Hiking In La Palma's Breathtaking Valley "Las Angustias“

Imagine a journey where you traverse different seasons within an hour: Summer, Autumn and Spring, while you gain altitude. This is the remarkable experience we had while driving through the island of La Palma. On that evening our destination was the valley Las Angustias, where a gravel parking lot will be our pitch for the night, to take a unique hike the next morning.
After a refreshing shower under a 22 meter waterfall, we made our way to the other side of the island, crossing a long tunnel. The one hour ride was an adventure in itself as we went up and down at higher elevations. It's incredible how quickly La Palma's landscape can change from one season to another.

Our route took us along the LP3 highway and through the tunnel that led us to the village of El Paso. From there we headed towards Los Llanos and finally reached a very narrow serpentine road. Time was pressing because the sun was already setting and we still had to drive down this narrow, winding road into the Baranco de las Angustias. Unfortunately, night fell earlier than expected and we had to drive down in the dark, with other vehicles passing on the narrow road.
Eventually we reached the gorge and parked at a gravel parking lot. Although it was dark, we could glimpse the imposing rock walls and forested mountains on either side. After such an eventful day, we were exhausted and our plan was to get up early for our hike.

We decided not to set up our rooftop tent in the parking lot to avoid possible problems with the authorities.

The next morning we woke up and brewed a needed coffee to start the day. While enjoying the coffee we were surprised by the breathtaking surroundings, which the sunlight just started to cast everything in golden light.

Before heading out, we brushed our teeth and splashed cold water on our faces to wash away the fatigue of the previous day. Freshly invigorated, we set off on an unforgettable adventure.

The hike mainly followed a riverbed that had more or less water depending on the season. Actually, we wanted to reach the Cascada los Colores in the national park, which normally takes about three hours. However, since we could not take our dog Lotta into the national park, we started from the lower point, an unusual choice for hikers who normally take a cab to higher starting points.

In the riverbed we had to find our own way by following the course of the river, sometimes on the right bank, sometimes on the left, depending on the water level. After about 25 minutes, a sign showed us the way out of the riverbed and up to the left high above the stream. After nine minutes we reached the riverbed again and continued hiking on the opposite bank. Lotta was so excited about the hike and happy that she could run around freely most of the time, since so early just few hikers were on the way. Full of energy and with joy she jumped up the rocks and ran over and through the river stream.

As the hike continued, they wanted to lead us to switch from the stream bed to the right side of the barranco several times. The last 30-40 minutes before reaching "Dos Aguas" we just continued the creek bed. After about 2.5 hours of hiking we reached "Dos Aguas", where two rivers met and marked the entrance to the Caldera de Taburiente National Park.

From "Dos Aguas" it was about 45 minutes to the waterfall "Los Colores", which we skipped. Instead, we enjoyed our breakfast in a picturesque clearing on the edge of the riverbed. We had also packed food and water for Lotta, what she has eaten everything and then she wanted more from us… ;-)))

The way back is normally a little faster, but it took us about two hours, with frequent breaks to counteract Lotta's fatigue. Because she became quite slow, having expended a lot of her energy on the way there.

At one point, even I had to take off my shoes and air out my socks after stepping into the water. In total, we covered over 10 kilometers on this hike.

Our hike through the gorge, created by nature over thousands of years, was a truly extraordinary experience. We left with unforgettable memories and breathtaking photos that we will cherish.

If you are planning a visit to La Palma, don't miss this hike, but it requires surefootedness and physical fitness. Hiking in a stream bed is more challenging than on normal trails, and the way back can be exhausting in strong sunlight. It is advisable to leave early and keep an eye on the weather forecast. This hike can be dangerous if it rains, so plan accordingly to have a safe and enjoyable experience.

After the hike, we had a second breakfast and headed back up the Baranco to the town of Los LLanos. There we bought some food and drove towards El Paso where we found a wonderful wild campsite in the pine forest at the foot of the Baranco's de Tenisque. There we enjoyed the last rays of sun and looked forward to next day, where we wanted to visit a real volcano.

We rounded up the day with a little planning for the next days and a having a good dinner. It’s always a breathtaking experience to be guest in nature’s living room instead of spending time inside the house in front of the television.

In this sense,

Let us enjoy the nature as much as we can, with leaving nothing else than footprints.

Love,

Katy

Pics by Daniell Bohnhof

Teyt by Katrin Bohnhof