La Palma

The National Park Boiler of Taburiente this formed by a volcanic boiler of 8 km of diameter with throw off balance go in between 430 and 2.426 m, what produces phenomena erosivos of big intensity and an exceptional microclimate. The boiler possesses a maximum geological interest, being place of study from the s. XIX for specialists of all the world. In her they are born more than 70 manantiales and galleries with phenomena of big beauty like the waterfalls of the Desfondada of 150 m. Or of the Hoyo of the Juncos that resupply of water to all the island.

The park receives more than 350.000 annual visitors. There is a zone of camped, with previous permission, for 100 daily people in the zone of The Brecitos (2 maximum nights in high season, 6 the rest). For groups organised there is a Camp-Classroom of Nature in the zone of The Cumbrecita. The Centre of Visitors is instrumented with all the means: room of exhibitions, room of projections, audio-videoteca, library etc. The park has of a network of until 10 footpaths signposted, with oriels etc. that allow to know walking his more stood out appearances.
 
This route this compound by three very differentiated fragments:

 1. The Brecitos - Zone of Camped (Length: of 1,5 to 2 hours and length: 5,6 km.)
 2. Zone of Camped - Hoyo Green (Length: 2,5 hours and length: 3,3 km gone.)
 3. Ravine of the Anxieties (Length: 4 hours and length: 7,9 km.)

From the Flat of Aridane goes out a narrow road asphalted that goes up a bit between the last houses of the city to give sight to the enormous tajo of the Ravine of the Anxieties, by which now descends without reference in search of the river Taburiente, fruit of the contributions hídricos of the nacientes that emerge in The Boiler.

Before arriving at the end, in the Lomo of the Horses, exists a caseta of information of the National Park in the exact place in which it finishes the comfort of the road and the asphalt return earth. The track transitable in tourism continues the descent until the bottom of the ravine and arrive like this to the explanada where is recommended to leave the car and hire the service of taxi 4x4.

After vadear the river, during 12 kilometres the 4x4 traces back again the ravine by terrain of the Natural Park and drives us in roughly 40 minutes until the oriel of The Brecitos (1.010 m.), end of the access to vehicles that's that of game of this excursion.

It is worth it to appreciate with the necessary calm the stupendous panorama of The Boiler in a visual scanning of almost 270º in which we can contemplate the whole of the crestería from Somada Alta (1.926 m.) Until the Beak Bejenado (1.854 m.), in front of us. The perspectives remain completed with the set off for the sea of the Ravine of the Anxieties, natural drain of The Boiler. If the day has a good visibility will not be difficult to appreciate the emergent silhouette of the island of The Iron in the fall of the right slope of the Bejenado.

In The Brecitos exists an informative poster with map of the zone and near of this the metallic lathe that serves of start to the only footpath that adentra in The Boiler. Some metallic sticks numbered allow to realise this footpath like senda autoguiada.

We arrive to the first ravine, one of the a lot of that cross in the route; it is the Ravine of the Ciempiés and in addition to a beautiful waterfall will be necessary to happen some wooden bridges to solve the step of the ravine and penetrate, a bit more advance in the limits of the National Park.

The Lomo of Tenerra, to the that arrive in 25 minutes from the oriel, is a flat to the foot of the profile sawed of The Agujeritos on which assent the two only private homes built in the interior of the Park (are devoted to the agriculture).

Continuing by the footpath, that looks for softly the bottom of The Boiler, see us forced to surround a descomunal round stone colonised by several species of bejeques in a ravine of leafy vegetation of sauces (Ravine of Traves, to some 40 minutes from The Brecitos) and that will become an usual element of the landscape in the second part of the route. In fact in hardly five minutes arrive to the ravine known like the Ravine of the Stones Rounded where abound the trainings of lava of spherical forms and of diverse sizes.

From here the footpath stresses the inclination of his descent until the zone that occupies the Ravine of the Bombs of Water, but before giving with this place expects us one of the most significant points of the route, the oriel of Tagasas with stupendous seen on the show of The Boiler and the wayward trainings called roques, between which distinguishes with ease (looking down to the left) the silhouette dactilar of the most famous of all: the Roque Idafe.

Also we will arrive to the Ravine of Smooth Bluff, that descuelga of the wall of the same name and to whose gone out the footpath sees immersed in a sensacional pinewood adult with copies that arrive to exceed the three metres of perimeter.

