2016 Car trip Lanzarote Mirador del Rio

Thursday 8 December 2016 we drove from Arrecife Marina along the NEast coast via Costa Teguise stopping at the rock pool settlement of Charco del Palo where several residents were bathing in the nude.

 

We then drove via the Mala Cactus fields

 

Through Arrieta and Punta Mujeres to Orzola where we watched the ferry to Graciosa moor.

 

We then continued to Mirador del Rio - a very fascinating Caesor Manrique creation - he converted an old second World War II bunker on the top of the cliffs overlooking the island of Graciosa into a superb mirador/ cafe.

 

View of the mirador carpark from inside the bunker

 

Here we had lunch with a magnificent view

 

 

 

 

 

The interior of the bunker

 

 

 

Stairs up to the roof terrace

 

 

Exit to the roof terrace

 

 

 

 

Views of Graciosa from the roof terrace

 

 

 

Zooming in to Graciosa marina

 

Zooming into the southern anchorages off Graciosa

 

Afterwards we drove south along the cliff tops to the Mirador de Guinate

 

 

Views from the Mirador de Guinate

 

 

We then drove back to Arrecife after having had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

2016 Hike Lanzarote Haria to Mirador del Risco de Famara

1100hrs Wednesday 7/12/16 we drove from Arrecife Marina to the picturesque town of Teguise 

 

Teguise

 

where we visited the Aloe Museum

 

 where we learned amongst other things, about the Cochineal Insect which feeds on the cacti and is crushed to produce a crimsom substance used for food colouring and dyes.

 

The female Cochineal insect attaches itself to the cactus and sucks out the juices from cactus. The nymphs she produces cover themselves with a white substance living with their mother on the cactus until they are mature. They are harvested for dye production by simply scraping them off the cactus.

 

Then we drove towards Haria, stopping at the restuarant car park of the Mirador los Helechos

 

From the Mirador los Helechos one has superb views of the NE coast of Lanzarote with the coastal towns of Arrieta and Punta Mujeres clearly visible

 

One also has a very good view of Haria

 

We parked close to the center of Haria and walked to the Mirador on top of the cliffs  with superb views of the  NWest coast

 

To the north, the island of Graciosa was clearly visible

 

We then followed the track which skirted southwards around Montana Ganada

 

Eventually climbing back up to the clifftop through a picnic area to the Mirador de Risco de Famara, again with superb views of the coast below

 

 

 

 

The below Viewranger app map shows the track we actually walked from/ to Haria plus the car route to the Mirador los Helechos

 

2016 Hike Lanzarote Caldera Blanca Rother's nr 19

Tuesday 6/12/16 drove with our Orlando rental car via Mancha Blanca down a rough track to the carpark at the start of our hike to and clockwise around the rim of the Caldera Blanca - Rother's Walking Guide nr19.

 

Our track is recorded in the below Viewranger map 

 

We started walking at 1105hrs. The first part of the route was over a very rough track through the lava flows - quite uncomfortble on the feet.

 

Our first view into the crater after the steep climb to its rim

 

Our position when we took the above photo is shown by the red circle on the below Viewranger map

 

 

Since arriving on the island, we have been surprised at how green parts of the island are - we remember Lanzarote as being a very brown barren island.

 

 

The highest point of the rim - Montana Blanca, around 461 meters

 

Below one can see how the lava flowed around volcanoes from previous eruptions

 

After scrambling up a steep section of the rim, we were met by these mountain goats.

The official walking route descends before reaching this part of the ridge. We decided we preferred to complete the circumnavigation of the rim

 

The below Viewranger map shows our position where the above photo was taken. The stippled track to the left is the official route

 

 

The track on the rim of the caldera is a bit like a knife edge here - probably why the official route avoids it by descending and contouring around the outer base of the caldera - however, it is the most exciting part of the route!

 

View across the Caldera to Montana Blanca

 

After dscending from the rim, our track rejoined the track we had used initially to take us back through the lava flows to the car. 1555hrs we were back at the carpark - a very enjoyable hike.