Pozo de las Calcosas

Pozo de las Calcosas

Pozo de las Calcosas is a small fishermen village in the northwest of El Hierro. It is part of El Mocanal in the municipality of Valverde. Pozo de las Calcosas is known for having a number of small and authentic houses right on the coast. There is also a lovely natural sea pool. Read about this special village and our visit in this blog.

During the week that we stayed in Echedo on the north side of El Hierro we also visited Pozo de las Calcosas. From Echedo it is a short 10 minute drive, you just drive down the road to the coast. There is only one road to Pozo de las Calcosas and that is the sometimes winding and steep HI-100. You can take this one from the main road HI-5 that runs from the capital Valverde to the north coast.

When you drive down the HI-100 you will see Pozo de las Calcosas in the distance below on the coast and you immediately see how beautiful it is. When you enter the village you first enter the part that is on top of the cliff. There are some houses that look traditional and they are located on the high part of the village. At the end of the road there is a viewpoint with fantastic views of the coastline to both the west and east. When the sea is rough, you will be able to see the waves crashing on the vulcanic rocks along the coast. From the viewpoint you can immediately see that there are also a small number of houses down at the coast. These are located in the middle of the old lava flows. And there is a great natural sea pool where you can swim in.

Authentic houses

There are some real authentic houses at the coast in Pozo de las Calcosas

From the viewpoint it is a steep path of a few hundred meters down to the village below and the swimming pool. Just before the village at the end of the path there is even a beautiful work of art. It was created by Ruben Armiche Benitez, of which more other very interesting works can be found on the island. The work in Pozo de las Calcosas is a "found" Neptune made of recycled materials.

Great artwork

There is even a great piece of art in Pozo de las Calcosas created by Ruben Armiche Benitez

In the village at the bottom of the coast, the houses are mostly built with vulcanic rocks and some of these houses are semi-open and without a real roof. Most of these small houses are used as holiday cottages for weekends or a weeks away. But we have been told that a number of people also live here. The last of these houses are on the coast right near the platforms where you can sit, lie and sunbathe. These platforms are made of stone tiles or concrete but that does not matter. Lay down your towel and enjoy the views, the nice weather and the sea pool.

During our visit the sea was quite rough and that made for beautiful scenes. The coast consists of vulcanic rocks and cliffs. When the sea is rough and the waves are high, it provides a beautiful spectacle. Wave after wave hits the rocks and cliffs and the water can splash up in the air for tens of meters. We just can't get enough of this, you keep looking at it and take pictures of this beautiful natural force.

Rough sea and waves

The rough sea creates beautiful scenes with the waves splashing at the rocks and cliffs

Of course you also have to swim in the wonderful natural sea pool. You can walk to it from the platforms and you can enter the swimming pool via a number of stairs. The pool is approximately 40 meters by 40 meters in size, has a naturally built shape, with an edge towards the ocean at the end. When the sea is a bit rough, the waves roll in over this edge into the pool. That is a beautiful sight and a wonderfully fresh experience. The sea actually provides a continuous supply of fresh seawater. But there is also a system that ensures that the water supply and drainage are regulated. A number of pipes have been installed between the sea and the pool to ensure this. But you only notice that when you swim near the edge near the ocean.

The visit to Pozo de las Calcosas got an extra dimension because a group of super friendly young people from Tenerife were flying a drone. They were playing and experimenting a bit with the drone when Geert was actually the only one swimming in the pool. Andrea, the pilot and camerawoman at the time, made some super nice photos and videos of Geert in the pool. That was a very nice bonus to an otherwise wonderful afternoon.

Natural sea pool

Enjoy a swim in the brilliant and super fresh natural sea pool

Pozo de las Calcosas is a lovely village on El Hierro. You can enjoy the beautiful views along the coast, admire the village in all its authenticity, swim in the natural sea pool and of course fish, although we are not fishing enthusiasts ourselves. Pozo de las Calcosas should not be missed when visiting El Hierro. In any case, we had a great afternoon there.

For more photos and information about Pozo de las Calcosas, check out our Instagram posts and our Polarsteps page!

Ella & Geert.