One kilometre in a straight line, three hours on foot
This is the planning mistake made most often on this island, and it has nothing to do with getting lost. La Gomera is split by very deep radial ravines, and that breaks any estimate based on map distance, including a satnav’s.
The island’s geometry
La Gomera is almost circular, with the summit at the centre and ravines running down to the coast like spokes. To get from one coastal point to another, you either cross over the top or descend and climb every ravine in between.
That means useful distance is not straight-line distance: it is the sum of descents and climbs. Two villages in sight of each other can be a long hour apart by car.
Why the satnav falls short
A satnav calculates over the road network and usually gets the route right, but it underestimates the time on roads of this kind: chained hairpins, steep gradients and stretches where overtaking is impossible. On an island like this the error margin is not ten per cent.
And on foot, distance is even more misleading: a ravine trail drops hundreds of metres and climbs them back.
How to plan properly
- Count in hours of driving, not kilometres. And add margin.
- Look at the altitude profile, not the length, for any walking route.
- Group by area. Doing two different ravines the same day is half a day on the road; doing two trails in the same ravine is a day well used.
- Account for the return. On a trail that descends to the coast, the climb is the end of the day — tired and with less light.
What you can do in a day
One area. The ridge with its forest trails, say, or one ravine with its village and its beach. Trying to «see the island» in a day means spending it on the road without getting to walk.
And the upside of the same geography
Those ravines are why each valley has its own microclimate, vegetation and light. The island feels far larger than it is, and that is exactly what it gives back in exchange for the driving time.
Frequently asked questions
›Why does crossing a small island take so long?
Because it is split by deep radial ravines. To get from one point to another you cross over the summit or descend and climb every ravine in between, so useful distance is the sum of descents and climbs, not the straight line.
›Can I trust the satnav’s time estimate?
The route yes, the time not entirely: on roads with chained hairpins and steep gradients satnavs underestimate. Count in hours with margin rather than in kilometres.
›What can I do in a day?
One area: the ridge with its forest trails, or one ravine with its village and beach. Trying to see the whole island in a day means spending it on the road without getting to walk.