El Pinar de El Hierro

El Pinar is a municipality in the south of El Hierro, the westernmost and smallest of the main Canary Islands, and the name tells you what to expect. Pinar means pine wood, and the slopes above the village are covered in forests of Canary pine, the tree that grows across the high ground of several islands. These forests give the area a different feel from the dry volcanic landscape that people often picture for the Canaries, with tall trunks, resinous air, needles covering the ground and mist drifting through the trees on cloudy days.

The Canary pine is adapted to its environment in remarkable ways. Its thick bark protects it from fire and its long needles comb moisture from the fog that rolls in from the Atlantic, dripping to the ground and helping to feed springs. After wildfires the trees can sprout new needles directly from the trunk, an unusual survival strategy. In El Pinar the forest sits on a young volcanic landscape of cinder cones and lava, and the contrast of dark volcanic soil and green pine is typical of the island.

The area is a quiet place to walk. Forest tracks and trails lead through the pine woods and out toward viewpoints above the sea, and recreation areas with picnic spaces offer places to stop, among them the Hoya del Morcillo. Paths vary in length and difficulty, and they are best done with a map or local advice, as mist can reduce visibility. The upland climate is cooler than the coast, so a layer is useful even in summer.

The settlements are small and rural. Houses are low, with traditional stonework and wooden details, and land use blends forest with scattered farming. The municipality also includes La Restinga, the fishing village and diving centre on the southern coast, which is a short drive down from the pines, so you can combine a forest morning with a sea afternoon. Nearby sights on the island include the Malpaso Canyon, the Faro de El Hierro lighthouse and the El Hierro Biosphere Reserve Visitor Center.

El Hierro as a whole is a UNESCO biosphere reserve with a strong ethos of sustainability, and El Pinar is one of the places where that attitude is easy to see. It suits walkers, nature lovers and travellers who want slow, quiet days away from busy resorts. Services are limited, so arrive with food, water and fuel.