Canary Islands: Lanzarote (1999)

The Montaña Blanca: my first vulcano (ca 600m)

In Autumn 1999 we visited Lanzarote, the most eastern island of the Canary Islands. Our hotel, Hotel Los Jameos Playa, was one of the most eastern hotels of Puerto del Carmen. It was quite a long trip to the village center, especially in the sun. We visited the center, and obtained some information. The next days we became accustomed to the public bus services.

La Montaña Blanca (ca 600m)
From our hotel a small ridge of vulcanoes of moderate size can be seen to the north. The highest one is the Montaña Blanca, which is ca 600m high.
I walked to and from it, starting at the hotel. I started at ca 10h and returned at ca 16h.
It was rather difficult to leave Puerto del Carmen (several blocks of appartments are really blocking you) and to find some small tracks. Actually they only offer you traffic roads, which are dangerous to walk on.
First I went to Tias and then headed to the vulcano. Quite near the south-western shoulder there is a small church. From here a path was found that brought me along the west side to the pass at the north (but the three dogs at the last hut made me decide to look for a different descend). From the north the vulcano is the less steep and also offers the most stable part to walk on. Now when looking south to the vulcano, a small tiny path can be seen that goes left to the eastern shoulder. First one reaches the lowest point of a real caldera. Here again the path continues on the left shoulder, first to a small cross and finally to the top, where some meteorological and vulcanic data are collected. From here some nice views are offered: I (nort-west, viewed from a little bit below the top), II (north, to the coastal Risco ridge at Famara), III (north-west).
I descended along the western shoulder of the caldera. After reaching the lowest point again, I continued to descend along the eastern shoulder downwards to the coast. I passed a quarry, met a herd of goats and could see the planes arriving at and leaving from the airport of Arrecife. Via this route I was able to come quite close to the Hotel via small tracks.
Timanfaya and El Golfo
We had booked a bus tour to visit the Timanfaya National Park. We left the hotel when it was still dark. Higher in the vulcano ridge daylight started. Here we had to do the dromedary-tour ... Corrie and Ineke had the luck that they could sit on both sides of a dromedary. I got one for my own and, for proper balance, I had to sit on top of the animal. Each time, when it stumbles on the path, or when it suddenly starts to make a different tour downwards, you think you will fall down from it.
The Timanfaya Park was magnificent: dark brown, black, with black roads and interesting demonstrations that showed how hot the ground still was. After this we made a tour along wine fields of La Geria and visited the coast at El Golfo. Near Yaiza there are some nice vulcanoes to climb on.
Mirodor del Rio, La Graciosa and Famara
In the hotel we hired a car and made a tour to the north. We visited the cactus garden of Cesar Manrique, entered a grotto further north, and admired the views from the Mirador del Rio (and especially the one to the island La Graciosa).
On our way back we passed the Risco ridge to Teguise and Famara. The Risco ridge offers a nice area for some walks. At Famara you have a nice sandy beach.
Playa Blanca and Fuerteventura The vulcanoes in the west can easily be reached from Playa Blanca. When there would be more time left I would have made a tour here (there is a frequent bus connection between Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca). In the hills you can visit the village Femés.
From Playa Blanca a ferry goes to Fuerteventura, which we took for a daytrip. On Fuerteventura we made a bus tour on the north part of it and admired the local dunes and its nice beaches.

Date of modification: 28-12-2001

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Canary Islands: Lanzarote (1999)

The Montaña Blanca: my first vulcano (ca 600m)

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