El Sabinar

El Sabinar is one of the most charming places on the island of El Hierro. It is located in La Dehesa, this place with a small open forest displays an inspiring magic thanks to the junipers that have been twisted by the force exerted by the trade winds. These winds shape the shrubs giving them twisted forms of sublime beauty.

The junipers are so important that they have become the emblem of El Hierro. These resinous shrubs up to 8 meters are perennial leaf, with deep roots and have the ability to grow on rocky substrates. They are so important that they are reflected in the shield of the island. It has a globose and fleshy fruit with seeds with a hard cover that makes its germination difficult. This wood was used by the aborigines to make tools, weapons or even funerary planks or ornaments.

El Sabinar de El Hierro is the most important juniper site of the Canary Islands and receives the cataloging of Protected Natural Area.

It has interesting trails ideal for hiking that reach the village of Sabinosa, which stands out for its stone-walled stone houses with plant fiber roofs.

The climb to El Sabinar is accompanied by a fantastic landscape where, as you ascend, you get a beautiful view of the town. The vegetation becomes denser as it ascends to the Top of the Casillas and highlights heather and fayas.

It is not uncommon to see loose animals in the Sabinar, since farmers let them graze.Getting to the Sabinar is a pleasant walk and it is possible to go through places like the Basco Viewpoint from which you have an impressive view of the Valle del Gofio.

El Sabinar is a must-see in El Hierro, not only for its beauty but also for what this bush represents for the history of one of the so-called minor islands of the Canarian archipelago.