Nature, La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain.

La Gomera is volcanic in Origin. It’s a small island - just 15 miles in diameter. The highest point is in the Garajonay national park (5,000 feet).

The island is covered with lush green vegetation; deep ravines and huge valleys coated with laurisilva (laurel rain forest).

The upper parts of La Gomera are almost perpetually shrouded in mist and cloud making it look like a bit like something out of a science fiction, fantasy novel.

You’d expect to find elves, hobbits and all sorts of mysterious creatures lurking within its dense woodland, but realistically…you probably won’t!

There’s a diverse range of lush vegetation on the slopes, which is nowadays protected by the UNESCO “recognition and protection of the environment” scheme.

There are some excellent walking opportunities on the upper slopes. The landscape here is criss-crossed by numerous paths and routes that present varying levels of challenge and offer truly spectacular views out to sea and over to the other islands.

The central mountainous regions have a jungle climate, created by the moisture from the trade wind clouds. These regions are rich in vegetation and have cool air; a sharp contrast from the hotter sun-baked cliffs near sea level.

Between the climatic and geographical extremes of the upper, middle and lower island, there is a fascinating range of vegetation. One of the most abundant being the Canary Palms (African date palm) of which there are over 10,000 on the island.

For centuries, the locals have farmed the lower levels of the island producing vines, vegetables and a large amount of fruit - bananas in particular. Other fruit and veg produced here include potatoes, corn, oranges, lemons, figs, avocados, tomatoes as well as some excellent local wine.