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La Palma Photo Adventure
  • RobCowell
Aug – Sep 2024

La Palma Photo Adventure

Many people do not know where the island of La Palma is, or that it is one of the darkest places on Earth, a night sky observers dream location. There are also extinct volcanoes too, so follow me to discover this magical land where sleep is optional. Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 29, 2024
    RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Plenty of time for a bite to eat and a coffeeI thought the clouds looked nice as we climbed above themIf you zoom in you can see Poole harbour and how large an area it coversWe approach La Palma - not liking the cloud but at least the tops of mountains are clearA quick pizza before driving to my apartment

    It Starts at an Airport

    August 29, 2024 in England ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Not all adventures start at an airport, but this one does and it is Gatwick North Terminal this time. I'll let you guess the airline. 😄

    My adventures in La Palma are night-time based so I'm hoping for clear skies. This means late nights, aka early mornings, and becoming nocturnal for a week. There will be photography too so you can pretty much guess that stars and a galaxy will be involved throughout. The skies are beautifully dark and there are extinct and not so extinct volcanoes here too.

    The journey to Gatwick was easy, as was check-in and security and now you don't have to fetch things out of your bags for the scanner. Laptops and everything can be left inside, but you still have to empty your pockets though, and walk through the body scanner with your trousers around your ankles ... belts in the tray please.

    The only hiccup was the flight delay, but it wasn't horrendous and didn't affect things for my arrival in La Palma. I still had time for a quick supermarket shop and a meal before the 45 minute drive to my apartment.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Such a brilliant view
    A slightly wider shot than the first one

    Apartment with a View

    August 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Having got to sleep a lot later than I expected, it was a slightly later breakfast whilst admiring the view from my balcony, or maybe it's a patio really. But why was I so late to bed?

    I arrived much later than expected last night, due to the delayed flight, then once I unloaded the car and sorted myself out it was even later. I didn't just want to go to sleep though, because from my patio the sky was pretty clear. There were a few scattered clouds but the Milky Way shone brightly, so I set up a tripod, grabbed a camera and poured a coffee. What else could I do? It was therefore much later for sleep time than expected.

    As you can see, today is bright and sunny so I am hopeful it stays that way for the rest of my time here. That's not the forecast however ... not rainy or horrid though, just varied levels of cloud.

    The photos are of my apartment view, as if you can't guess, and I'm surrounded by bananas. Yep, you read that correctly. 😄

    (I'll post the photo I took when I can)    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Zoom in to see the black 'river'
    Tazacorte is very close so residents must have been worriedThe lave covered a large areaThe new volcano dominates the landscape nowNot a brilliant photo from the phone but you get the idea

    A Changing Landscape

    August 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    The lead photo of this footprint makes you think it's just another shot from the patio. Almost, it's taken from the end of mine looking across the patio of apartment 2. It is more than a patio shot though, as the other photos show. It's a great view though and prominently you can see two old volcanic cones which were created a long time ago. If you zoom in and look around them you will see what looks like a black 'river' flowing between them. That is no river, however, it is black solidified lava from La Palma's most recent Tajagaite eruption ... in September 2021. There was an eruption in 1971, 20 km from this one, so the Earth is still active here.

    As you scroll though the photos, take time to zoom in and look at the extent of what happened here. It was clearly a major event with houses lost, people displaced and roads buried.

    You can see the main town of Tazacorte, which isn't all that far away from the destruction, so the residents must have been very worried. During the eruption the view from this apartment would have been spectacular. The edge of the lava field is only a ten minute drive from here and that's not very far at all.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure

    Mirador el Time

    August 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The day so far has been at a gentle pace. I drove down to the port and beach and strolled around the village there. It's not big enough to call it a town but there are restaurants, shops and parking is free. I forgot to take photos here so maybe I'll get some later in the week. I just explored a bit aimlessly if I'm honest, but I knew I would be up late tonight so I wanted to pace myself.

    My destination this evening is a 50km (31 mile) drive along winding roads with hairpin bends galore, which translates to a 1hr 20m drive not including this stop, Mirador el Time, which is a viewpoint with a stunning view about 15 minutes into the journey.

    There's plenty to see, including where I'm staying hidden amongst the bananas and that means you can't actually see the building. It's there of course so I've marked the location with arrows.

