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THE Canary Islands are one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits with Tenerife and Gran Canaria being some of the most well-known.

However, there’s one island that most won’t have visited or perhaps even heard of with ragged coastlines, black sand beaches and natural pools.

Unlike its neighbours, the island of El Hierro offers a peaceful, nature-filled break rather than one for parties and cheap bars.

Off the coast of the island are diving reserves, natural pools and further inland, you can hike up volcanic trails.

The island will be much less busy than the other Canary Islands too as it only gets between 20,000 to 30,000 visitors each year.

In comparison, Tenerife attractions around 7million tourists each year, while Gran Canaria welcomes around 4.7million.

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As Brits we often seek out sun, and El Hierro is sunny and warm for most of the year as it sits on the Morocco-Western Sahara border.

Temperatures tend not to dip below 15C and in January it can be as hot as 20C – in comparison it tends to sit between 3-6C in the UK.

Timon van Basten has lived in Spain for the last five years and works as a tour guide in the country and he recommends a trip to El Hierro.

Timon told Euro News: “The tiny, remote island has an end-of-the-world vibe with lava flows, volcanic craters, and lush cliffs plunging into the Atlantic.

“Explore at your own pace, with quaint towns, secluded beaches, and tranquil hiking trails to discover.”

When it comes to popular attractions on the island, a top one is the El Tamaduste Pool.

It’s a natural swimming pool in a sheltered bay in the village of Tamaduste.

Visitors can take a dip in the pool while being protected by the strong sea waves. Aside from swimming, visitors can also enjoy water sports like diving or paddle boarding.

Another natural pool is Charco Azul which is one of the most famous and sits on the north of the island with a huge rock acting as the barrier between the pool and the sea.

Another is the viewpoint called Mirador de la Peña which overlooks a huge landslide valley with views across the sweeping coastline.

Of course there are plenty of beaches, some of the most popular are  Playa de Tacorón, which is ideal for families.

There’s also Playa del Verodal, the largest beach the island which has incredible sunset views, but not so good for swimming due to strong currents.

There aren’t any white or golden sandy beaches on the island because of volcanic activity.

El Hierro’s sands are rich in iron, causing it to turn red, and the black granules are created from volcanic glass.

Cala de Tacorón beach is the hidden gem of the island with soft red sands and as it’s in a cove, has much calmer waves.

If you fancy getting a souvenir, there are stalls and street markets dotted around El Hierro where you can buy jewellery, homemade gifts, as well as locally produced honey, wines and cheeses.

To get to El Hierro from the UK, you’ll need to fly to another Canary Island like Tenerife or Gran Canaria and take a connecting flight.

From Tenerife to the neighbouring island, flights take just 40-minutes, or 55-minutes from Gran Canaria.

Another option is to take a connecting ferry which from Tenerife takes just over two hours.

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Robin McKelvie said: “Having first visited the Canary Islands in Spain back in 1998, I’ve been back at least once a year on holiday.

“It’s the world’s most varied archipelago – on Tenerife alone you can party at the world’s second biggest carnival, bash around the world’s best waterpark (Siam Park) and climb a mountain almost three times higher than Britain’s Ben Nevis.

“La Graciosa could be on a different planet. There are no tarmac roads, nevermind an airport.

“It’s a brilliant escape from the modern world, hiking and
cycling around rough tracks, up volcanoes and out to windswept beaches.

“You can still tuck into British comfort food across the resorts, but there is far more to savour today. Lanzarote and Gran Canaria boast Michelin star restaurants and foodies flock to Tenerife to dine at eight Michelin star restaurants.

“Tenerife boasts more Michelin stars than Wales and the Royal Hideaway Corales Resort has more stars than any hotel in Spain with four. And Tenerife just keeps winning stars. This year Il Bocconcino snared a star.

“Tenerife is not my favourite island for beaches – I prefer the third largest isle, Fuerteventura.

“The Parque Natural de Corralejo boasts mile upon mile of Sahara-esque dunes and gorgeous beaches.

“It’s just south of Corralejo, a resort popular with Brits and is
easily my favourite Canarian resort.”

For more on the best European islands for winter sun – here are all the best hidden spots on Fuerteventura that only locals know about.

And here are the best secret beaches, cheap bars serving €2 pints and hidden gems in Tenerife – as revealed by locals.

