from San Sebastián. The island hosts a dense network of good hiking trails.

Playa de la Guancha

This bight is half a dayhike from the capital. The beach is covered with stones.
Signpost Play de Guancha


Iglesia de la Asunción

A catholic church in the center of San Sebastián.

Playa Santiago

A settlement in the south, close to the airport.
San Sebastian church Playa de Santiago


San Sebastián

Another view of both beach and port of San Sebastián, this time in the evening.

San Sebastian port


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