    The first and last photos once again clearly show how the new volcano dominates the scene. Note those clouds too which roll over the mountains from the east. The east side of the island receives the prevailing wind, the clouds form then build up, spilling over the mountain ridge and continuing west ... over me! This means the west side of La Palma is typically the sunniest.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    The Visitor's Centre with a backdrop of cloud
    There are quite a few observations hereSome are quite differentThe MAGIC telescope - I like this one

    Top of the Island

    August 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The real climb to the top of La Palma lies ahead and, currently, starts by negotiating major roadworks where the speed limit is 20kph, about 12mph. After that it is up, up, up, driving along roads where straight bits are a relief. Thank goodness my car is automatic because that takes the strain and leaves me to concentrate on negotiating some very tight and steep hairpin bends, particularly in the final run up to the top. As I drove up through the clouds there was fine rain for a while, but at the top brilliant sunshine and a clear sky was the reward. The drive up was completely worth it, except later I must drive down of course!

    As you can see, the sky is so blue and when you reach the top, travelling from the east, the first view is of the observatories there. Actually, the first building is the Visitor's Centre with a turning a little further on where you drive past the observatories to get to the highest point, the Roque de Los Muchachos. I didn't go there because soon the barrier would close - you are not allowed to drive that road at night because car headlights would be a nuisance.

    The last photo is of the MAGIC telescope: Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov (Telescope). There are two of these next to each other and you can see the back of the other one at the right of photo 3.

    I admired the views here then continued on to find my photo location for tonight and to watch the sunset.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    It's amazing being above the clouds
    A wonderful experience being thereSuch lovely coloursThe light and colour is amazing2

    Sunset

    August 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    The sunset is fabulous here as you can see and with that cloud inversion creating a false sea, it is magical to experience. Sunlight reflects on the cloud tops and changes colour constantly. It was so peaceful here as I stood alone amongst all the beauty around me, with noone else around.

    I could never tire of a scene such as this, with the gradual change of colour tones in the sky as twilight progresses. I think seeing the observatory silhouetted (photo 5) just sets the whole surreal scene. The last photo shows my location for photographs tonight.

    What you don't see is the clouds moving - I don't mean in these photos, I mean as you look at the view with your eyes. I've therefore included a 12 second timelapse showing the scene over a period of around 14 minutes. Enjoy.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Other photographers arrived and parked close by
    The Milky Way is easily visible to our eyesAfter processing this will look very different

    The First Night

    August 30, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    After sunset there is a little time to wait for it to get completely dark, which is when the sun goes below the horizon such that there is absolutely no afterglow left in the sky. At the moment that is 10pm so this is when the heavens start shining at their clearest and brightest. It's also best when there is no moon and that is why I'm here this week.

    I therefore had time to choose my spot and get my gear ready. It is very dark here so it was a little annoying that after a few minutes the batteries in my head torch failed and spares were at the apartment. 😳🙄 I managed though, as over time I've learned to work my cameras by touch and my phone was to hand in any case. I work mostly in the dark anyway.

    The sky was fabulous and it's hard to describe just how clearly visible the Milky Way is here, and how sharp and bright the stars are. You can see so many more stars here than we see back home.

    Once I started taking photos I was lost into another world and was amazed to discover it was suddenly 3am and time to drive back. It was a long drive but I was pretty much the only car, making negotiating all those bends much easier in the dark.

    I arrived back safely and sleep arrived around 5am.

    The photos in this footprint are clearly not taken on my phone. I haven't properly processed these yet, meaning the final versions will hopefully be better, but they give some idea of what I was doing until so late. To get good results, there's a lot more to this than taking a single photo of a scene.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Quite cloudy today so the only option is go above them again

    A Very Short Day

    August 31, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    The reality, of course, is that this day is no different from any other day, length wise, but for me it was very short in terms of daylight. After being out for so long last night, which included roughly three hours of concentrated driving plus five hours working the cameras, once I fell asleep I was well out of it and slept heavily until almost midday.

    I dragged myself out of bed, made a coffee, had breakfast, made another coffee, then I just had to take a sneaky look at the photos from last night.

    As you can see, it is cloudy today so I am happy to be doing this if I'm honest. I hope to head back up those roads again tonight so have no desire for rushing around.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    I always like to include the car in a photo 😄
    Instead of the car, how about Tajenastes plants for a foreground - those on the leftThis driver sat there for ages with headlights on 🤯The view on the camera screenThe photo off the camera still needs processing properlyThis is what happens when a car drives by, so patience is neededAn unprocessed photo though I have lightened the foreground for youDriving back and once again, no other cars around

    Another Long Night

    August 31, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Funnily enough, the drive to these highest roads was pretty much the same as yesterday, but now I have arrived a little later and just in time to see the last of the sunset. It's colder tonight too, but not by much - it's the wind chill really.

