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 Gran Canaria San Mateo to El Portillo via Hoya del Gamonal

0820hrs Monday 7 November 2016 left marina and walked to Telmo bus station to catch the 0900 hrs nr 303 bus to San Mateo. Our planned route would take us via the tiny hamlet of Hoya del Gamonal to El Portillo on the GC-15 road from San Mateo to Cruz de Tejeda.

Below map is from the ViewRanger app.

 

Our planned route to Hoya del Gamonal was clearly marked not far from the bus station in San Mateo

 

The first part was up a very straight steep tarmac road

 

 

After about 50 minutes of continual climbing, we left the road and followed the signposted walking trail which continued fairly steeply uphill.

 

Wonderful views towards Las Palmas

 

Excellent picnic spot for lunch

 

 

 

 

The hamlet of Hoya del Gamonal

 

All major splits in the route were clearly signposted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bend in the GC-15 road at El Portillo where we caught the nr305 bus at 1524 hrs to San Mateo

The walk was 11 km long, height gain 966m, height loss 552m, max altitude 1521m, time taken 5 1/2hrs.

 

 After a beer in San Mateo we caught the 1630hrs nr 303 bus back to Las Palmas, getting off at the yellow bus station close to Telmo to catch the nr 1 bus to close to the Triodus Bank by the Marina.