PRLP 15 – GR 131

Among the multitude of trails included in the Official Network of La Palma, there are only two clearly transversal routes. The PR LP 1 or Ruta de Los Puertos connects the coasts of Santa Cruz de La Palma and Tazacorte, through the agricultural landscape of the Aridane Valley. The PR LP 15 is its southern equivalent, as it serves as a link between the neighborhoods of Jedey (El Paso) and Tigalate (Villa de Mazo). Our proposal is to combine the latter with a section of the Route of the Volcanoes (GR 131), from the El Pilar Refuge to the Llano de los Guanches. We start this first part by climbing the western slope of the Birigoyo (1,807 meters), which belongs to the municipality of El Paso. We enter Villa de Mazo at the intersection with the SL VM 125 trail, in the small hollow where the earth opened on June 29, 1949. The breathtaking crater to our right is the Hoyo Negro, the first mouth of the San Juan eruption. A short distance away, but on the opposite slope, we observe the Duraznero lava field in the approach to the twin peaks of Las Deseadas. We are at the limit of 2,000 meters, at the roof of our route. The detour to the PR LP 15 is clearly signposted and takes advantage of the layout of the so-called Pista de Cosme. The slope is demanding as we cross a fairly dense pine forest, which will become a constant until a little below the 1,200 level. The entrance to Tigalate occurs in an area of abandoned crops, whose land has been partially reoccupied by heather.