La Palma - Outline description of each days geology
The overall plan is to come to an understanding of the geology of La Palma in particular and volcanoes in general. We will also have the opportunity to gain an impression of the two sciences that interface with the opposite ends of geology, that is astronomy and archaeology.
El Time mirador
This excellent viewpoint on the west coast gives us a semi aerial view of the lower part of the Barranco de las Angustias. To the east we can see the giant collapse embayment and the north-south spine of the island, the volcan Cumbre Vieja. To the south are cinder cones and lava flows.
Barranco de las Angustias
This is our opportunity to examine the geology of the seamount which forms the basement complex of the island and contains its oldest rocks
Cumbreceita
We have 2 hours to explore the spectacular views from the southern lip of the caldera. There are clear views of the seamount, phonolitic domes, dikes and much more. We can observe the interaction of the volcan Bejenado with volcan Taburiente. If nothing else this is a beautiful spot.
The National Park visitors’ centre has an excellent range of displays of the geology and natural history of the island.
The Isaac Newton Group of telescopes
The slow ride up to over 2400m will give us plenty of opportunity to see the quite lush vegetation on the eastern side of the island that is exposed to the prevailing winds. Sheila will be our guide on this leg of the visit.
There is, of course, some interesting geology up here too. Weather permitting, we will walk to the Roque del Espigon to view the interior of the caldera and also some of the most recent eruptive deposits from volcan Taburiente.
Although this is a sightseeing/culture day, which Sheila will lead, we will see the Calderetta, a phreato-magmatic crater just north of our hotel base.
The lava flows from the 1949 eruption high on the Cumbre Vieja were very fluid and reached the sea near Todoque. On the way they produced some extensive lava tubes, which we will visit. Due to limitations on numbers visiting the tubes at any one time we shall split the party in two and one half will see where the lava flowed over the former sea cliff. We will then take lunch at the Secadero or drying house before swapping over.
Quite a range of activities today starting with the fumeroles and cinder cones of volcan Teneguia, which erupted in 1971. We shall also visit a nearby hotspring which has only recently been rediscovered.
Our final visit takes us from geology to archaeology at Belmaco where we will see how the pre-Spanish inhabitants of the island adapted themselves to their volcanic environment and left behind some fascinating artefacts.