Video of St.John's bonfire night traditions...

...taken for/by the Canarian government's heritage teaching programme in Vallehermoso in La Gomera's north-west on Monday night, 23rd of June 2025. Note the massive bonfires all around the valley. 

There are lots of huge bonfires in every town and village all over the island on the same night with parties, music and dancing. In the video you can see ancient aboriginal traditions like the music, chants and dancing mixed with newer Christian traditions that arrived with the Spanish conquest. More about the bonfires HERE...

In the wild north-west

A different view of the chapel dedicated to Santa Clara, situated above the remote village of Arguamul in La Gomera's wild and beautiful northwest.

Carnival season 2024

The carnival season 2024 has begun in La Gomera and the island capital San Sebastian's festivities are already in full swing. The main parade will wind its way through the streets tomorrow, Sat. 10th of February 2024, followed as usual by dancing until sunrise, see poster above for the full carnival programme, which is themed 'The Jungle'.

The capital will barely have recovered from the jamboree when the celebrations begin again across the mountains in Valle Gran Rey where this year's theme is 'Hawaii' and the  main carnival parade takes place there on Saturday, February 24th 2024 from 5pm(-ish).

See VGR programme below:

Then carnival and all aficionados move to Playa de Santiago in the deep south of La Gomera where the fun begins on March 28th, themed 'Pirates of the South', see their poster below. 

Agulo and Hermigua in the north of the island will of course have their own distinct carnivals as well, but I don't have their programmes yet. Watch this space...

UPDATE: 

Nice poster (below) out now for the carnival in Vallehermoso (March 7th-9th):

Last night's bushfire now under control

The scene of the incident, with the blue lights of the emergency services visible (image: gomeranoticias.com)

 There was a fire in an area of bushy vegetation and palm trees in the La Dehesa area near Chipude in the municipal area of Vallehermoso, at the foot of historic La Fortaleza table mountain. The village of La Dehesa is also home to one of only seven petrol stations in La Gomera, which was an additional fire hazard.

The fire was first reported at around 11pm last night and the emergency services were quickly on the scene, working all night to contain the fire. This morning the blaze was brought under control with 16 hectares having been affected by the fire. The Canary Islands are currently on alert for a high risk of fires due to the recent high temperatures and strong winds.

La Gomera's disastrous fire of 2012 started not too far from last night's blaze.

Sixes and Twos

Spotted in Barranco del Ingenio, near Vallehermoso, in La Gomera's north-west a while back

Fiesta del Carmen 2019 programme

Above the programme for the 2019 Fiesta del Carmen in ValleGran Rey.
Vallehermoso and Playa de Santiago also hold fiestas in honour of Carmen (see below) so there's no shortage of entertainment in La Gomera this week...

New mayor in Valle Gran Rey

The new mayor of Valle Gran Rey, Cristopher Marrero (image: gomeranoticias.com)

Valle Gran Rey's new local administration has now been formed and Cristopher Marrero of the PSOE is the new mayor, even though his party holds only two of the eleven seats on the council. His election was facilitated with the help of the two councillors of the Si Se Puede grouping and the two of the Nueva Canarias party, leaving La Gomera's strongest party ASG in opposition with five seats. See all La Gomera local election 2019 results...

Local election results La Gomera 2019

Casimiro Curbelo

The independent La Gomera socialist ASG party of the island's president Casimiro Curbelo (image on top) was the clear winner in the recent local elections, followed by the socialist PSOE. The graphics below (source: gomeraverde.es) first show the results for the election to La Gomera's cabildo (island government) followed by the results in all five municipal areas of La Gomera, where in some it is not clear yet who will form the new local government ('escaños' = seats). Left environmental group SSP (Si Se Puede) won two seats for the first time in Valle Gran Rey and Vallehermoso as well as one in San Sebastian de La Gomera, plus two seats in the cabildo.

                                                                             CABILDO:

MUNICIPAL AREAS:

Roque Cano

Vallehermoso's emblematic Roque Cano, one of many such 'roques' scattered throughout La Gomera

Temporary road closure (Updated)

The visitors centre will remain accessible from the northern main road through Las Rosas (above right)

The scenic road connecting the visitors centre in Juego de Bolas with the main road through the national park close to La Laguna Grande will be closed to all traffic in both directions from tomorrow Monday December 3rd 2018 until Friday from 8 am until 6 pm each day. The closure is due to resurfacing work and it is hoped that some restricted opening is possible from Wednesday 4 pm if work progresses well. Access to the visitors centre and the glass viewing platform Mirador de Abrante from the northern main road between Hermigua and Vallehermoso will not be affected.
UPDATE: The road closures have been extended until 6 pm Wednesday Dec. 12th 2018. However, this road will be open this Saturday and Sunday.

