Walking on La Gomera and El Hierro. Paddy Dillon

Note Route uses Ruta 23, with an option to follow Ruta 24

      Los Roques represent the resistant innards of ancient volcanoes, forming a remarkable huddle of rocky domes. Walking southwards leads through the scenic and often dramatic Benchijigua valley. The route ends with an easy road walk to Playa de Santiago, with an option to climb and finish at Imada.

      Start at the foot of the Roque de Agando, over 1100m (3610ft), where it is worth climbing up and down the steps to take in a series of remarkable roadside viewpoints. The path leaving the road is signposted as Ruta 23 for Benchijigua and immediately enters the Reserva Natural Integral Benchijigua. Laurisilva quickly gives way to pines as the stone-paved path winds downhill. There are also agaves, tagasaste, almonds, prickly pears, cistus and all kinds of low-lying plants. Cross a concrete water channel and continue down a narrow path.

      Cross a stream and head gently up an easier path, with views back to Roque de Agando. A level path crosses a slope of agaves and palms then a rugged, stony path winds downhill, reaching pines and eucalyptus and crossing water pipes. A sharp left leads down to houses and a dirt road in the lovely little village of Benchijigua, near a little ermita on a hilltop.

      The prominent Roque de Agando marks the start of the walk

      Two routes leave the dirt road, the combined Rutas 23 and 24 for Playa de Santiago, and Ruta 24 for Imada (see later). Follow the combined route down a path to a bouldery riverbed. Turn right down the bed a short way then leave it using a level path past prickly pears. Turn left downhill before a caseta, cross a stream and squeeze past cistus to reach a road. Turn left up the road, then right as signposted, down and up a slope of tabaibal, cistus and agaves. Swing left round a corner on an ash slope. Wind down to cross a water channel and a streambed. The path runs part way down the valley, passing palms, then follows a terrace with a view across to the little village of Lo del Gato.

      Avoid a sharp right turn to the village, keeping straight ahead along stone-buttressed paths above the river. Wind down past two circular reservoirs and follow pipes a short way as waymarked. Cross the rocky riverbed and walk down it to reach a building. Continue down the riverbed and cross it to climb up a stone-paved zigzag path. Follow a terrace path past houses and gardens, then a concrete path with steps to a road at Pastrana.

      Follow the road a little then turn right to zigzag down steps and a rugged path to reach a road in the valley bottom. Turn left to follow it past palms, canes and cardón. Pass two bridges, the second one having a map-board and signpost at El Rumbazo. Ruta 24 turns right, while Ruta 23 continues along the road to Playa de Santiago. To climb to Targa and Alajeró, see Walk 5.

      Follow the road up to a junction near Taco, keeping straight ahead downhill. The scenery becomes cluttered with pylons, telegraph poles, water pipes and a sprawling stone-works. Reach a junction with a main road near a tunnel, and walk straight ahead along a road marked ‘no entry’ to pass bananas. A couple of shops and a bus shelter lie at the end of the road at Laguna de Santiago. Turn right along the road, Paseo de La Laguna, which leads through banana plantations onto the Promenade Avenida Maritima through Playa de Santiago. The resort offers a full range of services and facilities. Apartments, pensión, banks with ATMs, post office, shops, bars, restaurants, buses and taxis. Tourist information office, tel [phone].

      The little village of Imada is tucked away at the head of the rugged Barranco de Guarimar

      Optional ascent to Imada

      This is 5km (3 miles) shorter than the main route, but it climbs over 300m (985ft). Leave Benchijigua via Ruta 24, along a track that usually has a chain across. Follow it gently downhill and then as it levels out. Keep right at a junction then bend left across a streambed in a small valley full of palms. Watch for a narrow, well-trodden path off to the right, opposite an old house. The path runs level, turns a corner and descends a little, crossing a streambed. Climb past a couple of palms and turn round a corner to see one last caseta. Continue along the path, passing a few more palms in a little side-valley.

      The path zigzags up a steep, scrubby, rocky slope, well engineered, but rough and narrow. Follow it faithfully to reach a rugged gap at 833m (2733ft), where the village of Imada is seen at the head of the Barranco de Guarimiar. Go straight across the gap as marked, turn right and contour above a few ruined houses. Cross a streambed in a valley at Lasadoy, zigzag up bare rock and turn a corner on red rock. Imada comes into view again.

      Contour across the slope to reach a building, then descend and watch for markers while passing between terraces around the head of the barranco. Pass houses to reach a road-end in Imada where a number of signposted paths can be accessed. The Bar Cafeteria Arcilia is available, with a map-board nearby. Catch a bus to Alajeró and Playa de Santiago, or link with Walk 5.

WALK 5

      Pajarito to Playa de Santiago

Start	Pajarito, Alto de Garajonay
Finish	Playa de Santiago
Alternative finishes	Alajeró or Antoncojo
Distance	15.5km (9½ miles)
Total ascent	75m (245ft)
Total descent	1450m (4760ft)
Time	4hr
Terrain	Some good tracks and paths, but also steep and rugged paths. Most of the route is downhill, but the optional ascent is a very steep climb.
Refreshments	Bar at Imada. Plenty of choice in Playa de Santiago. Bars at Alajeró on the optional route.
Transport	Buses serve Pajarito from San Sebastián and Valle Gran Rey. Buses from Playa de Santiago serve San Sebastián, Alajeró and Valle Gran Rey.
Note	Route uses GR131, Ruta 19 and Ruta 24, with an option to follow Ruta 20

      This route starts high among fire-damaged laurisilva forest on Alto de Garajonay and heads down to Imada. The splendidly scenic Barranco de Guarimiar can be followed down to El Rumbazo for Playa de Santiago, although there is an option to climb instead to the villages of Targa and Alajeró.

      Start at a roundabout at Pajarito, high on the forested slopes of Alto de Garajonay, over 1350m (4430ft), where there is a bus shelter, small parking space and a map-board. Look for a signpost for the GR131, for San Sebastián. The plain and obvious track leads to more signs, where a path on the left climbs 65 log steps to a rocky summit. Pass a bench and follow the path up and down more flights of log steps on the roller-coaster crest of Montaña de las Negrinas. There is always a road to the left but it is seldom seen. Land on a track and turn right as signposted for Imada, descending gently through tall laurisilva. Keep straight ahead at a junction, where the Roque de Agando is seen to the left. Climb onto a rocky knoll to the left of the track at Isique for a view