La Palma holiday packing check list: camera, walking boots, sun hat and cream, T-shirts, swimming gear, a good book and snow poles. What! I thought La Palma was one of the Canary Islands, not Canada. I was planning to lie on the beach and go walking, not go ski-ing.

Well, actually ski-ing could prove a little tricky due to the number of rocks and the alarmingly serious gradient. But if you come to La Palma in winter, you may well find snow in the upper reaches. This picture was taken from Mirador Andenes up by Roque de Muchachos, home to the observatories. It is a dramatic drive up there at any time of year as you wend your way through forests of impressively tall pine trees. Approaching from the north, the road is certainly the steepest and twistiest on the island and you feel that you are being rotating round in some sort of fairground ride. I have to confess that it is probably not for the faint hearted or car sick. Eventually though, you suddenly realize that you have broken through the pine trees, and the land is covered in short rather featureless brush. In fact this has been the scene for several films set on the moon, it has such a deserted look.

In winter though you will get a different impression when there is snow on the ground. For here, on the roof of the island where the wind has free reign, the snow can pile up in a most impressive, if not alarming, way. The snow poles which line the road in an apparently bizarre hopefulness of being useful almost disappear. A little tip of red peaking out of the baron white is a crucial call to tell you where the road is, some 2m under the snow.

When it is really bad though, the road is closed and no cars are allowed up. But when it is only ‘half bad’ then you can expect a flurry of cars along with the snow as the islanders race to the top in glacial glee.

Anyone seen a ship?

What a good chap Christopher Columbus would appear to be. In discovering America, which is obviously a small detail, he also managed to significantly augment the wealth of the Canary Islands. It was here in the Canaries in 1492 (shortly after Spain had taken the Canaries for its own in a dastardly trick of deceit) that he would stock his three ships. With the sort of jolly jaunts he had in mind he would certainly need a plentiful supply of fresh water and good Canarian food. I like to imagine this would include smoked cheese, live goats and chickens, plus a crate or two of oranges and lemons, before setting out on the long voyage across the Atlantic to the New World. Noble fellow indeed and with an excellent taste in food!

In the 1940’s, La Palma decided to mark the event by building a replica of one of Columbus’ ships, the Santa Maria. An ingenious idea in constructing this full size model is that it will never be bothered by high winds. As the hull is made of concrete it will certainly not be in danger of inadvertently setting sail one windy night.

In deciding where to locate this fair sized vessel, La Palma had a stroke of genius. Why go for the obvious and construct it at the port where there are acres of concrete on which to put it. The guests from the cruise liners could hardly fail to notice it, and with a small entrance fee, it would make a tidy revenue to cover costs at least. And even the most frail and disinterested could hopefully be persuaded to totter down the gangplank to view the museum inside. And with easy parking to boot, that would help all those driving from the airport who could pull in for a viewing as they pass by. But no, all that would be too easy. Instead it is located at the opposite end of the city, where several narrow cobbled streets converge onto rather petite Plaza de Almendras (Almond Square).

And the curious thing is, it is so tucked away that you could visit the city and still miss it! So whilst you are shopping and sightseeing, make sure to keep a careful watch out for ships ahoy.

Remember me

I will be the first to admit that La Palma likes nothing better than a jolly good fiesta. In fact almost anything, noteworthy or not, has its own special day.

To my mind, one of the most inspired and unlikely fiestas – therefore winning my undying admiration – is the Day of the Deceased. Better known to most of us as All Saints Day, it is a time dedicated to those who have gone on before. On this special day, the 1st November, practically the only shop you will find open in an otherwise dormant island is the flourishing florist (it’s an ill wind …). Happily for them, it is a time when Palmerans say it with flowers.

Actually, the Palmerans seem to have developed a wonderful fact of life attitude with regard to death. It is hard to distinguish a group of casually dressed people gathering for a funeral from a jolly club outing. Indeed, the whole process of death here in La Palma, or rather that which immediately follows the final curtain, bears a little examining. ‘Swift’ would probably sum it up quite nicely. From the point where a person is pronounced dead and the funeral taking place is generally a breathtaking 16 to 24 hours. While sometimes traumatically sudden, this does of course cut out agonising decisions as to whether more distant relatives can, could or should attend the funeral and the time consuming selection of appropriate hymns. It does make me think though that long blinks should be avoided at all costs.