    I have decided to head for the same location because that viewpoint is so good and having checked my photos I want to try again. Not that yesterday's were rubbish, I simply want to experience that again. Sad, or what!

    There are more people and cars tonight but that doesn't mean it's crowded up here, but when a car passes it does ruin things and you have to retake the photo. I'm sure I will have ruined a photo when I arrived and parked. The photos give examples of this and it's no problem, until someone just parks for ages and can't be bothered to turn off their headlights. This is so annoying because it ruins everyone's night vision. To keep it, we work in the dark as much as possible and use red head torches when needed.

    I guess the photos tonight look a bit samey, but I have other compositions which I'll process when I'm home.

    So, another long night and again it was 5am before I slept. The photography bit is fine, it's the almost 90 minutes drive back that drains what energy remains, but I'm loving it, especially as it warmed up when the wind dropped.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Looks a good spot for a meal and it was too
    Smoked salmon: yummy and loads of it too, or at least there was!

    Busy Doing Nothing Much

    September 1, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The pattern today is the same as yesterday, with me completely out of it until lunchtime, then breakfast, coffee, check photos, sort myself out then decide what to do. Just how long should that take? Well, it's got to mid-afternoon and a spiral of indecision about should I stay here or should I go ... somewhere? Lethargy is the word of the moment.

     I took swift action and in a flash of inspiration I put the cushion on the sun lounger and settled down to read my book. See, I can make a decision when needed. 😂 Later, a stroll to investigate the bananas was a task which, you understand, is a very important thing to undertake. I made an astounding discovery too: once you've seen one bunch of green bananas, you've seen them all. No photos I'm afraid as they'd just send you bananas.

    This first footprint photo of today, then, starts in the restaurant on my way out to my photo location for tonight. This will satisfy my daughter who has been known to ask why I don't photograph my meals. I do, but they are always half eaten and the photo in this footprint makes no exception. 🤣    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    2Photo of the screen on my camera
    As photo 1 and clearly shows the tops of the trees out of focus due to the windA great view with The Plough clearly visibleMaybe I should give up and just use auto settings 🫣An easier drive back this time but that's not snow, it's black volcanic sand reflecting the lightThis is the route to my apartment - narrow, with a steep drop to the right at one point

    Mirador Astronómico del Llano del Jable

    September 1, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    My location tonight is a viewpoint at around 1200m, about 4000ft. The translation is 'Astronomical Observatory of Llano del Jable' but let's stick with 'a viewpoint created for viewing the stars with information boards and a pointer to show where Polaris, the North Star, is located.' 😳 It's half the altitude from my previous two nights which is enough to get above some of the clouds, but no guarantee you avoid the high flying ones.

    Two things were evident when I arrived: the number of people there (a photo workshop group were just finishing) and the strong wind. It was really blowy. The first photo shows the lights from the group and both the first photos show how the wind is blowing the trees. I thought my tripod would blow over at one point. Soon the group left and I was alone.

    Photo 3 is the view back towards Tazacorte with the cloud hanging in the valley plus, you can see a well known constellation too. The last photo was taken when I accidentally turned the dial on my camera to automatic. It looks great doesn't it, until you look closely and see the trees are kind of mushy. It has impact though, I'm sure you agree.

    Then the cloud arrived and with the wind blowing volcanic sand at me, I decided to leave. I got a few photos though, so I was happy. It was another late night though.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    These lava flows are from 1941 I thinkYou can see the dead trees on the slopes up thereA great view towards the caldera and the Roque de Los MuchachosI think that's roughly where I was during the first two nightsThis is a great place to stay I think2That volcano must have been stunning during the eruption

    Out for a Drive

    September 2, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    I knew I would be up late again tonight but wanted to check out where the lava had flowed during the last eruption. I've neglected to take photos for you so hopefully before I leave I'll take some. What I can say, however, is that it is unbelievable how much lava flowed down towards the sea. They have rebuilt main roads already and as you drive through the freshly created land you cannot fail to be amazed. In places it must be at least twenty to thirty feet deep, perhaps more.

    The main photos in this footprint are of the lava fields created in 1941 and they also cover a large area. After the recent eruption I believe the road must have been redone given it looks so new, plus the area looks like it is covered in black ash. I loved this little drive of discovery and the weather was so nice too.