The Ravine of the Bombs of Water is the last of the ravines that will cross before ending at the bottom of the Boiler in the point where confluyen the way that carries to Hoyo Green, The Cumbrecita and the one who comes of The Brecitos.

The way that goes up to the Hoyo Green llanea in the márgen right of the brook of Taburiente, but rapidamente topamos with the first series of empinados zig-zags; they are those that save the desnivel necessary to arrive to the part where assent the more fotogénico of the roques, the Roque of the Huso, with the Roques Wild, Brevera Macha and Idafe to his back. The footpath softens the rise and goes through a loma very narrow conditioned with wooden rails from where has a good perspective of the confluencia of the Ravines of Vegetables of Alfonso and Singings of Turugumay with the Beach of Taburiente (Valley Ajeró). We restart the rise with seen to the Ravine of The Fondada and confine us again in a good pinewood until arriving to the edge of the ravine, where installs the oriel of the Waterfall of The Fondada or Desfondada characterised by a slight discharge of water and the almost permanent presence of the arch iris in the base of this jump of water of more than one hundred metres. To the right, on the Roque of the Fondada, that challenges with osadía to the gravity, finds the best perspective of the show.

The place deserves a rest in addition to by the beauty of the panoramic, by the tiring rise that finish to face. Already spares, direct us leftwards of the oriel where some natural stairs in the rock places us in one of the most unstable stretches of the route. It treats of the state in that it remained the senda after the fall of a tree in the 96 that dragged after if almost thirty metres of senda. Although you win them to aim to the empty are irreprimibles, have to expect until surpassing the step of this zone. At the end of the same, in the base of Seven Sources, can contemplate in addition to this spectacular desprendimiento an inmejorable perspective of the Roque of the Vineyard (left) and of the Ravine of the Singings of Turugumay (right).

The way meanders in the hardest part of the excursion through the glorious pinewood of Seven Sources obviando the both that will find during the ascensión and that carry to zones quite dangerous. In the highest part of the route (1.385 m.), leaving to our left the Ravine of the Bombs of Water, the senda directs clearly by one vetoes desprovista of vegetation and in traced almost horizontal eastwards by terrain where is necessary to walk with precaución until seeing the Ravine of Hoyo Green and Vegetables of Hoyo Green. From this point and without obstacles that prevent it, contemplates a panoramic almost total and very opened of all the walls of the Boiler.

In front of us The Cumbrecita under the Tip of the Roques (2.087 m.).

Only it subtracts to go down until the gélidas pozas of the Nacientes of Hoyo Green (1.360 m.), to the feet of the highest point of the island, the Roque of the Boys (2.426 m.).

We undo the way that have realised until finding us again with the discharge of the river of Taburiente. It will be necessary to cross it and cross a dense vegetation of bank in which they predominate the sauces to access to the explanada enabled and properly conditioned like Zone of Camped in the known like Beach of Taburiente (750 m.).

The Zone of Camped (750 m.), where has built a Centre of Services of the Park of lovely architectural design and with a loable harmony paisajística goes to serve us to initiate the trek that little by little but without pause goes us to go taking out of The Boiler through the most spectacular of the ravines that visit it, the one of Almendro Bitter and his continuation in The Anxieties.

We leave the Centre of Services to the right and the Ravine of the brook of Taburiente, following the indications of “exit” (tonic during all the route) until moving just across a small lomita and change of stage. In front of us the deep Ravine of the Almendro Bitter and the Somada of the Stick, from where enjoy the best panoramic of the Natural Monument of the Roque Idafe. On the contrary of what thought , the Roques do not have a volcanic origin but they are fruit of the accumulation of pertinent materials of avalanchas, as they do not present diques and have a very heterogeneous composition. The form dactilar of the Roque Idafe is the most wayward of those that adopt the roques of the Boiler.