A rather improbable venue for a celebration then, the cemetery becomes a hive of activity, with swathes of people turning up every few minutes with arms full of flowers. Groups of cheerful villagers trim, tweak and tidy the blooms into beautiful arrangements, sprays and posies with which they decorate the ancient graves and tiered vaults. In a jamboree of festive colour, a celebration of life gradually blossoms.

And so, on the 1st November, there really is no better place to head than to the cemetery for a bitter-sweet experience of remembering and celebrating all rolled into one.

It really is a question of flower and glory, for ever and ever.

I think we can say Amen to that.

Poppies in paradise

One of the most wonderful times to visit La Palma is in the spring when the wild flowers jostle with each other to gain your attention. The Flor de Mayo is one of our greatest stalwarts standing half a meter tall with a mass of miniscule purple petals. Having first started way back in October, it is well worth the wait as they regally line the garden walls and fill every flower vase in the house.

But in the main, the rest of the gang like to keep you guessing whether or not they will be putting on a show. And then, all of a sudden it seems that La Palma has had busy fingers in the paint box. Terraces are wildly painted in flowers of yellows and purples. Great tumbling piles of sweet peas in stunning magenta fall over themselves with enthusiasm at the sides of quiet paths. Geraniums left unattended to please themselves cascade down the slopes in pinks, purples and reds.

My favourites though are the poppies which are simplicity in spun silk. Such a gentle flower, all they ask for is a little space and peace. They would rather grow in with the carrots where they won’t be bothered too much by all that noisy jangle of colours. Or they will pick a separate place in an empty flower bed or at the side of the road where they can watch the show from a distance. But they are tender little souls which are happy to be left alone so admire them before you carry on and let them nod to you as you go.

Going around in circles

You probably would not think to come to La Palma to see the windmills but there are still some worth seeing as their arms stretch out into a yawn of contented retirement. But it used to be quite different, certainly in the mid-twentieth century when the area of Garafia in the north was considered as the island’s granary, such was the vast amount of cereals produced in the province. And dating back before the advent of windmills was the circular stone threshing floor, cow driven as it trudged around and around, and you will certainly discover many of these still in evidence.

So, in the days before chips, either micro or fried, the humble gofio was staple fodder for the Palmerans. It is one of those things that quite frankly you can either take or leave and most of today’s youngster will certainly opt for the latter. But this flour type substance saw the Palmerans through some hard times, filling their stomachs and giving them sustained energy for working the steep terraces. If you mention gofio to anyone over the age of 50, they will nod sagely and tell you how good it is for you.

There are several different varieties made from a mixture from cereals such as wheat, rye, maize, barley, and also lentils, black chickpeas and broad beans. The required ingredients are mixed, roasted and then ground together. Gofio is eaten in various ways and originally the goat shepherd would take a supply with him to mix with freshly squeezed goats’ milk, still warm from the udder. In the days of big families, where 12 children were just an average, the breakfast menu soley consisted of trusty gofio and goats milk. Nowadays, at home, it is added to a ‘potaje,’ giving body and a certain sweetness to this traditional vegetable and pork casserole. As a starter to a meal, pork fat is cut into cubes, coated in gofio and fried.

To the foreigner, gofio is something of an acquired taste but you can try it in many ways, such as mixing it with natural yoghurt, added as a thickener to any soup or casserole or gofio balls made with honey and water mixed to a dough and chilled - great for a Palmeran pic-nic.

Dance into the light

Quite obviously, fiestas are an essential part of island life and somewhere on the island, during summer time at least, you will find a fiesta in progress at the weekend. You simply cannot avoid them or at least not notice them as whole towns are simply closed down at the drop of a sombrero in order to celebrate with conviction.

Fiestas are a two fold affair, celebrating a religious event and celebrating life itself. It is a time to shut up shop, down tools and spend some serious time meeting up with old friends, making new ones and generally kick back and enjoy. These days, perhaps religion has been forced into a rear pew but you can usually bank on the odd procession and mass for the morning after.

But by far the biggest part of any fiesta is getting together, eating, drinking and dancing well into the next morning. They are open to all – free entrance, free parking (ssh,La Palma hasn’t heard of paying for parking yet), and free entertainment even when the performers are national stars. And … yes there is more … at some fiestas ALL the food is free ie soup, bread, paella, goats cheese, meat stew …. And plenty of free red wine. And almost no-body is drunk and if someone is a bit merry, they will simply want to dance with you.

