Back in the car today for some more exploring. We headed out west to Yaiza then turned north into the ‘volcano trail’. A particular area has been designated a national park which you can drive through – for a small consideration obviously - we paid up and drove in.The landscape is simply amazing here although similar in a way to the area that surrounds Mount Tiede in Tenerife. You get to park up at a look out point which offers some stunning (and today at least) VERY windy views across the park and out to the western coast. Evidence of the extreme temperatures still present below the surface are demonstrated by the staff. A bucket of water poured down a blow hole returns very soon after as a fierce jet of steam. Set into the rock is a ‘volcano powered’ bbq allowing you to grill your own grub – all courtesy of mother nature.
We drove out and north through Tinajo to the little village of La Santa on the north western coast. You can drive across to ‘La Isleta’, a little Islet that reminded me a little of Dungeoness in Kent. Attached, if you reading the email version is a short, very jerky video which may give you some idea of what it’s like here.
Next up was Caleta de Famara, a little further north and with a large (for Lanzarote anyway) expanse of reasonably sandy beach. Quite a delightful place with a little harbour, although seemingly almost devoid of inhabitants. A little more exploring however found us a little cafe restaurant with a few locals and a couple of tourists imbibing. Oh yeah, there was about three dozen lycrists as well, resting from their labours and refuelling on beer, chips and nicotine. I think I could get in to this cycling thing!
We headed back through the centre – Lanzarotes’ wine region. You wont see row and rows of vines here though. Small craters are scooped out of the black lava soil where individual vines are planted. Some have low surrounding walls built of lava rock to protect the vines further from the wind. We did try a bottle of the local vino tinto on the first night but it wasn’t really to our taste. I’ll be charitable and say that we just picked the wrong one.
The sun was forcing it’s way through so we managed to grab a couple of hours on the patio. Another nice dinner at one of the bars in the marina. The food wherever we have eaten has been good, but although there are plenty of people around during the day, it’s very quiet at night.
Our last full day tomorrow, so depending on what the weather brings – the only facet of the trip that has so far been a little disappointing – we may hit the road again, or just the sun beds!
Until then…
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