    I realise I haven't let you see the outside of my villa, so the last two photos here reveal all. Villa sounds so much nicer than apartment, don't you think. 😉    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    I like this but it needs processing properly - the lighthouse is banana shaped! 🫣😄
    This is the best I could do using my phoneSuch clear skies tonight1This was taken first, with that old volcanic cone for a foreground - work in progress

    South of the Island

    September 2, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    The most southern town here is Fuencaliente and this is where I have chosen to eat before heading for my photo location. It's around half an hour from the apartment. The problem is that it's Monday and Google doesn't say the restaurants are closed here on Mondays. Oh dear ! 😥 A supermarket is therefore my restaurant so I can't say that healthy eating is the order of tonight. Crisps, cheese slices, a cereal bar and a Kitkat with apple juice as a chaser. 🤷🏼

    The light was rapidly fading so I headed down towards the lighthouse, not quite at the most southerly point, but almost. My first photo of the night was not to be there however, because I wanted to get a photo of the Milky Way with a volcanic cone as a foreground. Hopefully what I captured will work, with the last photo here a bit of a preview.

    The main subject for the night is the lighthouse with the main photo perhaps showing why. I had a great time here and that photograph, when I've processed it properly, will undoubtedly be a favourite. It's ideal for the preview photo of this trip, even as it is, so I've already made it just that, as you can see.

    Once again it was a very late return with me feeling very tired as I fell into bed. Or maybe it was the lack of food today - I'm not sure what I've eaten would keep a mouse alive. Squeak!    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure

    A Quiet Day

    September 3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Oh my goodness am I worn out this morning. I appear to have forgotten that I'm no longer in my twenties and that repeatedly staying out all night does take its toll, and today that toll is definitely being taken. I am reminded that this is a holiday and as such, there is no compulsion to work myself to death or induce total exhaustion. I therefore planned no nighttime photography and made sure I had a relaxing time today, spending a lovely evening in the port of Tazacote. I neglected to photograph this the other day so this footprint makes up for that. No captions to the photos, just views from this evening.

    Having enjoyed my meal, followed by a pleasant stroll, I headed back to my luxurious villa, where the wind was fierce and the plastic chairs had migrated to the parking area. I still admired the view though, whilst my hair was being torn from my scalp. 😂 Then I had an idea.

    The video at the end is the result - a half hour timelapse showing the view. Half an hour reduced to 24 seconds.

    There is actually quite a lot to see, so you may want watch it a few times. First, those clouds look great don't they. Then there's the stars - looks how far they move in just half an hour, much further than we see in England. That's because at my latitude here, level with Africa, the Earth's circumfrance is greater so I'm therefore travelling much faster than in England as the Earth rotates ie: the stars move faster across the sky. Finally, look for the moving headlights of the cars and how some of them zig-zag around as they manoeuvre all those bends. Fascinating. Hope you enjoy it.

    (If reading this on a phone or tablet then turn it sideways to watch the video. You see more detail.)    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Thoughtful design makes a huge difference
    Photos in the last footprint shows these lights near the restaurants. The LED light is enclosed.1These point downwards and increase in brightness as you walk past

    Streetlights and Parking

    September 3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    You may think it weird this footprint has the title it has. I guess it is weird, but I wanted to take a moment to compare the street lighting in La Palma, to the absolute calamity we must suffer in England.

    Councils have just spent many millions installing brand new LED lighting in villages, towns and cities. Millions. They had a perfect opportunity to do that with intelligence and careful planning, but instead they paid the electric companies to install brighter lighting that creates intensely white light, harming the nocturnal patterns of all living things. Though I accept that many do spill less light towards the sky, they are still way brighter than needed, in my opinion of course. This will never change now, the opportunity for a better and correct solution is lost.

    In La Palma pretty much all the lights are amber and are much less harsh to our eyes and the surroundings. Further, they are designed to deliver light downwards and are only sufficiently bright to do what is needed. We are not talking hugely dim here and you don't walk around feeling unsafe or that everywhere is way too dark. Not at all, it's actually really nice.

    There's is more. Many street lights react to passing people or traffic and increase their brightness for a short time, before reducing their light level afterwards. All this is easily doable, makes the environment a better place to live and has the benefit of maintaining dark skies. Clearly, this concept is beyond the mental abilities of planning departments in Britain. Rant over. 😂

    Oh, and the parking? It's all free here, no Ringos, PaybyPhone or machines, no pay and display ... nothing. Our councils can't even agree to use one parking payment system - they do in Iceland! While we're at it, there are no potholes here either. Nor in Iceland come to think of it.

