Lanzarote, Saturday 18th February and Sunday 19 February.

Saturday 18th February. Beach Ride.

The weather was great today with light winds, sunny all day and temperatures getting to 21C. I decided on an easy flat ride with a stop at Costa Teguise beach.

The ride was partly a route finding exercise as I knew the cyclepath from Puerto del Carmen to the south side of Arrecife but I had not tried going through Arrecife to get to Costa Teguise on the other side because of concerns about traffic. As it turned out being a Saturday traffic was quite light and I was able to find more routes on proms and lightly trafficked smaller roads nearest the coast. I found a back road into Costa Teguise going past the water desalination plant and linking up with the prom/cyclepath into town.

I spent the middle part of the day sunbathing on the main Costa Teguise beach which is a beautiful rocky cove. Then a late lunch at a restaurant on a terrace over the sea next to the cyclepath and a return on the same route.

31 miles for the day and 200ft of climbing. For the week ending today a total of 213 miles.

Edwin


Sunday 19 February. Guinate Ride.

Weather was very good again today, sunny all day with scattered clouds and temperature getting to 20C. Wind was a little stronger than yesterday coming due north.

I decided on a longer ride to the northern part of the Island. With light traffic in the centre of Arrecife on a Sunday I followed yesterday’s route along the coast to Costa Teguise. After an elevenses break for a snack on Costa Teguise seafront I headed inland to the main coast road climbing to 600ft. Then gradually down to sea level at Arrieta. Then inland on a long gradual 1000ft climb towards Haria. Just before Haria I turned off on a backroad to the village of Maguez and then up a little more to Mirador de Guinate. This is a viewpoint at the end of a dead end road with views across to the Island of Graciosa.

Then back via Haria and up the hairpins of the big Haria Pass at 2000ft. I stopped for a late lunch at a restaurant at the top. Then a fast descent on a smooth road getting to 47 mph. I returned to base via Teguise, San Bartolome, and Tias.

62 miles for the day with 3100ft of climbing.

Edwin

Lanzarote, Saturday 18 February. Costa Teguise Beach

Lanzarote, Saturday 18 February. Sea Fishing viewed from near Playa Honda

Lanzarote, Sunday 19 February. Guinate viewpoint

Lanzarote, Sunday 19 February. Multiple hairpins on the Haria Pass

Lanzarote, Wednesday 15 February and Thursday 16 February

Wednesday 15 February

Weather today was mainly cloudy in the morning clearing on the coast in the afternoon. Temperatures got to 19C.

I headed south west to Uga and then across the lava fields to the volcanoes of Timanfaya. Then back roads north east into the wind to San Bartolome. I then threaded my way through side streets to pick up a minor road down to the village of Guime which is a few miles north of the Airport. Then down an 18% grade beside a quarry. I wanted to avoid the motorway style LZ2 road from Arrecife so I took a dirt road through the industrial estate down to a road running parallel with the main road to the underpass down to Playa Honda.

Then along the prom/cyclepath round the edge of the airport with a stop for some entertainment watching planes coming in to land with their wheels probably no more than 50ft above the prom. The second plane picture below is with the camera on standard lens setting – no zoom.

36 miles for the mornings ride with 1400ft of climbing.

Edwin

Thursday 16 February

Weather today was clear early with cloud building up midmorning and clearing later. Temperatures got to 18C.

I headed north today on a longer ride. First lanes via Tias and Masdache and then across to Teguise and a stop for a break and snack from my barbag in the Square. Then onwards and upwards on the Haria road. Near the top I took a little side road which led up to the wind Turbines well placed near the top of the 2000ft climb.

Then down the hairpins and just before Haria I turned off on a quiet backroad winding its way down a valley towards the sea. Then back south on the new road with a welcome tail wind to Tastiche and then San Bartolome and down to Playa Honda and the prom/cyclepath back.

55 miles for the day with 3200ft of climbing.

Edwin

Lanzarote, Wednesday 15 February. Plane approaching cyclepath. Getting close

Lanzarote, Wednesday 15 February. Plane over Cyclepath. Very close

Lanzarote, Thursday 16 February. Wind Turbine

Lanzarote, Thursday 16 February. narrow lane from Haria to the coast

Lanzarote. Sunday 12 February and Monday 13 February.

Sunday 12 February, Mirador del Rio Ride

Today was a great day, sunny and clear with temperatures up to 22C. I decided on a long ride to visit Mirador del Rio again to the north of the Island.

As it was Sunday and traffic was light I took the main road up to Tias and then across to San Bartolome at 1000ft. Then a fast ride along the center of the Island to Teguise where I avoided the Sunday market crowds.

Then onwards and upwards along the Haria road to climb another 1000ft to 2000ft and then down the hairpinned descent to Haria. Then further north and another climb to the viewpoint at Mirador del Rio in the far north of the Island. There are 2 roads and I took the narrow windy backroad along the cliff edge with amazing views across to the Island of Graciosa. The Mirador del Rio is a viewing area and building built into the cliff face and the cafe has windows looking out over the view. This made a great place for lunch.

My return route took the other road down to the village of Ye and then a long descent back to sea level on the other coast at Arrieta. From here I took a fast route on the smooth surface of the new coast road with a good tail wind gradually climbing to 600ft and then down to Tahiche before another climb to San Bartolome and down to the coast at Playa Honda. Then back to base on the Prom/Cyclepath

63 miles for the day with 4400ft of climbing.

Edwin

Monday 13 February. New Roads ride.

Weather today was a little cooler at 18C with sunny spells and scattered cloud. I headed south to Uga and then up a dead-end road up a valley into the mountains to the little village of La Degollada. The locals don’t seem to want the uninitiated to find this as there were no signposts to it.

The road turned out to be a very smooth surface gradually climbing before rearing up to 17 or 18% coming into the village. Traffic was about a car every 5 minutes.

The road dead-ends just above the village and there is then a stony footpath. I took the bike a little way along the path and got some great views from the 1100ft height down to the volcanoes and lava flows in the El Golfo area.

After descending to Yaiza and Uga I took the road to La Geria which is the main wine growing region. The 3 miles to La Geria has deteriorated badly with the tarmac badly broken up and even the potholes seemed to have potholes. The road is currently a dead end to traffic as for the next few miles it was being renewed. I got round the barriers and cruised along the new tarmac encountering only a few cyclists coming the other way.

Then across on a backroad to La Asomada and a fast descent from 1200ft back to base.

28 miles for the day with 1800 ft of climbing.

Edwin

Lanzarote, Sunday 12 February. View from top of Haria Pass

Lanzarote, Sunday 12 February, view from ridge road leading to Mirador del Rio

Lanzarote, 13 February. Looking back down the valley from La Degollada

Lanzarote, Monday 13 February, View from path above La Degollada