We continue the trek until losing momentáneamente the vision of the roque and arrive a bifurcation where presents us the option to continue by the normal way or take a shortcut that does not save big thing and has a traced more exposed and with an easy step in rock. Both options join immediately in the zone called The Lajitas of the Wind. From here the way softens quite (end of the Reventón) and arrive to the crossing of the Ravines Almendro Bitter and Rivancero (there is a cross that in reality is an altar erigido to celebrate the first mass in the interior of the Boiler, and a poster of the limit of the Park in wood a poquito more advance). In this point is necessary to be attentive if we want to go to the Waterfall of Colours. When arriving to the mulch grisáceo of the river it is necessary to abandon the footpath and without doubting it, trace back the course retreating until giving with the crossing of discharges of both ravines. The one of the left descends of an estruendosa cracked and the one of the right drop with orange colour (composition ferruginosa). We trace back the Rivancero or Rivanceras (the one of the orange waters) until arriving to the Waterfall of Colours. The last step in rock for which is necessary to use feet and hands is something committed but without big difficulty. Not arriving after the two of the afternoon if we want to have the sun in the vertical of the jump of waters and contemplate in all his splendour the range of coloridos that adopts the waterfall because of the moss that the tapiza partly and to the chemical composition of the waters.

Of turn to the point where initiate the detour until the waterfall continue ahead by the mulch of the river ten minutes until observing a tomadero of water and a channel that have to sortear by the right. We are in the Tomadero Two Waters, place where join the ravine by which goes down the brook of Taburiente and the one of the Almendro Bitter. Fruit of this confluencia is born the Ravine of the Anxieties, by which continue our steps. From now it suffices with following the footpath that discurre alternating stretches by the mulch of the river with small detours of the course to go back always to him and abandon the Ravine of the Anxieties walking by the course until arriving to the height of a track of earth that vadea the river and that will take leftwards to give with the parking of the taxis 4x4 (215 m.). In the last stretch of the route abound the geological elements such like rocks of greenish colour, of underwater origin, that can be of several types; the easiest to recognise are the lavas padded, that asemejan to a panal of bees, and another class are the green conglomerates of the type brechas or pudingas, pertinent of chimeneas volcanic. Some clear references by which will happen are a house beside a hydraulic work, the step under a bridge of stone in shape of arch and a manantial of water potable to the receive of a group of sauces in an uprising pronounced of the way to the brook. A bit before arriving to the zone of lavas padded crosses the Ravine of the Friar.

Altitudes: The Brecitos (1.080), Beach of Taburiente (720) , Hoyo Green (1.300), Ravine of the Anxieties (260)

It possesses this way a geological constant very determinate. His geological training is recent, around the 200.000 years, with 7 historical volcanos. This has configured different panoramic of distinct zones of this Old Summit, to one and another of his sides - East and West - with his own singularity.

Likewise it has given place to a skilled vegetation, apart from the pinewood, appears the amagante, the crespa, some species of bejeques, the tajinaste blue and others.

Splitting of a height of 1.450 metres will go going up to near of the 2.000.

It begins this route in the Shelter of Pilar (that it is between the New Summit and Old Summit), splitting from the forest house that there there is, to the North; it is very visible. We go walking, describing a semicírculo North-West-South by the skirts of the Volcano Birigoyo. Soon we have an oriel that exposes us the Valley of The Step, with the Boiler of Taburiente at the end, the New Summit to his meeting, the Llanadas of The High Step. More near, the last prehistoric volcano, the Tacande. Already by the side West see The Flat of the Jable (material of lapilli-piroclastos).

Although the way flanquea the base of this Volcano Birigoyo, there is a footpath to go up this beak by his side Northeast and go down it in a southerly direction going through another Volcano joined to the previous called The Barquita.

We arrive to a short forest track that go up to the East. South of the Macizo of the Birigoyo-The Barquita, will go by the Flat of the Water to the South by the way that goes out very marked, that will be the predominant direction of all the route. To some two hours of exit will be between the Volcano Nambroque to the East, and the Hoyo Black west.

We go in to continuation to the group combined of the Volcano Duraznero and of The Wished, where will be near of the 2.000 metres of height. From the same divisa already splits of the route that begins to descend of height to the South; also landscapes to one and another side, seeing west the beaches of Port Naos and the tip formed, with gains to the sea, by the lavas poured by the quoted San Juan.  Near, in inferior height and southwest, the volcano  of The Puddles of the year 1.712; and in the same direction, but already more move# away and in height of the 900 metres, to the Volcano of Tajuya in Jedey of the year 1.585.

From this point, can comerzar the return by the same way by which have come.

Altitudes: Zone of re-create Pilar (1.480), Volcano Birigoyo, (1.800), Volcano of San Juan (1.780), Volcano of the Wished (1.900).