Christmas Day

Felixstowe, Suffolk
A proper community affair, with hundreds of participants resplendent in festive finery racing into the North Sea at 10am sharp while much of the town gathers along the promenade to watch. The event raises funds for St Elizabeth Hospice, and every year brings new tales of heroics and even romance (there’s been the odd mid-plunge proposal). The atmosphere is as heartwarming as the water is not. Afterwards warm up with a stroll around town, with its four-mile promenade and seafront gardens.
10am, £16, stelizabethhospice.org.uk

Penarth and Porthcawl

The Dawnstalkers meet daily to greet the sunrise with a swim beside Penarth pier, three miles south of Cardiff city centre – and Christmas morning is no exception. Anyone can join this inclusive sea-swimming collective. A wood-fired barrel sauna will be parked on the prom from 21–29 December, offering a toasty post-dip reward. The Christmas swim at Porthcawl (25 miles west along the coast) began in 1965, when local swimming legend Arlon Owens, dressed as a clown, was pushed off the pier by another dipper dressed as Father Christmas. More than a thousand swimmers – many still in fancy dress – take the plunge, raising thousands for local charities.
Penarth: 8am, free, dawnstalkers.com. Porthcawl: 11.15am (enter water at 11.45am), suggested donation £10, christmasswim.org

Peter Pan Cup, the Serpentine, Hyde Park, London

One of the UK’s oldest festive swims, the Serpentine Swimming Club’s Christmas Day race has been held in Hyde Park every Christmas morning since 1864. The event was later named for JM Barrie, who donated the first trophy in 1904. This short but speedy 100-yard race is open only to members, but spectators are encouraged to gather along the lakeside to cheer on the swimmers.
9am, serpentineswimmingclub.com

Weymouth, Dorset

Started in 1948, when pub landlord Dill Laker and taxi driver Reggie Bugler made a boozy bet to swim the harbour after Christmas Eve drinks, Weymouth has grown into one of the UK’s biggest and best-loved festive plunges. Hundreds of swimmers splash 70 metres across the harbour, cheered on by thousands of spectators, raising funds for a local disability charity. The harbour itself is pretty, but make time to stroll the huge sandy beach too, backed by colourful beach huts.
From 9.30am, £15, love-weymouth.co.uk

Hunstanton, Norfolk
One of Norfolk’s largest festive events, the swim has been running for more than 60 years. Taking place just off the town’s central promenade, it’s organised by the Hunstanton and District Round Table and supports local charities. Lots of prizes and free hot soup to warm up after.
11am (register from 10am), free, hunstantonroundtable.com

Bude, Cornwall

This legendary swim has been organised by the Bude Surf Life Saving Club at Crooklets beach for over half a century. Thousands gather to watch as swimmers – many in Santa suits – dash into the Atlantic for a short but spirited dip. It’s all for a good cause, raising funds for the life-saving club that keeps the local beaches safe year-round.
10.45am, free (donations welcome), visitbude.info

Boxing Day

Folkestone, Kent
This event brings hundreds of swimmers to Sunny Sands, cheered on by a boisterous crowd. Organised by the Folkestone, Hythe & District Lions Club, it raises funds for the Lions and other local charities. There are prizes for fancy dress and the youngest and oldest dippers.
11.30am (register from 9.30am), £10, free with sponsorship, folkestonelions.org.uk

Seaton Carew, County Durham
The North Sea isn’t exactly a welcoming proposition for a swimmer at this time of year, but that doesn’t deter hundreds from joining Hartlepool Round Table’s Boxing Day Dip. A parade sets off from the Marine Hotel on the seafront at Seaton Crew, just outside Hartlepool, before the plunge. Bacon butties and beer are available back at base afterwards.
11.30am, £5, hartlepoolroundtable.co.uk

Paignton, Devon

A Boxing Day classic, with hundreds of swimmers, many in fancy dress, gathering on Paignton Sands for the local Lions Club’s Walk into the Sea. There’s a fancy-dress competition at 11.45am before the mass dip at noon. A great way to shake off Christmas Day indulgence in this lively English Riviera town.
12pm, £10, englishriviera.co.uk

St Ives, Cornwall

Blow away the Christmas Day cobwebs with this relaxed dip on golden Porthminster beach. Wetsuits are allowed, fancy dress is encouraged and even dogs can join in. Porthminster Café keeps post-swim spirits high with hot chocolates and bacon butties. St Ives is particularly pretty in winter and the narrow cobbled streets make for pleasant festive wandering.
12pm, free, £1 donation suggested, no website

Ventnor, Isle of Wight
Once a smugglers’ haunt, Ventnor Bay now welcomes hundreds of swimmers dressed in pyjamas, tutus and rubber rings for this swim on the Esplanade. The event raises funds for local cancer charities and for Ventnor Carnival. Post swim, mulled wine and doorstop sandwiches await brave bathers at the Spyglass Inn.
12pm, free, donation suggested, on Facebook

Fraserburgh Harbour, Aberdeenshire
Few causes are closer to sea swimmers’ hearts than the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Association). The 17th annual 52-metre harbour swim will raise funds for Fraserburgh lifeboat station, with participants diving in from the side of a lifeboat and swimming across the icy water, cheered on by the whole town.
1pm, free, donation suggested, rnli.org

New Year’s Day

Salford Quays, Manchester

No seaside? No problem. Manchester swimmers can head to Dock 9 at MediaCity, a 2002 Commonwealth Games venue that hosts a New Year’s dip in 7C waters. This “big, bold and mighty cold” event, run by Uswim, raises lots of cash for local charities. With the Lowry theatre as a backdrop, three waves of swimmers enter the water at 15-minute intervals. A best-dressed hat competition adds to the fun.
11am, £25, uswimopenwater.com

