Thursday 19 January. Lanzarote. El Golfo Crater and Femes Ride.
I planned a shorter ride today after yesterday’s exertions. Weather was bright and sunny and very clear although it clouded over later in the day. Temperatures rose to 20C.

I headed southwest to start with on the Playa Blanca road via Yaiza which involved a climb to 750ft. Then I turned off on a quiet byroad across lava fields where the lava had flowed down from the multiple eruptions to the sea. I went down to view El Golfo Crater which is a volcanic cone eroded in half by the sea.

The road then continues a circuit along the coast on dramatic lava cliffs pounded by the sea. I saw on the route a big group of disabled cyclists on 3 wheel hand powered recumbents.

I passed under the main road and climbed up to Las Brenas and then further up with great views down across the plains on the southern tip of the Island to Playa Blanca with the hills of the Island of Fueventura visible in the distance. The byroad comes to a roundabout where it joins the mountain road route coming up from Playa Blanca. From here the road heads skyward up a cliff with gradients of about 15% for a mile.

On top of the cliff is the village of Femes where I collapsed into a restaurant for lunch dripping sweat. I soon recovered to appreciate the great views from the terrace at 1250ft. The road from Femes back to the main road had been recently resurfaced which made for a great fast descent.

Mileage for the day was 36 with about 2500ft of climb.

Edwin