LA CARBONERA VIEWPOINT
The La Carbonera viewpoint is located next to the old royal road that connected Hermigua with the island’s capital, San Sebastián de La Gomera. Until the construction of the first jetty in Hermigua (in 1908), this road was the main and almost only means of communication between Hermigua and the island’s capital. All the agricultural produce from the valley had to be transported along this road to the pier at San Sebastián de La Gomera. With the construction of the jetty, and especially once Hermigua was connected by road to the island’s capital in the 1940s, this road became less important.
From this viewpoint, you can enjoy one of the best views of the Hermigua valley. Hermigua descends from Garajonay to the sea, spilling out into a green carpet of laurel forest, fayal-heath and banana plantations, to die at the foot of the old jetty beaten by the Atlantic. This quiet, deep valley hides much of the history of La Gomera and is a real treat for visitors seeking tranquillity and eager to experience the most authentic side of the Canary Islands.
The municipality of Hermigua, together with Agulo, formed the aboriginal territory of Mulagua. After the Castilian occupation, the favourable conditions for growing sugar cane and its proximity to the island’s capital attracted the interest of the island’s lords, leading to its early colonisation. The first settlement in Hermigua was Valle Alto, with the church of Santo Domingo and the Dominican convent of San Pedro Apóstol, founded in 1611. The creation of the Valle Bajo settlement came somewhat later, with the church of Nuestra Señora de La Encarnación being built in the 17th century. In 1812, it was established as a municipality (it began to function as such in 1837), bringing an end to the feudal system that had prevailed on the island.

The Hermigua valley that we can see from this viewpoint is characterised by its banana plantations and terraces, as well as its intense green colour among large basalt rocks. It has universal and exceptional value due to the orography of the valley that gives it its name. At the beginning of the last century, Hermigua was known for ‘having the best climate in the world’, according to a study carried out by English, Belgian and German meteorologists.

The La Carbonera viewpoint is located near the boundaries of the Majona Natural Park and the Garajonay National Park. Behind us are the imposing mountains of La Carbonera, Guarnaga and Ibosa. To the right, the mountain of Enchereda (1,062 metres high) and the Alto del Loncillo. Below us are the different ravines that carry their waters to the Mulagua dam (built in 1981). To the left is the El Rejo valley and in front of us is the great Ansosa mountain (1,037 metres high).

The view from this viewpoint was admired by the various travellers who visited Hermigua during the 19th century. For example, in 1883, the English traveller Olivia Stone wrote: “Suddenly we reached a rocky eminence, where a valley lay smiling before us. It is the Hermigua Valley that we contemplate from an altitude of 2,200 feet. The valley narrows towards the sea, where it opens up and where the village of Hermigua is surrounded by crops” (Olivia Stone. Tenerife and its six satellites. 1883).