Stage 6: Las Playas- Isora
Description
A Steep Climb up Las Playas
From Parador Nacional of El Hierro, the trail ascends along the right side of the ravine of Abra and across the National Monument Las Playas following a route that climbs the steep walls separating Bonanza beach from the beautiful village of Isora, where the following section of the trail ends.
Although the ascent seems barely possible seen from the bottom, the next stretch of the circular trail starts at Parador Nacional of El Hierro and climbs the steep wall which divides the beach of Bonanza and the village of Isora. Along a precipitous path that zigzags up the right side of the ravine of Abra, the trail goes across the Natural Monument of Las Playas.
The path is rough and steep but in very good condition. A first leg of the trail goes through a landscape dominated by vegetation communities that are typical of the basal level such as tabaiba (Euphorbia sp.), Canary Island sorrel (Rumex lunaria) and other shrubs, and then goes along the higher part of Las Playas, where cliff escarpments are crowned by pine groves. The pine groves of this protected natural area are part of the natural pine belt that remains in El Hierro.
After we have reached the top of the 800 m slope, we come to the viewpoint of Isora, a terrace over the eastern coast with excellent scenic views of the Natural Monument Las Playas and its renowned Roque de la Bonanza. The viewpoint is equipped with toilets and has a vehicle parking space.
From the path we reach, by an asphalt road, the village of Isora, which stretches out along its main street, overlooked by quaint whitewashed houses, courtyards, gardens and vines. Strolling through the center of the village, we reach plaza de La Union, where the parish church of San José is built on land donated by a parishioner of the village; the trail ends next to the church.
Profile
MIDE (Method for the Information of Excursions)
Harshness of natural environment- 1. The environment is not risk-free
- 2. There are more than one risk factors
- 3. There are various risk factors
- 4. There are quite a lot of risk factors
- 5. There are many risk factors
Guidance along the route- 1. Well defined trails and crossings
- 2. There is a clearly marked trail and signage
- 3. Requires the identification of geographic features and cardinal points
- 4. Requires off-path navigation
- 5. The trail is interrupted by obstacles that have to be gone around
Route difficulty- 1. Walking on a flat surface
- 2. Trails with different types of path
- 3. Walking on stepped paths or irregular terrain
- 4. The use of hands or jumping over the terrain is necessary
- 5. The use of hands is required to progress
Amount of effort needed- 1. Up to 1 hour of continuous walking
- 2. Between 1 and 3 hours of continuous walking
- 3. Between 3 and 6 hours of continuous walking
- 4. Between 6 and 10 hours of actual walking
- 5. More than 10 hours of continuous walking
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