    It's okay - that really is it, so I'll stop moaning now. 😂😂😂    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Loads of bananas - they obviously just keep plantain them
    No land left un-banana'dToo much cloud for photographyShock horror - noone has taken a bite from this one

    A Disappointing Day

    September 4, 2024 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    I realise it's not a great title for a footprint, but today didn't work out how I planned.

    My aim was to look for astro locations along the north west part of the island. I would have loved to revisit the highest peaks but that would mean a very late affair and tomorrow morning I must pack and leave my penthouse villa. 😁 I therefore needed a good location about 45 minutes away maximum.

    I checked out a couple of great places but didn't take photos as I thought I'd be back again later. But the cloud cover got worse and as time ticked by, it looked as though it would be a no-go for astrophotography this evening, so I drove back to the bananas. The last night too. 😥

    The photos here are of Tazacorte town, rather than the port, where I enjoyed a pizza and a stroll around afterwards. It's a nice place, with narrow streets and, naturally, bananas galore. The first three photos are testament to that.

    No star photos tonight then, but sometimes things can't always work out as you want them to. Nice pizza though, making three since I've been away. I'll become a Ninja Turtle soon. 🙄😂    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure

    A Great Place to Stay

    September 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    In case you're itching to see what my accommodation looked like inside then this photo sums it up. I've just packed and put things how I found them.

    There's a twin bedded room to the left and the bathroom with shower to the right. The thing sticking out bottom right is a settee that can be convert to a bed.

    This was all just perfect for my needs. I've loved it here.    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    Close call for the property, the road buried
    I do love a good volcanic sceneI'm at the official viewpoint here, which I think was also official during the eruptionThat lava doesn't originate from the coneYou can see how the gases and heat have killed the trees up there2Zoom in to see the fallen tree, but one close by is alive and healthy'For your security, access is not allowed'Not far to go before those buildings would be buried

    Aftermath of the Eruption

    September 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    In an earlier footprint I said I'd get some photos showing the impact of the volcanic eruption in 2021. Here they are.

    The other day, seemingly ages ago, I was on the other side of the flow so I was happy to view the solidified river of lava from the northern side.

    It's impressive to see but if I lived in those properties I would have been seriously worried. It really is deep so imagine the heat given off as that lava made it's way past here. I'm sure they had been evacuated of course. They probably ran like crazy. It was annoying that access was restricted (those signs and fences) as I felt compelled just to touch this newly born land. Not sure why, but I was good and didn't.

    One thing I realised from being close up and on this side of the flow, is it doesn't look as though the lava came from that cone. There must be more that can't be seen from here and when I was at Mirador Astronómico del Llano del Jable, which is above the eruption site, access is restricted from there too. That's so annoying, but I must find out where the flow actually originated. Hello Google.

    Anyway, I hope you enjoy seeing these photos.

    [Edit: This web site has some great photos from October 2021: https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2021/10/photo… ]    Read more

  • RobCowellTravelerLa Palma Photo Adventure
    From where I was, the caldera drops away4The labels hopefully give perspectiveThe Volcano Route is the red line running the length of that ridge

    The End of the Adventure

    September 5, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Well, not quite the end because my very last stop, before a garage to fill the car with fuel, is to the Centro de Visitantes de La Caldera de Taburiente, or the Taburiente Caldera Visitor's Centre, but I guess you worked that out. 🤭

    The caldera is the great chunk that's missing from the top half of La Palma and it is it's highest ridge where I was taking photos those first two nights. It's a protected National Park.

    I really enjoyed my time at the Centre. The exhibition is very well done, but I was fascinated with the model of the island which shows the main roads and the many walking routes. It's a walkers paradise here though some of the walks are hard and not for the faint hearted. There is one which is about 18km - The Volcano route. There is another which skims the edge of the caldera, past where I stood with my camera. Fancy doing them?

    But now it's time to go to the airport and wing my way home. Actually, with luck maybe I'm in a seat like everyone else!

    I hope you have enjoyed this adventure with me and that my never-ending words and photos have brought some enjoyment to your days. I've loved this trip even though at times it has felt exhausting. Hopefully I'll have photos to be proud of.

    Thanks again for travelling with me and I hope you will join me for the next one.    Read more

    Trip end
    September 5, 2024
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