Pozo de la Salud
Pozo de la Salud
During our 5 weeks at El Hierro we spent 1 week in Pozo de la Salud. El Pozo de la Salud (official name) is a source of healing and medicinal water on the far west side of the north coast of the island. It is part of the village of Sabinosa, the only population on the western part of El Hierro. Sabinosa is not at sea level but at an altitude of 300m and a 2km drive from Pozo de la Salud. In Pozo de la Salud, few people live in as many houses. Read in this blog about Pozo de la Salud, the history and the great week we experienced there.
El Pozo de la Salud is originally a source of water that was drilled in the 17th century to supply the inhabitants of Sabinosa with water. At that time and in the centuries that followed, El Hierro was already ravaged by drought and people started looking for alternatives to get water. The water was consumed by both humans and animals in the first period. And it soon became apparent that people who drank the water from this well had better health.
Pozo de la Salud
Pozo de la Salud is located at the end of Europe on the western tip of the north coast of El Hierro
In the 19th century, mineral-medicinal water also gained notoriety in the other Canary Islands. People looking for healing went to Pozo de la Salud for better health. In 1844 the water was officially declared mineral-medicinal. In the early 20th century, Jose Angel Rodrigo Vallabriga Brito managed to acquire the rights to exploit the water. From 1945 it was sold as "Aguas de Sabinosas" in bottles in shops and pharmacies. The good man also built the first spa with hot baths in Pozo de la Salud. These were abandoned after his death in 1965. In the 1970s and 1980s it was Dona Valentina who with her husband prepared hot baths in the Casa Rosa establishment. Casa Rosa is no longer in operation but it’s old remains are still half standing in Pozo de la Salud.
Casa Rosa
In Casa Rosa hot baths were prepared in the 1970s and 1980s by Dona Valentina, famous in the Canary Islands
In the 1990s, a hotel was built in Pozo de la Salud. The hotel Balneario de Pozo de la Salud is a tourist hotel but offers the possibility to take the traditional baths as well. It is currently closed (April 2021). But maintenance is being carried out and it seems to be reopening soon. Pozo de la Salud is actually almost at the end of Europe. Sabinosa and Pozo de la Salud are the last places on the western part of the island where people live. You get there by following the HI-551 road from La Frontera, the large municipality in the northern valley of the island. And if you see the end of the island in the distance, you reach Pozo de la Salud. You only see it at the coast by the sea until you're down at the exit to the place.
Hotel Balneario
Hotel Balneario de Pozo de la Salud is a popular tourist hotel that also offers wellness programs
The road then continues as the HI-500 and goes to Arenas Blancas. That's at the far western tip of the island. It is a vast area with vulcanic rock, a few small rocky beaches and especially rough cliffs. With wind from the sea, the sea here hammers against the cliffs. If you drive even further after Arenas Blancas and continue the HI-500 along the west coast, you will enter a beautiful desolate area. Here the vulcanic landscape is raw and high cliffs arise from the often rough sea. In this area you can hike fantastically where we recommend the official hiking trail SL-EH3. This is about 3km long and runs right through the vulcanic landscape along the high cliffs. The route starts at Arco de Tosca and ends at Arenas Blancas. Arco de Tosca is a rock in the form of an arch that rises towering above sea level. During the walk you will see numerous of these fantastic rocks and cliffs along the coast.
Arco de la Tosca
Arco de la Tosca is a vulcanic rock in the shape of an arch rising high above sea level
During the week we have been in Pozo de la Salud we stayed in a great accommodation. Casa de Pozo de la Salud is located at a high point in the village and is built against the vulcanic rock. It has a rooftop terrace with fantastic views over the Atlantic Ocean. Of course you can enjoy the sun and the view here and eat outside in good weather. But if it is clear at night, you can also look at the stars beautifully.
In addition to the great walk, we of course did more fun things. For example, during this week we visited Punta de Orchilla, see the special blog about this visit. But Pozo de la Salud is also a great starting point to visit El Sabinar. El Sabinar is the forest with the hanging and bending juniper trees (see also special blog). In addition, Playa Verodal, considered one of the two most beautiful beaches on the island, is a 10-minute drive on the west coast (see blog about the beaches of El Hierro).
Geert also did a beautiful hike to the Mencafete National Park. It's 800m above Sabinosa. It is a dense and green area that is so green due to the humid and often foggy conditions at this altitude in the mountains. The Fuente Mencafete is also located in the national park.
Fuente de Mencafete
Fuente de Mencafate is a natural water source in mencafate National Park
It is a natural water source that was used to supply Sabinosa with water. You can reach the Fuente by taking the short steep trails EH-1.2 and EH 1.2a from the official hiking trail EH-1. After 2km and bridging 200m height difference you reach the Fuente. When Geert was there, the spring water dripped and there was a small pool. A beautiful mysterious and green environment.
Pozo de la Salud is worth a day trip. But it is certainly also a great base to discover the western side of El Hierro extensively. In the end we had a great week!
For more photo material and information about Pozo de la Salud, Punta de Orchilla, El Sabinar and Mencafete, please visit our Instagram posts and on our Polarsteps page!
Ella & Geert.