When the ferry arrived on El Hierro, the least populous of the Canary Islands was completely covered in darkness. I haven’t seen a star-spangled sky like that in a very long time. 
I left the port and followed the main road towards the plateau in the center of the island. The air seemed so fresh. A mix of moisture and the smell of herbs made me deeply inhale. This felt great for my weakened lungs.
Instead of straying in the dark, I simply spent the night in a quiet parking area behind San Andrés. In the morning, I woke up by the sounds of birds and the bells hanging on some goats’ necks.
The goats seemed to enjoy good food on that field. Inspired by the smell of the herbs and the bells of the goats, I walked into the calm village and bought a local queso fresco de cabra. Delicious!
A lot of nature, quiet villages, small shops and markets selling local food: This island seemed perfect to recover from my cold that I had to deal with on Tenerife.
Exploring the south
I spent my first workday on a small gravel platform that was surrounded by palm trees and other plants.
The platform was located near Mirador de Isora which provided a nice view over Las Playas.
After spending two days on the plateau, I wanted to enjoy a refreshing bath in the ocean again and drove to Playa de Tacorón. When I arrived in the evening, the ocean was really calm. The water was completely flat.
First thing in the morning was a refreshing bath in the natural pool.
Unfortunately, a gigantic rock completely blocked all network signals, so I had to leave the bay to work somewhere else.
A few kilometers away and 960 meters above sea level, I found a quiet and sunny spot in the countryside where my antennas received proper signals.
The further I drove into the southwest, the less developed the island became.
The roads and paths were steep and curvy, so I moved very slowly. Perfect to enjoy this calm area.
Some paths led to dead ends or where locked like this one:
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed my little excursions in the evenings. Still looking for a nice spot at the ocean with network connectivity, I ended up at the recreational area of Muelle de Orchilla in the southwest of the island.
The landscape around the recreational area reminded me of the desert on Fuerteventura.
Unfortunately, I could only spent the night at this peaceful place and had to leave in the morning again. There was no connection. No internet, no work. The southwestern part of El Hierro seemed perfect for a vacation off the grid but less suited for a working nomad like me.
Relaxing in El Hierro’s natural pools
As soon as I passed the southwestern cape, I was able to receive network signals at the beaches again.
The weather at Arenas Blancas was very rough, so I drove further headed toward Las Puntas. It took me multiple days to drive 25km along the coast. All these amazing natural pools invited me to stay for a night.
I usually took a bath during my lunch break and moved to the next pool in the evening after work.
My absolute favorite was Piscina Natural La Maceta. I had a nice view over the ocean from the parking lot.
While I was working during high tide, the pool was filled up with fresh water.
And after work during low tide, I could enjoy a relaxing bath in the clear and calm water.
I really liked that place and spent a couple of days there.
Visiting Pozo de las Calcosas
After spending relaxed days at the pools along the west coast, I ended up at Pozo de las Calcosas one of El Hierro’s most unique villages. The village was only accessible by walking down the cliffs.
All houses were built of stone and looked very ancient.
I didn’t meet any people while strolling though the tiny alleys. So, maybe people live seasonally in these authentic houses?
Hiking in the center of El Hierro
El Hierro seemed like a little paradise. I felt recovered and was ready for some hiking trips during the weekend. My first hike led me through volcanic rocks along the north coast.
When I explored the center of the island, the scenery completely changed. From Mirador de Jinama I enjoyed a stunning view over the west coast where I had enjoyed the natural pools the week before.
I walked through moist forests covered in moss,
and volcanic gravel
on the way to Pico de Malpaso, the highest peak of the island.
Wow! I was really impressed by the diversity of this little island. Deserts, volcanos, forests, green fields, calm bays, rough coasts, several natural pools and a bunch of lovely villages, all packed into 268.7 km². Amazing!