Keswick, Lake District
Cumbria’s hardiest wild swimmers take to Derwentwater in fancy dress to raise funds for the Calvert Trust, which helps people with disabilities experience the outdoors. Afterwards there will be lakeside hot chocolate and cake.
11am, free, £5 donation suggested, calvertlakes.org.uk

Bangor, County Down
Swimmers plunge into Bangor’s Ballyholme Bay in fancy dress to raise funds for Cancer Focus Northern Ireland. There are prizes to be won, hot drinks and proper facilities – but no guarantee of feeling your toes afterwards. Ballyholme Yacht Club also organises a Boxing Day swim in aid of the RNLI (£5 entry) if you fancy a double whammy.
12pm, £15, cancerfocusni.org

Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
This is one of the UK’s larger New Year’s Day swims – there were 2,535 registrations on 1 January 2025. It turns 40 in 2026, with a ruby theme promising a sea of vermilion-clad dippers and plenty of sparkle in the sea.
12.30pm, £5 (£3 under-16s), saundersfootnyds.co.uk

Lyme Regis, Dorset

The Rotary Club’s Lyme Lunge fills sandy Cobb beach with wigs, wings and inflatable flamingos. Fancy dress is encouraged, fundraising optional, desire to run like a loon into the sea obligatory (though just a quick paddle will suffice). Thousands of spectators flock to the beach and gardens above it to watch the mayhem.
1pm, free, donations welcome

Loony Dook, nr Edinburgh
What began as a “hangover cure” for a few friends in 1986 is now a beloved slice of post-Hogmanay madness. The Loony Dook (dook is Scots for dip) sees hundreds of dressed-up swimmers parade through South Queensferry before plunging into the Firth of Forth.
1.30pm, free

At least 11 people have been killed and more than two dozen wounded in a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Australian officials said, adding that one of the suspected attackers was killed while another one was in critical condition.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said on Sunday, 29 people were injured, including two police officers, in what he declared a “terrorist incident”.

The shooting occurred at about 6:47pm (07:47 GMT) near the Bondi Pavilion during a Hanukkah celebration attended by more than 1,000 people, Lanyon said.

“I’ve also authorised special powers under Section 5 and Section 6 to ensure that if there is a third offender – and we are currently investigating that at the moment – we will make sure that we prevent any further activity. Section 6 allows us to investigate today’s incident,” he said.

In a televised news conference, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the deadly shooting a “targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah”.

Albanese said the “evil” that was unleashed at Bondi Beach is “beyond comprehension”.

“An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian, and every Australian tonight will be – like me – devastated by this attack on our way of life.”

One of the world’s most famous beaches, Bondi is typically crowded with locals and tourists, especially on warm weekend evenings.

Video shared on X shows the dramatic moment a bystander disarms a gunman during a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that has left a dozen people dead and injured. The suspect gets away then joins another shooter who continues firing from a bridge.

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Friday asked an appeals court to block a contempt investigation of the Trump administration for failing to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador in March.

The department also is seeking Chief Judge James Boasberg’s removal from the case, which has become a flashpoint in an escalating fight between the judiciary and the White House over court orders blocking parts of President Trump’s sweeping agenda.

The department wants the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to rule on its requests before Monday, when Boasberg is scheduled to hear testimony from a former government attorney who filed a whistleblower complaint.

Department officials claim Boasberg is biased and creating “a circus that threatens the separation of powers and the attorney-client privilege alike.”

“The forthcoming hearing has every appearance of an endless fishing expedition aimed at an ever-widening list of witnesses and prolonged testimony. That spectacle is not a genuine effort to uncover any relevant facts,” they wrote.

Boasberg, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Obama, has said that a recent ruling by the appeals court gave him the authority to proceed with the contempt inquiry. The judge is trying to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to refer the matter for prosecution.

Boasberg, who has been chief judge of the district court in Washington since March 2023, has said the Trump administration may have “acted in bad faith” by trying to rush Venezuelan migrants out of the country in defiance of his order blocking their deportations to El Salvador.

The Trump administration has denied any violation, saying the judge’s March 15 directive to return the planes was made verbally in court but not included in his written order.

Boasberg has scheduled a hearing on Monday for testimony by former Justice Department attorney Erez Reuveni, whose whistleblower complaint claims a top department official suggested the Trump administration might have to ignore court orders as it prepared to deport Venezuelan migrants.

The judge also scheduled a hearing on Tuesday for testimony by Deputy Assistant Atty. Gen. Drew Ensign. The Justice Department has said Ensign conveyed Boasberg’s March 15 oral order and a subsequent written order to the Department of Homeland Security.

“This long-running saga never should have begun; should not have continued at all after this Court’s last intervention; and certainly should not be allowed to escalate into the unseemly and unnecessary interbranch conflict that it now imminently portends,” department officials said in Friday’s court filing.

Kunzelman writes for the Associated Press.