El Hierro is the smallest of the Canary Islands, at the bottom left-hand corner of the archipelago which lies off the coast of Morocco (7.7º north and 18.0º west). It's shaped rather like an equilateral triangle that's sucking its cheeks in, and each side of the triangle is only about 12 miles (7.5 miles) long. Just 10,500 people live there, give or take. For all that, it's incredibly varied. You spend a week there and still not see all of it.
The island is volcanic, and still has over 500 visible cones, besides the ones covered by more recent eruptions. Today it forms a three-pointed star, with the highest point rising to 1501 m. The top of the ridge is frequently covered in cloud made by the moisture-laden trade winds being forced upwards by the island.
The island's capital town, Valverde, is 590 m above sea-level, and noticeably cooler. It's a pleasant little town, as long as you're not expecting a major shopping centre.
There are ferries and flights to Tenerife, plus three ferries a week to La Palma (Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday) and one direct ferry from La Palma to El Hierro (Sunday evening).
View El Hierro in a larger map
No comments:
Post a Comment