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La Gomera is one of the smaller Canary
Islands, with very diverse scenery. Like all of these islands, La Gomera is volcanic in
origin, with steep drops towards the sea from a relatively flat central plateau. The
island is high enough to carry a blanket of cloud at times, together with what our guide
euphemistically referred to as "the drizzles", hence the nebulous appearance of
the picture of a 2000 foot drop. |
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Fortaleza, pictured left, is quite
striking, and not surprisingly was the scene of a siege during the 15th century in the
battles between the Spanish conquerors and the local inhabitants. The central plateau of
La Gomera contains the Garajonay National Park, with unusual plants and trees, and there
is considerable opposition to plans for building an airport for the island - all rather
reminiscent of the debate about the road bridge to the isle of Skye. |
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There are many small villages scattered
across the island, and one of the most interesting is Chipude, where there is a small
chapel with a very peaceful atmosphere. The roads are narrow and tortuous so coaches
cannot reach the more remote parts of the island, which are accessed by bicycle or by the
increasingly ubiquitous four-wheel drive vehicles of far eastern origin - OK when not
driven by tourists! |
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The North side of La Gomera is greener
than the South, due to the prevailing northeast trade winds. These have been less
prevalent in the last two or three years, due to the El Nino effect, due to global warming
or due to random fluctuations in weather patterns depending on your point of view. Some of
the Northern forests are dying owing to the lack of ground moisture and invasion by
parasitic growths. |
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The main port of San Sebastian lies in
a relatively sheltered bay and the large ferries from the other islands can dock there. A
hydrofoil service runs to Valle Gran Rey on the West side of the island. The ferry from
Los Cristianos, Tenerife takes about 80 minutes and runs several times a day. While La
Gomera lacks the nightlife and cosmopolitan atmosphere of the larger canary Islands, it is
well worth a visit. |
