The Volcano Route can possibly be described as the most spectacular and impressive trek, because of the dramatic volcanic landscapes and the incredible views of the two sides of La Palma from a range of 2000-metre-high mountains. The entire Cumbre Vieja (Old Peak) is an enormous volcano that has burst into life from time to time over the years. From the El Pilar Refuge to the Fuencaliente Lighthouse, an infinity of craters from different ages are scattered across a lunar landscape.
At 1440 m above sea level, our route starts from the El Pilar Refuge, from where we head south. The path gradually climbs, revealing the first scenes: the El Paso plain, Pico Bejenado (Bejenado Peak), La Caldera, La Cumbre Nueva (The New Summit), etc. After an hour, we reach the Hoyo Negro crater, formed by a conglomerate of ashes and cinders, which erupted in 1949. Las Deseadas (two old craters) represent the highest point on our trek; 1949 m. We are now above the clouds. The three neighbouring islands can be clearly seen on the horizon. To the west, a calm sea bathes the coast dotted with little villages. To the north, the enormous crater of La Caldera crowns the island.
After a gentle descent, we reach the Martin Volcano, which can be distinguished by its red tones contrasting with the green pine forests.
When we get to Fuencaliente, we will have spent over 6 hours hiking 19 km, and the route will have shown us how the inhabitants of the island used to have to carry their merchandise from the north to the south. In those days, the Volcano Route was the usual path that was tramped by merchants and country folk, who could enjoy these superb views in the course of their everyday work.
