If you‘ve been following me for a while you know that I started mountain hiking on La Gomera. I fell in love with this small Canary island right away, with its wild, untamed nature and its mighty barrancos. The steep canyons lead from the island‘s volcanic center all the way down to the Atlantic Ocean. Reminding me of one of my favorites on Mallorca – the Torrent de Pareis.

Most hikes start with an ascent to the summit, the mountaintop being considered the highlight. From time to time, though, I fancy reverse hikes. Going down first and then all the way back up. Like the trail around Tossal Verds leading through the Torrent d’Almadrá to the refugi and returning to the water reservoirs between the highest mountains of the Tramuntana.

I fled the winter for a few days to the eternal spring of the Canarys. But if you start in La Gomera‘s Parque Nacional de Garajonay the temperature there might well be ten degrees lower than down by the sea. Within just a few kilometers you descend one thousand meters or more. From the lush green cloud forest to the dry sunny coast – it almost feels like diving into those deep ravines. 

Narrow paths guide you along giant rock walls and you need to watch every step. Prickly pears, agaves and palm trees grow along your way. You pass tiny hamlets, old water canals, fruitful banana groves and deserted vinyards. But for me what‘s most fascinating is the feeling of being one with nature and its elements. An abandon that feels like pure happiness. As if I had my head in the clouds, just like the Alto de Garajonay most of the time.