New public bus service

Valle Gran Rey bus station (Estacion de Guaguas)

A new public bus service has been inaugurated between La Gomara's western towns of Vallehermoso and Valle Gran Rey. Previously passengers had to change buses at Apartacaminos in the forest of the national park with very few connections available. Now the new direct service will travel between the two towns three times a day in each direction (twice on Sundays and public holidays) with the usual stops in between. The new service will facilitate locals travelling to and from the ferry terminal in Valle Gran Rey and will be of great interest to tourists as well, as it is now possible to reach scenic highlights like Epina much more comfortably. The single fare for the full distance between Valle Gran Rey and Vallehermoso is a modest four Euros and the new connection will have the number 8 (Linea 8).

La Gomera's public bus services have been owned and successfully run by the local government for many years now, after the previous private service went bankrupt despite generous subsidies. The timetable for the new service can be found here: Linea 8 Guagua Gomera SAU

Note: A bus is called  'GUAGUA' (pronounced 'gwa-gwa') in the Canary Islands and not 'autobus' as in Spain.

Happy Easter

Image taken in the church 'San Juan Bautista' of Vallehermoso,  La Gomera's north-west

Double vision

Spotted in Barranco de Ingenio near Vallehermoso 

La Laguna Grande restaurant reopened

The restaurant and bar in La Laguna Grande during recent refurbishment work

The restaurant in the centre of the national park which had been closed for about a year, has been refurbished and reopened its doors to the public a couple of days ago. The clearing in the forest of La Laguna Grande is a popular spot for locals and visitors and there are public toilets to the right of the restaurant. The dining room has seating for 90 guests and offers a menu of food typical for La Gomera and there's a separate bar serving snacks and drinks. The building is the only one in the in the national park and owned by the municipality of Vallehermoso. After a tendering process the lease was won by the ferry company Fred. Olsen who also lease the restaurant at the spectacular Mirador de Abrante.

Carnival 2018 Vallehermoso

Poster for the 2018 carnival in Vallehermoso where the main theme will be 'horror'.

Merry Christmas

Wishing all my readers a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS with these images of Christmas decorations in the town of Vallehermoso in La Gomera's north-west

Learn to leap

From tomorrow Dec. 7th 2017 the annual national gathering of the federation promoting the traditional Canarian shepherds leap (salto del pastor Canario) will take place in the municipal regions of Vallehermoso and Valle Gran Rey on La Gomera. There will be workshops and classes concerning this spectacular form of pole vaulting as well as other forms of culture and traditions in the Canary Islands. More than one hundred 'leapers' will be travelling cross country using the long poles. Here's how they do it...

New roundabout at Apartacaminos fit for UFOs

The new roundabout at Apartacaminos in La Gomera's national park, where the main road west (GM-2) from the islands capital ends and joins the GM-1 to Valle Gran Rey (left) and Vallehermoso (right). Gone is the old junction with the green traffic island and a new two-lane roundabout has been built. I would have preferred a one-lane roundabout with a green area in the middle, as was built in Pajaritos. Maybe the three road signs in the white traffic island are removable to create the perfect secret landing area for UFOs at night ? Some here swear they've seen them trying to land...

Festival 'Atlantico Sonoro' 2017

The 13th edition of the festival 'Atlantico Sonoro' is taking place in the town of Vallehermoso on La Gomera this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22nd and 23rd 2017

On Friday the Festival begins in the town square with a dance and acrobatics spectacle at 9 pm, followed by live music. On Saturday  from 11am there will be a wide range of demonstrations and workshops of alternative therapies, massage, yoga, music, percussion, dance and much more. At night there will be a concert from 10 pm  with two live bands. All the events are free of charge. More details here: www.atlanticosonoro.com

Man falls off palm tree he was working on

A young man of 26 years fell off a palm tree in the municipality of Vallehermoso, La Gomera, on Wednesday afternoon. He had fallen from a height of over four metres and suffered several injuries. He was transferred to the nearest health centre by ambulance and is said to be recovering well.

The accident happened as the man was working on the palm tree, presumably for the purpose of preparing it for the extraction of 'guarapo' which forms the base for local speciality food miel de palma (palm honey). The area above of the western village of Alojera where the incident occurred is renowned for its palm groves and several producers of palm honey are based in the area. 

Next time you enjoy the sweet delicacy bear in mind the hard work it takes to produce it.