Should I stay or should I go?

Announced at teatime on a Saturday the second UK national lockdown kicked in on Thursday 5th November. Our planned break to Cornwall was now off. What do we do? Stick or twist?
In need of a change of scenery and no guarantee of when we may get the opportunity again, we jumped on one of the last flights out of the country that followed a government approved travel corridor. We were headed to Lanzarote, an island we have visited on several previous occasions. We knew it well and could bunker down for a last glimpse of winter sun. 

Faro de Punta Pechiguera, Lanzarote

My blog on Lanzarote legend Caesar Manrique and his legacy on island can be found here. There's also a round up of other island highlights here. 

There are always new places to discover and of course some old favourites to revisit, so this is an excuse for some more lighthouse photos and a nod to some old friends.

El Golfo, Lanzarote

We usually base ourselves in Playa Blanca in the south of the island. It's quieter then other resorts of the island but is host to lots of excellent restaurants. It also has a great coastal promenade that extends for several miles either side of the main town, perfect for walking off a lunch with unhindered views of the sea and the island of Fuerteventura providing the backdrop.

Los Hervideros, Lanzarote

A short twenty minute drive from Playa Blanca is El Golfo, a small seaside hamlet comprising of a handful of restaurants that sit on the seafront, just metres from the crashing waves that are prevalent on this stretch of the coastline. There is the fabulous El Lago Verde, the green lagoon made famous in the film One Million Years BC that is well worth a look but our main reason for regular trips to El Golfo is a perfect lunch by the sea.

En route to El Golfo take 10 minutes to explore the crashing sea caves of Los Hervideros, which are great fun and worth a repeat visit. The surf and spray explosions are powerful and hypnotic and a lovely way to lose yourself for a few moments.

Ghost hotel, Lanzarote

One place we hadn't previously visited is the infamous ghost hotel. Walking west from Faro Park which is just outside Playa Blanca you can follow the coast along the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Hotel en ruinas. This was a huge planned holiday complex which began construction in the 60s, but work stalled in the early 70s as the consortium sold the hotels before they were built and absconded with the cash. Too expensive to demolish, it's an eerie landmark to a bygone age that overlooks quite fabulous saltwater pools, which was one of the reasons for it's location.

Ghost Hotel, Lanzarote

On the other side of Playa Blanca is the slightly more attractive Marina which remains a pleasant area to walk to. Carrying on further you'll eventually hit the beautiful set of beaches including Playa del Papagayo although the distances may justify a car journey as opposed to a stroll from Playa Blanca.

Marina, Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

To support local businesses and our own red wine habit, at the start of any visit to Lanzarote we always drive to the wine bodegas that are concentrated along the dramatic LZ-30 road and stock up. You can visit five or six local wineries and grab some great Lanzarote wine and cheese, all set among some spectacular scenery.

Playa del Papagayo, Lanzarote

After dipping our toes in the Atlantic at Playa del Papagayo we drove along the LZ-702, passing through Femes for the first time on the way to the little coastal little village of Playa Quemade. The road was a little hairy in places but had some stunning views of the mountain range of southern Lanzarote and a few oddities, like an old helicopter as a piece of art in someones front garden. 

Art comes in many forms and knows no boundaries in Lanzarote, which is fine by me.

Helicopter art, Femes, Lanzarote

Playa Quemada is quaint coastal hamlet on the east coast of the island and from there you can walk along the headland to the upmarket Puerto Calero, which takes approximately 30 minutes and offers up some wonderful volcanic Canary scenery along the way. By the time you make the return journey you will have earned your fresh fish lunch and beer sat by the sea. There are several places to eat in Playa Quemada and this time we enjoyed the food and the view at El Pescador. They also had an excellent Canarian tricolour salad for any vegetarians.

 On the LZ-702 passing through Femes, Lanzarote

Arrieta is the north east of the island which is only an hour's drive from the south of island illustrating how accessible Lannzartote is to explore. Walking north from the town it's a lovely stroll along the seafront to Punta Mujeres, a pretty little fishing village based around an abundance of small, natural swimming pools. 

Arrieta, Lanzarote

Arrieta, Lanzarote

Fishermen, Arrieta, Lanzarote

There couldn't be a return to Lanzarote without finishing with a few photos of the iconic Faro de Punta Pechiguera which can be found outside Playa Blanca at the end of the western promenade.

Faro de Punta Pechiguera, Lanzarote

Whilst we were in Lanzarote the American Presidency changed hands and there were also reports of an imminent vaccine against Covid-19. It felt finally, after a very difficult 2020 there was some light being shone on the world and all our futures. 

Conversely as I write this the UK is stumbling to an embarrassing exit from the EU, the less said about that the better.

I am a Mancunian and a European, always have been and always will be. Nothing changes. 

Faro de Punta Pechiguera, Lanzarote