Playa de Vallehermoso
Dark volcanic sand beach at the seaward end of the Vallehermoso valley, on the north coast of La Gomera. The Castillo del Mar stands beside it, along with the maritime park and its pools where you can swim sheltered from the swell. It is the municipality's access to the sea and one of the biggest coastal draws in the north of the island.
Playa de Vallehermoso closes the valley of the same name, where the ravine reaches the Atlantic after dropping from the Garajonay heights. The sand and shingle are dark and volcanic, hemmed in by rock walls and dominated by the silhouette of the Castillo del Mar, the restored former loading structure that juts out over the water. Alongside it runs the maritime park, a set of pools by the sea built for swimming when the open ocean is out of the question.
Access is by car from the town of Vallehermoso along a short road down to the coast, with parking next to the beach. Northern La Gomera takes the swell head on and the sea here is often lively, with currents and undertow, so judge the water carefully before going in and use the pools when it breaks hard. Trails leave from the same valley linking the coast with the mountains and with Garajonay National Park, and boat trips run from this stretch of coast to Los Órganos, the basalt column cliff that can only be seen from the water. A good stop for anyone touring the north of the island who wants sea, landscape and walking in one place.
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