Garajonay: almost Jurassic
"La Gomera is like a flan , whose cusp of caramel is the Garajonay ”, define the islanders graphically. This imposing laurel forest reserve crowns, in effect, Colombina Island with the always humid and shady framework of an enchanted forest . Declared World Heritage since 1986, the Garajonay National Park covers 3,984 hectares, which represents ten percent of the island's surface. Its peculiar characteristic is the so-called “horizontal rain” , through the permanent arboreal absorption of the trade wind clouds. Up to a total of 40 species of endemisms are brought together in this tertiary fossil forest , Come in laurels, mosses, heathers, fayas, ferns, oleanders, tejenistes, viñátigos, barbusanos, strawberry trees... , in addition to streams and some animal species. Legend has it that, at its peak, in the Alto de Garajonay , a 1,487 meters of altitude, Aboriginal princes Gara and Jonay immolated themselves , which give the park its name. In its heart stands out the Cedar Forest and nearby, chipude fortress , with a flat and extensive summit, totemic for the Guanches, in an enclave that offers a privileged panoramic view.
East Tertiary Era landscape (so that we understand each other, that of the first mammals that replaced the, already extinct, giant lizards) is overwhelming for its contrasts and for his almost mythological aspect.
Once the visitor knows a little about the legend of Gara and Jonay, it is time to soak up the palpable history and enter the park to learn about the How were the landscapes before the appearance of hominids . And this natural space welcomes you with an entire exhibition of original mountain formations : are the rocks , which are presented here in a different way than they are in the rest of the Canary Islands. Unlike the nudity and redness of its neighbors, the rocks of Garajonay are slender pointed shapes of a grayish hue , dressed up to the head in an intense green. The three most characteristic received a name each: Agando, Zarcita and Ojila , affectionate denominations that any pet could receive, which shows the appreciation of the locals for these rocks.
However, without eating or drinking it, up the hill, the dry moors begin to fill with palm trees first and the dense green landscapes of the laurisilva later . As if it were the story of the ugly duckling, the visitor discovers, amazed, that before him opens a dense green swan , culminated by the exuberant volcanic massifs. And, with this promise on the horizon, we arrive at the Slaughter of Peraza , just before entering the park. In this viewpoint, the natural line that separates the barren from the leafy can be perfectly observed (as long as the fog respects it).
But what makes this park really special is its laurel forest , a forest that covered all of Europe in the Tertiary , in which various types of evergreen trees can be identified. To admire it is to contemplate a unique forest due to its length and because it is a prehistoric ecosystem. What is the secret of his eternal youth? It's simple: La Gomera is the quietest island in the archipelago , the one that has suffered the least seismic activity in recent millennia. That, together with its calm climate and the low voracity of man, has made this crown, which populates the heart of the island, become a perfect time capsule, oblivious to changes.
For those who fear the thicket there is the Big Lagoon , a recreational space located in a ancient crater . It is the only enclave in the park that recalls the volcanic origin of the island. In its brown plain there are rest areas and swings for children, as well as being the starting point for paths without loss that allow you to get an idea of what the forests are like without fear of getting disoriented. In the center of the Lagoon there are some stones arranged in the shape of a circle, a mini Stonehenge (saving a lot of distances) with a rock in the middle that, it is said, has the power to help young women get pregnant . So be careful, lest some girl (or “mullalla”, as they pronounce it on these islands) make a mistake and mix rest with a surprise at nine months.
oh! the closest thing to a velociraptor that can be found here are the giant lizards , scary and harmless animals that run around freely and that can give some sustenance due to their ability to appear anywhere. Their dark complexion makes them seem friendly and elusive, although the level of interactivity with humans is zero.
And one last fact: the park is located in the center of the island, so access from any town is easy and does not require more than forty minutes by car.
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Address: Garajonay National Park. La Gomera. Canary Islands See map
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