LITMIR.BIZ

      Early morning at Playa Blanca, when you can have the beach all to yourself

      Start at the tiny sandy beach at Playa Blanca, which is reached from the Avenida Marítima. Face the sea, turn right and walk past several bar restaurants. Later, two flights of steps lead down to a pebbly beach, so use either of them to join and follow a tarmac road past the ferryport. (You could park and start from here if you need to save a few minutes’ walking time.) The promenade path passes bungalow apartments at Puerto Chico and then the Iberostar development, with views across the sea to the islands of Lobos and Fuerteventura. Pass a kiosk, bar restaurant and a couple of shops, then climb a little to pass a lookout/bunker. Pass the Timanfaya Palace Hotel and descend a little, crossing a footbridge over the rocky bed of a barranco. Pass the Hotel Natura Palace, then there is a shop inland and bar restaurants overlooking a little beach. The promenade passes the H10 Rubicón Palace, then there are lots of sun loungers belonging to the Royal Mónica on Playa de Montaña Roja.

      Later, there is a gap in the promenade path, then it resumes to pass a few more properties, followed by a bulldozed area awaiting the attention of developers. The paving ends abruptly, so continue along a stony path, aiming right of the tall Faro de Pechiguera, crossing its access road. Follow a concrete wall ahead, then step over it to follow a trodden path past boulders, linking with another promenade path. A few occupied buildings face the sea, while an abandoned development lies inland. The promenade soon ends and an easy track continues. The ground alongside is bleak and stony, dotted with boulders and tabaibal. Reach a road-end and continue along another promenade past the Vik resort. A final built-up area is passed, then the promenade ends at Hoyo Azul.

      An easy track leads onwards, roughly parallel to the rugged coast, ending at a wall near a house at Caleta Negra. Pass the wall to follow a rugged path a short way; the track then continues, passing seawards of a ramshackle dwelling. Another wall is reached on the rugged Punta Ginés. Looking ahead, a prominent derelict building is seen – the Atlante del Sol. Rugged paths and tracks run all over the place, but none go in the right direction for long, and walkers must cross awkward areas of stones and boulders. Pass seawards of the big eyesore and scan the terrain ahead to spot paths and tracks that offer easy passage through the stones. Don’t walk too close to the sea, as there are rugged rocks that take too long to pass.

      Look for a drystone shelter in this bleak and rugged landscape and an easy track leads onwards. Soon afterwards, especially if the sea is pounding into the rocky coast, watch for a twin blowhole, where one spout blows vertically and the other blows horizontally. The track is generally set away from the rocky shore, and is sandy in places on Los Llanos de las Maretas. A coastal trig point might be noticed off to the left at Piedra Alta, at a mere 28m (92ft). The track later rises a little onto a dark lava flow. Keep seawards of a prominent desalination plant. Later, the rough and rocky track gives way to a coastal path, which climbs a short way on a rocky slope then descends to a small dirt car park overlooking the Laguna de Janubio. Seawater is drawn into shallow rectangular ponds where it evaporates, depositing crusts of salt.