Los Ajaches

The trail begins in the town of Femés, at the head of the valley of the same name. This location serves two purposes: From this vantage point over the coast and the plains, it was possible to detect the arrival of Moorish pirates and the water in the area below the houses was used to cultivate plots where the soil was covered with volcanic lapilli, which would retain moisture and thus allow plants to flourish.

In the pass above Femés, structures for goat-herding point to this area being used for livestock rearing. At your feet, you have the La Higuera ravine, which is U-shaped and has a flat bed and gradual slopes. This shows that it has gone through intense erosion, especially in the past when the island received more rain, thus facilitating the erosive process.

Here you will pass between Pico Redondo and Pico de la Aceituna, the two main elevations of Ajaches. This massif is 15 million years old and from here on, you will cover an area that has been unaffected by recent volcanic activity. As a result, erosion has been the main agent in shaping the landscape and has led to more gradual and undulating formations as compared to anywhere else on the island.

From this point on, you will no longer be able to see the extensive Rubicón plains with the Montaña Colorada volcano in the extreme southwest of the island, and will begin to go through the old ravines. The first one is La Casita, where you can see remains of gavias or cultivation plots in the gorge, which used the run-off to irrigate crops. The gavias are created by mud walls that divide the slope into plots, which then get flooded with water when it rains and can then be used for irrigated cultivation.

This is one of the largest ravines in the massif, with a large, well-developed gorge. The most interesting feature is the sandy soil in the gorge where is a peculiar species, growing what looks like small melons, has taken root.

The La Pilas ravine was excavated as it is a paleontological site with a fossilised beach and dunes at the curve along the trail. This formation stands out with its light yellow colour and the large number of blocks that have been dug out along the trail.

This sort of raised beach can be formed in two ways - either due to changes in sea level or due to tectonic movements that lead to it being elevated. This site is 50 metres above the current sea level.

Superficial archaeological remains that have been traced to the Majos, the indigenous inhabitants of Lanzarote, have been found here. In the areas where there are piles of stones indicating a greater human presence, remains of utensils made of clay, ceramic and bone have been found as also that of marine life, which probably came from fishing at the coast.

This set of coves with naturally-occurring white sand beaches is one of the most beautiful coastal areas of the island. You can take a swim to cool off after the hike and before you begin the final stage and there are also bars where you can have something to eat or drink.

These small beaches have maintained their virgin state as they are part of a protected space and are thus very special coastal areas, where you still have the typical coastal vegetation and can enjoy the natural landscape.

This small ravine is a one of kind archaeological site as the remains of the first city of the Canary Islands are found here. There are wells that were used in the 14th century when the Normans began the Conquest of the Canary Islands, which ended almost a century later. This was the seat of San Marcial del Rubicón, the first European settlement.

In the next cove, you have a lime kiln which is also another interesting heritage feature. This kiln profited from the surfaces in the coastal plains behind the beach that were covered in caliche.

This small military bastion known as Castillo de Las Coloradas or Castillo del Águila dates back to the 18th century. It was built in 1741 to defend the south of the island from attacks by Moorish pirates that sailed up the nearby African coast to raid the island periodically. In 1769, it was renovated after being heavily damaged by a pirate attack and since then, it has a tapered structure and access on a drawbridge.

The trail ends in the coastal town of Playa Blanca, which has gone from being a small, picturesque fishing village at the end of the 20th century to one of the tourist hubs of Lanzarote. However, the main streets of the town and the beach still seem to preserve the old charm of the island before the development of tourism.