One of the largest fiestas on the island is at San Antonio in the North West. In an area where there are probably more goats than people, you won’t be surprised to discover that farming is the theme and so the main exhibition is of highly prized cattle. Held around 11th and 12th June every year, the event will actually be stretched out over 3 or 4 days and on the main day, attract around 2,000 people. People literally come from near and far and hundreds and hundreds will camp in tents, vans, mini cars and any make shift device they can construct. This is basically to make the most of 36 incredible hours of live music which is only broken to present trophies to the owners of the winning cattle and for a slightly unusual horse race. This is where the riders stand up in the saddle while cantering along and aim a needle type object through a ring. The ring is then released and the rider with the most rings is the winner. You would think this an impossible task as the rings swing around in the breeze as the rider is trying to control the horse, needle and himself, but it is all carried out with great zeal and good humour.

And still there is more to do with stalls selling anything from lucky bags for the children to Mexican ponchos, fishing rods, hand-made leather sandals and Bob Marley T-shirts. Plus of course any number of stands selling food and drink to keep you fortified as you dance into the light to the beat of a different drum.

La Cascada

La Palma is often quite rightly described as a mini-continent in addition to which it can change dramatically within the same day. Many factors take a part in this such as altitude, aspect ie East, West, South or North, wind strength and direction. Yes, it really is true that you can be trudging through the snow at Roque de Muchachos, the highest point of the island, and within less than 2 hours, be back down to sea level and laid out on the beach in the sun. However, temperatures are usually around a pleasant 15 to 25 degrees. In contrast at the other end of the spectrum, sub-Saharan winds occasionally drift over the island for a few days two or three times a year. This can take the temperature up to 38 degrees – phew – too hot!

One of the more famous phenomenon’s of La Palma are the cloud formations, especially what is known as ‘la cascada.’ This is where the clouds, which are attracted to the sudden height of the island, literally tumble over the ridge of land which separates the east and west. They spectacularly and literally cascade over, never actually reaching the bottom.

Recharging the green batteries

If you are into hills, valleys, mountains and peaks then you will find that La Palma does them very well indeed. Although the dewdrop shaped island only measures a trifling 28 by 17 miles, it would still take you 5 hours to drive around it due to the topography. In fact, it is said that La Palma is the most mountainous island in the world for its size –hey, the world – not just Europe! At its highest point, the island rises to a creditable 2436 meters above sea level which makes it the second highest Canarian island, after Tenerife. The apparently bizarre landscape of the island was created as it rose from the sea 2 million years ago and well after all but one of its neighbours. This has a huge impact on a large number of factors such as transportation, communication, weather, life style and certainly not least, beauty.

The splendor of the island is hard to take in at times particularly in the north. Here, the landscape makes for impressive scenery as the ridges of land swirl up and over, rising and falling between villages like roller-coaster waves. An intensely blue sky stops abruptly in a sharp line where the two meet. On the higher slopes, the huge pine trees reach up to the sky until they are finally tall enough to spread their glittering greens into glorious freedom. Tiny houses are sprinkled across the landscape in an apparently haphazard affair. But wait until night falls and the lights come on like daisy chains as the houses appear to spill down one slope after another.

And then the stars come out to play ...

The jewel in the crown

I wonder what springs to mind when you think of the Canary Islands. Crowded beaches, noisy night clubs? Well, if you are thinking of La Palma, you are definitely barking up the wrong tree because the only place you will find a crowd is in the banana plantations.

The fifth largest of the Canary Islands, it sits to the north west of its larger and busier sisters. Bobbing about in the Atlantic Ocean, there is nothing between it and Florida to the west - except for an awful lot of water.

And that is what makes La Palma the perfect place to be – in the middle of nowhere – a place that is secretly hidden from the masses. As she serenely sits, the jewel in the crown with mountainous cloaks in shades of aching green, awesome, amazing and astonishing are the words you are most likely think.

For such a quiet place, there is plenty to do. Known as a walking destination, your legs may just ache a little but I promise you, you will not be bored. Add to that swimming and cycling, sight-seeing and culture and you have an experience to remember.

And the good old favourite which I mustn’t forget to mention. Sitting on the Patio. It is practically a sport in itself and much to be recommended: Simply doing Nothing.