Roque Faro in the north of La Palma is a curious place, although that hardly differentiates it from anywhere else on la Palma. Although perhaps Roque Faro is more curious than most.
Nothing more than a handful of houses and buildings nestling among the pine trees, it lies just off the LP1 main road which goes right around the island and is therefore very easy to find. But then when you do find it, via any one of its three entrance roads, you suddenly find yourself back on the LP1 again, as if rejected as being unworthy. So you might go round again and have another go, assuming you have missed the centre. In fact, one couple did stop us once and ask, 'Where is Roque Faro,' to which we had great pleasure telling them that they were in it and this
was the centre.'
Yes, you could say that Roque Faro is something of a one-horse town. Or should that be a two-chicken town.
And yet, it does have a plethora of non-residential buildings, especially considering that the couple of roads in Roque Faro itself only manage to muster around six houses. At one end, there is a pension (hostel) with seven rooms for rent. Seven rooms is an awful lot for these parts where pine trees out number people by about a million to one. But if you are looking for seriously budget accommodation in the north of La Palma, this could be the place. I can imagine that it used to be very popular when transport was rather more gruelling than it is in these days because Roque Faro is the first habitation you will find after Barlovento having come along the old road. Then it really was a 'light of the rock' as its name means, especially as Roque Faro can be swathed in clouds as it lies at 100m above sea level. But now unfortunately, 99% of the time the pension door is closed.
Below the pension rooms, there is a large bar restaurant which is also usually closed - but we did once eat there!
And then there is the church. This is a sweet little building and is actually very new having been constructed only a couple of years ago.
Just across the road incidentally you might notice a clearing among some truly huge pine trees and this is where the annual fiesta is held with live music and mobile bars drafted in to help mop up the extra customers.
At the other end of the short road which only has three houses on it, one of which appears to be a cross between a village hall and storage for tools belonging to council workers, there is the bar/restaurant, Los Reyes which is very much open (except Mondays) and is very popular. It also acts as a bit of a shop where you can buy bread - which is a common system on La Palma - and you could ask there if you are trying to get a room at the pension.
And while you are there, maybe try a bit of goat, rabbit or pork cooked over a log fire and the local tea wine (pronounced 'tee-ah' and absolutely nothing do with Tetley's). The wine has a very distinct flavour and if you are considering having a bottle with your meal, I suggest you try a glass of it first. But even the bar itself is worth a look with its wooden shuttered windows and lovely old glass-fronted cupboards bursting with bottles of wine and other essential such as toilet rolls.
Yes, curious. And yes, worth the tiny detour involved.
