Tour guide David Penney leads us on a short but spectacular route among northern Lanzarote’s clifftops and volcanoes.
Turn off the LB 201 at the junction for Guinate, then take the left turning as the road forks and pass by the quaint church on our left. This is the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Carry on until the tarred road becomes a dirt track. A short way along this track you will see three palm trees together on our left, and opposite them is a turning point on the track which is where cars can be parked.
This is the starting point for the walk, heading south-west through the base of the valley called Valle de Guinate, where you stick to the track until you reach a cairn on the right side of the track (this is a mound of rocks created by walkers to mark the route). The cairn is located just as the track starts to bend round to the left.
At this point it’s time to leave the track and follow a zig-zag path up to the ridge, where you will discover a herder’s shelter at a point known as the saddle. Here you can take a wee rest and admire the view looking out across the ocean. You will now see the path going off at a gradual climb away to our right, which continues up to the highest point of the ridge.
On our visit, we decided to take the more challenging option of scrambling directly up to the top without taking the path, but this is only for adventurous, or more experienced walkers. The path is also used by trail runners who relish a real challenge on this terrain.
You now have a spectacular and panoramic view of the Chinijo Archipelago, which comprises of several islands including La Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Alegranza, Roque del Este, and Roque del Oeste. This is a highly-protected natural space which covers about 700km2 and it is the largest marine reserve throughout the whole of the Spanish controlled territory and Europe, so obviously fishing is prohibited.
You just have to stop several times along the ridge to take advantage of the photo opportunities and appreciate the stunning views. We were very fortunate to have clear skies with a gentle breeze, and we certainly appreciated the feeling of being on top of the world.
Follow the path along the ridge until you arrive at another cairn on the right which indicates where the path to the right starts to gradually drop down from the ridge. Once again, we chose to continue to the far end of the ridge where the path stops and descend down the VERY rocky and rough route, which the established path meets about halfway down.
PLEASE be careful on the rocky path, as it is easy to slip. This is especially true if you don’t have good grip on your trekking shoes or trainers. If you’re in doubt, stick to the path, and don’t even think about it if you’re alone.
Continue the zig-zag path down to the aljibe (underground water tank) and where it levels out take the track back to the cars which will be in front of you.
WALK INFORMATION
This is a circular 5km walk which should take up approximately 2 hours to complete. The terrain is challenging.
You can take the number 26 bus from Arrecife to Ye which stops at Guinate if you don’t have a car.
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