When we were in La Gomera in 2007 I became infatuated with Laurel forests, and whenever one is within reach, we try to get in at least one hike. The trees are kind of spooky, twisted and strange, like no other forest I've ever been in.
Often there are big clumps of moss clinging to the trees' trunks.
The green of these forests is just magical, it's a really cool feeling to be in there. We had a sunny day for this hike, but the atmosphere is even more interesting when it's foggy, which is often the case. This vegetation needs a lot of moisture. You almost expect the Gruffalo or Rumpelstilzchen to come hobbling out when it's foggy!
But not only did we see those fascinating trees on this hike, we were often distracted by some breathtaking views of the coast...
...of El Teide...
...of the Anaga Mountains...
...and the towns lying below us!
We had a lunch break at Roque de Anambro, a holy rock for the native Tinerfenos, the Guanches.
There were a couple of lovely natural treats along the way, too. We saw tons of Canarina canariensis on this walk, this lovely native flower is plentiful in the Anaga Mountains.
I also spotted this little guy, who was quite pretty. I think it's a kind of finch, but can't really find an exact match for him online:
I was hoping he was an elusive Laurel Pigeon, but alas, he was not. I have yet to spot one of those... The elusive Laurel Pigeon has become a running joke of ours, we've read of this rare bird found only in the Laurel forests in travel guides, but have never found one. There are loads of regular pigeons everywhere, just no Laurel pigeons! Maybe on the next trip...
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