El Cedro Forest (Bosque de El Cedro)

The heart of the Garajonay National Park's laurisilva forest, El Cedro is the densest and most atmospheric section of the ancient laurel forest. Despite its name, there are no cedars in this forest — the name El Cedro is likely a corruption of "El Cedazo" (The Sieve), referring to the way the forest filters water from the trade wind clouds. The forest floor is a dense carpet of ferns, and the canopy of twisted laurel trees (Laurus novocanariensis) and tree heaths (Erica arborea) is draped in lichens and mosses. A stream — the source of the island's main water supply — flows through the forest year-round. The **Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Lourdes** (hermitage chapel) sits in a clearing in the forest, a pilgrimage site for Gomerans. The **Tunnel of El Cedro** is a remarkable engineering feature — a 120-metre-long tunnel carved through the mountain to divert water. The forest is accessed via trail S-37 from Hermigua (approximately 8 km, moderate difficulty).