To access to the start of the footpath, from the road C-830, by the ravine of The Sauces, goes up, signposted, a track asphalted that it carries us to the place from which begin the course, before arriving to the offices of information, the track crosses to the ravine of the water.

In the footpath can distinguish three phases. The First, splitting of a height of some 450 metres, by the side South of the ravine of the Water, from the parking that there there is, happening immediately by a short tunnel. We go through some glorious forests of laurisilva.

To little more than half hour, in a place widened, more horizontal, by a footpath that turns eastwards, can go up in few minutes to an oriel that is on the Espigón Crossed, of the that divisa perfectly big part of the surroundings, exceeding the green sea of the glasses of the trees, as well as the immense walls that serve him of course and coat; it is necessary to have precaución since it possesses a big slope, narrow and to the edge of a precipicio, although it possesses barandas.

We go on down the track a half hour more. The Second part of the footpath, begins in this point, crossing a wooden bridge, on the quoted ravine, in a height of some 850 metres, will follow going up.

A third part, from the 1.100 metres roughly, will carry us to the Nacientes of Marcos and Lambs by the ravine of Lambs. Until here, some two hours. We will happen a second wooden bridge before going in in the ravine; to the another side see the continuation of the footpath.

Afterwards, shortly before a jump that cuts the go through the course, the footpath directs to the North and immediately west and descends to the ravine again in some 15 minutes more; in front, south, it continues going up and shortly after go on down some stairs of earth and turn to the ravine in some 8 minutes more; we go on down the ravine 3 or 4 minutes more, with marked footpath, and will see a footpath that goes up to the another side, North; soon we find a bifurcation: we take the footpath that follows rising in this direction.

In few metres will go down at the end of the ravine southwest, by which happens the footpath to the another side, and turning west see a footpath by which go up to the nacientes of Lambs in few minutes. This last part, since we take the second bridge, can do in some 45 minutes.

Once in the sources of Lambs can go down , going through a tunnel by where crosses the channel  to the sources of Marcos, in some 15 minutes more.

The return realiaza by the same way.

Altitudes: Centre of visitors (420), Birth of Lamb (1.780), Birth of Marcos (1.700).

This route, that goes up from the 2.000 m until the 2.426 m, frames inside the big footpath perimetral of the summits of the Park. It can visit in both senses indistinctly, although here we will describe it in upward sense.

In the road that goes up until the roque of the Boys from Santa Cruz., in the kilometre 22, splits the track of the Beak of The Snow and following it until the parking of the end will find the start of our footpath. Once in route, when arriving to the first crossing it is necessary to divert rightwards. The footpath of the left directs to the Hermitage of the Virgin of Pino.

Between twenty minutes and half hour is what takes in arriving to the edge of The Boiler. From there a natural oriel shows us these espigones that to way of lomos aristados divide the multiple ravines.

We arrive to the Beak of the Snow. Surely it owes his name to that it is the only that divisa nevado, from the capital of the island. In his peak sees an installation with solar plates, that is the repetidor of communications of the Park.

From there we happen first the Beak of the Cedar and afterwards the Lomo of Pablo, two small morretes before going up to the Beak Piedrallana that distinguishes very well for being of main height and have a vértice geodesic.

We go up a bit until the Beak Piedrallana. From here they appear nude areas of vegetation, oriented mainly north. From the Park posits that these areas are the ideal for some plants in danger of extinction as we will see more advance.

The beak of Piedrallana. From here it observes the statue known like Monument to the Infinite. It is a work of the artist César Manrique created for the inauguration of the Observatory Astrophysicist of the Roque of the Boys in 1985.

The espigón of Piedrallana separates the ravines of Altaguna and the Guanches. It has several roques as us adentramos in the Park. The first of them has been a reducto inalcanzable for the rabbits and the goats, by what conserves tajinastes blue, retamas of white flower and other little frequent species.

Between the Beak Piedrallana and the Beak de la Cruz, cross small morretes rocky. To the outside of the park to few metres of the summit an area of piroclastos (material launched to the air by the volcano) of alive yellow colours-reddish where finds the Source of Juan Diego.

To the Park, the zone known like the Three Veins serves of road to go down to the interior of The Boiler, with some abodes of shepherds of recent times.

Beside the Source of Juan Diego, adentra an espigón that finishes in an impressive cliff on the nacientes of the Vegetables of Alfonso. From the road takes a half hour in arriving, although it will be through the codesos, since there is not way.

