We had met our guide in Las Manchas, just below the volcano. Together, we got into a small bus and were driven past El Paso up the Cumbre Vieja, where our hike started. Immediately we were walking on the ash and Lapilli – little stones – of the eruption. On the way, our guide told us a lot about all the aspects of the eruption.
The eruption began on September 19, 2021 and only stopped on December 13, 2021, after 85 days and 8 hours of activity, which makes it the longest eruption recorded on the island. The ash emission was so intense that it reached neighbouring islands like Tenerife, El Hierro, La Gomera, and Gran Canaria.
During the eruption, 7,000 people had to be evacuated.1,300 houses and 73 km of road were destroyed. Many families lost everything, including their homes and livelihoods, especially in agriculture, tourism, and small businesses.
The Canary pine is a fascinating tree, as it is one of the most fire-resistant conifers in the world. The thick bark protects the tree during a fire. Afterwards, juvenile leaves can grow directly from the trunk. After the eruption, the trees were covered with ash and had lost all their needles. It took them more than half a year, but then the needles started to grow again. The wind relieved them of some ash, but many are still standing in up to 2 metres of it. They are watched by scientist if they can withstand this condition.
But we also came through an area of dead trees. We learned that what had destroyed them was the heat underground. During the eruption, lava got close to the surface and the earth around the trees was 80 degrees and more, something which the pines didn’t survive.
Our guide had once the owner of this house in his group. He is not allowed to enter it, and only could visit his property on a guided tour. He once grew wine around his house and the cellar is still full of bottles, but he is not allowed to retrieve them.
The signs for the hiking routes are still standing. They were once about 2.2 metres high. Nowadays, they are a good indicator, how high the ash lies in the area.
Our guide Lukas told us a lot about the eruption and how it was for the people of the area. Even if you were not directly affected by the eruption, you lived during these 85 days with constant earthquakes, an incredible noise day and night and with the ash and little stones falling on your roof, while you tried to sleep.
but most have completely disappeared
Minerals are giving the volcano different colours, and steam and gases are still emerging between the rocks. If we come here in a couple of years, it will look different for sure.
Rumex lunaria or Kanaren-Ampfer
After about 3 hours, we had reached Las Manchas and our camper. We will drive now to the very south of the island, looking for volcanos and more.