El Sabinar

On the exposed western plateau of El Hierro, the smallest and least visited of the main Canary Islands, stands a grove of Juniperus turbinata that has been shaped by wind rather than by growth: the trade winds blow across the plateau with such persistence that the trees have been forced down and around until several are bent almost horizontally, with trunks twisted through half a circle, some estimated at several centuries old. One tree in particular, arched almost to the ground, has become the island's emblem and appears on its tourism material. The site is reached by an unsurfaced track across open ground with no shelter. Nearby stands the Ermita de la Virgen de los Reyes, the focus of a pilgrimage held every four years.

What you actually see

• The bent junipers - trees forced almost horizontal by constant wind.
• The emblem tree - one arched specimen used as the island's symbol.
• The exposed plateau - open ground with no shelter across La Dehesa.
• The Virgen de los Reyes hermitage - a pilgrimage chapel on the same plateau.

When to go

Year-round; the wind that shaped the trees blows in every season and is the defining condition. Cloud frequently covers the plateau. Sunset from the nearby viewpoint over the sea is the usual timing.

Honest expectations

The access track is unsurfaced and rough, uncomfortable in a small car. There is no shade or shelter and the wind is constant. El Hierro is remote, reached by ferry or a short flight from Tenerife, with few services.

Nearby

The Mirador de Bascos and La Dehesa are on the same plateau; Frontera and El Golfo lie east.