Before the Beak de la Cruz, exists another descent to the interior of the park by the source and pinewoods of Mantigua. They are hanged pinewoods like two green stains in half of the cliffs, with trees of two different generations: some old of carry topped, and under them a repoblado natural of young pines almost coetáneos, that prosperó thanks to the elimination of the pastoreo in the years 50 and 60. These pinewoods observe very well from the oriel of French situated a bit more advance.

In the Beak de la Cruz there is a caseta of a repetidor. In the following descent, rightwards, franqueamos a fence that protects a repoblación of plants in danger of extinction realised with students of the schools of La Palma in 1997. Underneath of the same beside the road goes out a way in direction to Windward and to the Sauces. Here the way and road go very together until arriving to join a bit more advance.

When happening the Muzzle of the Onion there is a cave where can sleep 2 or 3 people. Of here it splits the ravine of the Devil that is another road of access to the low parts of The Boiler.

To the outside, under the road, a fenced zone of 6 has began to repoblar from 1993 with students of all La Palma, using exemplary of 14 autochthonous species. Violeta, alhelí and retamón already have downward, that little by little go recubriendo the area.

Again in course the way ends in the road. In this crossing goes out a track by the right in direction to Galicians and to some 200 m splits to Roque Faro a real way. A bit further down there is a raingauge where in December of 1991 collected 1.297 l/m2 in so only 3 or 4 days followed of rain, more than the double of what rains to the year in the Mediterranean zones.

We continue our itinerary by the road leftwards (west) some 100 m, until arriving to the oriel of French, start of The Andenes. After the oriel, visit the slope of the Park by some picones reddish-violáceos crossed by two diques. The first seems a wall built by the man with an abertura in shape of V known like the wall of Roberto (euphemism of the Devil). The second dique, of main thickness, sustenta diverse cedars and some tenuous recorded in rock of the time prehispánico. An espigón adentra finishing in a mogote of reddish colour. A bit underneath it appears the high part of the ravine of the Coffin, where the wall extraploma in a fall of more than 500 m.

After topping the highest point, happen to the slope of the ravine of the Singings of Turugumay, to the cual no knows him any possibility of descent. When beginning to go up to the end of the Andenes, another beautiful dique raises rajando the surroundings. To the foot of the footpath opens a small volcanic tube. Shortly after we happen near of the oriel of The Andenes that from the road is to five minutes.

The way follows going up in direction to the observatory astrophysicist. We happen the vértice of New Source. It seems incredible that sources like this, situated almost in the summit, hold all the summer without drying .

From this zone also observes underneath, the residence, some heliports of the time of the inauguration (1985) and a group of similar metallic structures to colmenas that know like the project HEGRA of detection of cosmic rays of high energy.

We go down the collado that separates the ravine of the Grajas of the ravine of the Singings, by a codesar dense that clears when going going up to the Roque and when going changing the exhibition of the slope.

In the Roque of the Boys, full stop of the route, find us a parking-oriel empedrado and the caseta of information of the Park.

The return realises by the same footpath.
 
Altitudes: Roque of the Boys (2.420), Beak of the Snows (2.240).

It treats of a route not circulating that discurre in his final stretch by the GR-131. In elgunos stretches the terrain is sandy arriving to hamper the travesía.

We go out from The Burned in the kilometre 3,3 of the road LP-128. In a big Curve goes out a track of earth. A poster indicates Volacán of Teneguía. This track corresponds to the SL-112.

A bit more far, the track confuses with the GR-131 that goes down from the slopes of the Saint volcano Antonio.

We are still in the same track 1,8 Km. Until finding us with the white and red signal of bifurcation to the right. We follow the signals until the volcano teneguía, to the cual can approximate us.

From the Volcano, recommend not following the GR-131, but retorceder on our steps until where the track crosses with the Channel. To the right, it goes out another track that low straight to the south. We take it, to 300 m. We find us again with the GR-131 until the road there is not any difficulty.

They exist footpaths signposted that cut the curves of the road. Some stretches of these footpaths are very empinados and even has stairs. We follow descending until the faro of Fuencaliente.

The return realises by the same footpath.

Altitudes: Volcano Teneguía (438), Volcano of Saint Antonio (660), Faro of Fuentecaliente (30).