All the most sensible birds fly south in winter. Sensible bird that I am, at the end of November I headed off for a long weekend of winter sun and a little exploring of the gorgeous island of Lanzarote. Allow me to transport you there as I share some my highlights…

I stayed in Playa Blanca, which is at the southern-most tip of the island. It’s one of the big tourist towns on the island. Slightly less an horrific assault on the senses as Puerto del Carmen, but it’s still really touristy (the promenade is full of kiosks selling inflatable unicorns next door to Indian restaurants… you get my drift?). I avoided all that, preferring to chill in my little villa when I wasn’t out adventuring. I stayed at the port end of the town. So near to the port, in fact, that whilst lying in bed reading at night, I could hear the Playa Blanca-Corralejo ferry blast its horn to signal its imminent departure on one of its many daily crossings to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.

My first little adventure was to drive from the southern tip to the northern-most point of the island, and to the Mirador del Río, a short journey of some 70 kilometres (it’s an intimate little island). For 8 euros, you can access the viewpoint (the site designed by Lanzarote’s favourite son, the artist, César Manrique) that’s perched atop the cliffs of Famara. The view is breath-taking: across the strait separating Lanzarote from the Chinijo archipelago, the island’s northern neighbours of La Graciosa and the uninhabited islets of Montaña Clara and Alegranza.

Although La Graciosa is now officially recognised as the ‘eighth Canary Island’, it still falls under the administration of the Cabildo of Lanzarote. It reminded me of the îles du Frioul and the Count of Monte Cristo.

I could have spent hours marvelling at this view: the little marina on La Graciosa and the Las Agujas volcanic range. And that blue, blue sea…

I returned to the south of the island via the region of La Geria. This is where one of Lanzarote’s most famous exports is produced: el vino blanco. The vineyards are sited on volcanic plains, each vine has its own cute little shelter (called a geria) to protect it from the wind. There are many bodegas along this route that offer tours and tastings, all doing a roaring trade. This method of growing is soooo different from what I am used to seeing on the Dordogne wine route! Sadly, I didn’t taste the wine – the 25 euro price tag a little steep for my pocket!

Back in Playa Blanca, it was time for some post-touring sustenance.

The Marina Rubicón is at the swanky end of Playa Blanca. There are many restaurants offering a variety of cuisines but I needed tapas, specifically papas arrugadas. I also needed to sit in the sun with a view of the boats moored at the marina, hence my stop for a late lunch at Liken Restaurant. The service was impeccable, the view was perfectly relaxing and the food was delicious.

Saturday morning, it was time to pull my geologist hat on. Just a 20-min drive from Playa Blanca is the Timanfaya National Park, a 5,000-hectare otherworldly landscape of volcanoes and lava fields. The whole area is a protected landscape… and properly protected it is, too: access is restricted to only certain areas, and that by paying fee to enter the area. Now, I’m a well-known miser but, having been appalled by what the plebs are doing to Las Cañadas over on Tenerife, I do not grumble the slightest at paying the fee of 22 euros to keep this space protected.

I arrived early in the morning, just as the park was opening for the day, so I could avoid the queues to park and get on one of the first buses of the day that ferry visitors along the 14 km ‘Ruta de los Volcanes’ on which one can marvel at the incredible landscape (and the skills of the bus driver) and learn about the geology of the island. The on-board commentary in Spanish, German and English is punctuated with bursts of Planet of the Apes-esque music, a perfect soundtrack to the alien vistas. Oh, how my mind wanders to Roddy McDowall and Charlton Heston…

This visit made me really emotional. Volcanoes fill me with such awe.

I was super impressed with the balance that has been struck between giving access to the space and protecting it. The park rangers are keen to show off Timanfaya’s party tricks…

After leaving the park I went on to the visitor centre (this is free to visit and takes about an hour to go around if you’re like me and read every single information board and take photos of said boards for future reference!)

With my heart and mind overflowing, it was time to regroup and spend some time topping up the ol’ blueness with an afternoon on the beach and a swim in the warm, azure sea. I now 100% have a favourite beach on Lanzarote (which is a dead secret… but if you know the island, you’ll know the beach from the pics).

A fair bit of time was spent on that beach. And when I wasn’t on the beach I was trundling around the island discovering pretty towns and stunning views…

The little town of Mancha Blanca lies on the edge of the lava fields of Timanfaya National Park.

