La Gomera Day 6
Le Cedro – Agulo
Hiking: 9.8 km Ascent: 272 m Descent: 859 m Max Elevation: 791 m
After paying off our debts at the reception. We took off towards Hermigua.
The cobblestone trail winds downwards in thight bends and over uncountable steps. At a small waterfall we refilled our water bottles. After a good hour the most difficult stretch was behind us and we reached the floor of the Barranco de Monteforte. The Las Rosas ( a huge reservoir ) was in front of us here the trail forks and we turned left to continue the descend to Hermigua. Las Rosas is surrounded by greenery where time seems to stop and the only sound you hear is the birds singing.
Walking through cultivated terraces the camino continued.
The remarkable twin peak mountain scenery called los Gemelos welcomed us to Hermingua. At the Molin de Gofio, a museum, we stopped for a coffee. Here you can see how the Gomerans lived, survived and worked. You’ll learn of the ancient Convent and Hermigua original settlement surrounding the river -with its exceptional landscape of palm groves, cornfields and small family houses.
In the old mill you can buy delicateness and local handicraft.
We walked down the village towards the Atlantic Ocean for another 2 km. While slowly descenting we stopped at a Spar in Santa Catalina. We both love buying food for the next days and shopping is always a welcome change.
On a left turn, right in front of the ocean, we stopped at the El Faro, a small fish restaurant. They had an amazing roof terrace, from where you could see over the banana plantation directly on the deep blue of the Atlantic. There were a few surfers enjoying the swell. We ordered Patatas with Mojo and Spaghetti Bolognese. What else would you order in a fish restaurant?
At the beach we followed the Calle Lepe, on the small street we made swift progress. The view was amazing. Huge waves were rolling in, and the spray from the waves was cooling us.
We bought a lot of water for the next day, so I had an extra 5 liter bottle on my backpack, which made the moderate ascents even harder. After one kilometer we reached Lepe. A small beautiful suburb from Agulo with a lot of banana palms and small little houses.
The road ended and we had to follow the small steps to Agulo. The sun made Agulo twinkle in the twilight.
This small village is known as the “green balcony” and is supposed to be the most beautiful village of La Gomera. The landscape is characterized by fertile terraces, harsh cliffs and a wonderful view towards the impressive Teide on the neighboring island Tenerife.
Agulo was historically one of the most thriving municipalities of the island. It was the first to have drinking water, electricity and a davit – a pier made of concrete, metal and wood that was used to export bananas and tomatoes. It has a vast network of trails, which connect the urban areas with the high areas.
Undoubtedly Agulo is one of the most scenic villages in all of the Canary Islands geography. It was a special pleasure to see this picturesque place. We walked right through the town center and passed the charming church of San Marcos with its white spires contrast with the red roofs of the houses.
Shortly after Agulo we reached a maritime cemetery, where we followed Ctra. Piedra Gorda. There is a small gap in the rail and a path is going down towards the beach. Between a few palm trees we found a spot for our tent.
It wasn’t ideal but a nice spot nevertheless. The sun slowly disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean. Leaving a red glowing sky behind.