There is a rather uncanny tale to do with Mancha Blanca and an 18th century apparition of a mysterious woman in a black cloak who appeared to a young shepherdess, reminding her of the townspeople’s forgotten promise to build a hermitage in the village to give thanks to the Virgin Mary ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ for her intervention in saving it from the lava flows of the 1730 eruption. When the shepherdess related what the mystery woman had said, she was ignored and ridiculed. The next time this woman in black appeared, the shepherdess told her of the reaction of the townsfolk, so, according to legend, this lady engraved her hand on the shepherdess’ back, and told her “go now, they will believe you.” The people had no option but to take notice. You can read more about this eerie legend on the Ayuntamiento de Tinajo website.

Needless to say, the townsfolk rushed to fulfil their promise to build the hermitage in her honour. Nuestra Señora de los Dolores or the ‘Virgin of the Volcanoes’ as she is also known is still revered today as Patron Saint of Lanzarote.

I visited Teguise too. Before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, this was one of the most important settlements of the indigenous Majos population. Indeed, the town was the capital of Lanzarote until 1847 when capital-status was transferred to the wealthy port of Arrecife.

Whilst touring in the Teguise municipality, I found a military base too (well, you’ll know that this will have sent me into deep-research mode and dreaming up fantastical tales of espionage).

This is Area 22… Escuadron de Vigilancia Aerea 22 to be exact. Built on the highest point on Lanzarote at 672m altitude. It is from here that the Spanish military monitor their airspace for incursions. When the base was first set up in 1975, the mobile radar equipment installed here had been transferred from what was then called the Spanish Sahara, but very recently, this equipment was upgraded to super duper cutting edge ‘Lanza’ LRR technology (see the article on Diario de Avisos).

Such things inspire writer-me so much that I was on my laptop sketching out a short story as soon as I got back to the villa. Writer-me needs appropriate nourishment though. This came in the form of the most yummy cheesecake that has ever entered my gob!

Yes, it’s pistachio. Of course it’s pistachio. Please, people. When in Lanzarote, La Cheesecakeria in Playa Honda is an obligatory visit.

I recovered from my cheesecake coma and after some more beach time the next morning, in the afternoon I went in search of the famous green lagoon in El Golfo. Formed in the crater of an extinct volcano, the green colour of the ‘Charco de los Clicos’ comes from the accumulation of a specific kind of algae. With the alien colour of the perfectly still water surrounded by steep walls of incredible volcanic strata, it’s no wonder this place has been used as a location for shooting such cinematic epics as (amongst others) that 60s cult classic, One Million Years BC. Now, where did I leave my animal-skin bikini…

The scenery of Lanzarote is spell-binding. As is its abundant flora…

And fauna…

And sunsets…

One of my favourite sunset spots was at Punta Pechiguera. There is a lighthouse here marking the rocky coast on the south-western tip of the island and one can see Fuerteventura across the 15km Strait of La Bocaina that separates the two islands.

My last morning (boo hoo!) and my last sunshine breakfast. Can’t really complain, though, eating breakfast on the terrace on 1st December!

Even though it was my last day, there was still time for sightseeing, though. Not far up the coast from Playa Blanca are the Salinas de Janubio – the largest salt flats in the Canaries. The vast lagoon was created during the volcanic eruption of the 18th century, where the lava flow created a ‘wall’ separating the area from the sea. The mining of salt here reached it’s heydey in the 1950s, producing some 10 million kilos. It still continues today, but only at 20% capacity; the site being being more about preserving history and tradition. The area is also a protected space for migratory birds.

I managed to do some Christmas shopping before heading to the airport too. The only reason to brave going into Puerto del Carmen is to visit the Tenerife Perla store! A girl’s gotta have pearls, right?

I had lunch by the rather pretty marina at Puerto Calero.

And just like that, it was time to leave.

There is still so much to see when I return. I want to take the little ferry across to La Graciosa and explore the littlest inhabited Canary Island; I want to visit the Cueva de los Verdes and Jameos de Agua lava tubes and see the little blind albino crabs; of course, I want to go to the pirate museum at the Castillo de Santa Bárbara. So much more to see…

¡Hasta la próxima!