“Everyone tells me I ought to get some exercise, that it’s good for my health. But, I have never heard anyone telling a sportsperson they ought to do some reading.”  This statement by Saramago prompted me to emphasise here the importance of striking a balance between tourist or sporting hyperactivity while travelling, and living out the experiences of others. Yes, friends, this is the advice of a hyperactive person – it does no harm to occasionally plan rest periods into one’s journeys, or to deploy a few good phrases as a mantra for competing. Indeed, Mr Saramago, you were dead right – you can also travel through reading, when your mind can find some rest, while in sport, not everything is physical. But, why Saramago in a post about Lanzarote? I found out – and high time it was too, for someone who has travelled to the island so often – that the Nobel prize-winning writer had spent his final years on Lanzarote. There, in the village of Tías, you will come across “A Casa” as he liked to call his home. Lanzarote was Saramago’s other homeland. “A whole lifetime to get here”, he announced, when he settled on this southerly island. The landscape of Lanzarote, the volcanoes, its warm nights, the peacefulness and the island’s inhabitants led him to write many of his articles, novels and diaries at his home in the Tías municipality. As the illustrious writer asserted, “This is not my land, this land of mine”, a phrase shown on the sculpture as a homage to him in front of “A casa” and “La Biblioteca”, as his house museum is known. Each and every object in “A Casa” has a special meaning – an olive tree to recall the country of his birth, or the clocks all set to 4 o’clock, as it was at that time he met his widow, Pilar. They all go to make this museum a happy, special place.

We cannot summarise all his work here, but we can choose three phrases that come in handy as motivating mantras at training sessions and competitions:

- There is something inside us with no name, and that is what we really are.

- There is something positive in defeat – it is never lasting. Triumph, however, has something negative – it is never lasting.

- We always end up arriving where someone is waiting for us.

After this short introduction about Saramago and his ties to the island, I must report that I flew to Lanzarote in March to compete in the tri122 de Costa Teguise. This is a triathlon I had advised you to consider, together with the Challenge Fuerteventura (April), as possible warm-up races for the Ironman Lanzarote, which is held in May each year, starting and finishing in Puerto del Carmen. The tri122 event went off well, without incident, although it was windy. The swim took place off the Playa de las Cucharas (where we went windsurfing the next day); the bike course had been altered from previous years, while the foot race was along the esplanade. My advice for this race would be very similar to the pointers I gave you in the Ironman Lanzarote post, so I won’t go into any detail there. For accommodation, I decided to stay at the Barceló, which is right on the Costa Teguise. I was pleasantly surprised to learn first-hand that they would soon have a better, specific programme for sportspeople in their facilities, given that, unlike the opposite side of the island, which we visited on the previous trip, here you can do open-water swimming, something we triathletes appreciate. In short, if you’re looking for wind and waves, the area of Famara is great and, to swim, windsurf and enjoy the beach, Costa Teguise would be the best option.

On a gastronomic note, this time I would choose two proposals:

- Before the race, a good choice for stocking up on carbohydrates is Portobello. Listen up – this is a markedly family setup based on homemade Italian food. Noteworthy is the fact that the owner was kind and helpful.

- The second proposal, for after the race, is La Bohemia. I believe it’s the best place in the Costa Teguise area. Their meat and roast are delicious and the service is excellent and friendly. Don’t worry, if you don’t eat meat, there are many other dishes to choose from on the menu.

As for the visits listed in the previous posting, we overlooked some of the island’s “great hits”, which I can reveal here – Playa de Jablillos, Playa Mujeres, Playa de Papagallo and Lago Verde. They are all splendid options for strolling and switching off, and even for reading! Also, if you like diving, there are facilities to discover scuba diving on the same beach where we went windsurfing.

You might ask: if I’m interested in sport in Lanzarote, are there any other interesting competitions on the island? Well, yes – there is the 70.3 Lanzarote on 19 September, and the 4 stage Mountain Bike and La Santa Duathlon in January. After these recommendations in two different Lanzarote posts, we’ll soon be hopping to another island, as I’m starting to get curious about hiking trails. Both Trans Gran Canaria, which takes place from 4 to 6 March 2016, and Transvulcania en la Palma, in May, are important enough on the international running calendar to be considering them when planning for next season.

Did you sign up for Ironman Lanzarote in the end? Book your ticket here if you’ve enrolled, or go for another date if you want to find out why everyone is training or competing in the Canary Islands.

Text by Raúl Casañas

Images by Ginés Díaz, Jules/Lanzarote InformacionTabayesco, Idoia Núñez

The environment has become a mainstream topic of conversation, and more and more hotels are adopting a philosophy centred around respect for nature. The Canary Islands have also embraced this trend. Here's a list of the top eco-friendly places to stay. If you like nature, then the Canaries are undoubtedly the ideal destination for you.

When you picture yourself on holiday in Lanzarote, it’s easy to make the mistake of conjuring up images of black, sandy beaches streaked with rows of sunshades and deck chairs, sun-reddened tourists wielding selfie sticks while perched on a camel’s hump – they are actually dromedaries – and hotels offering a free buffet three times a day. While clichés might be hard to banish, the truth is that “the island of volcanoes” is much more than just that.

The route we feature today bears this out – Vulcan Walk Lanzarote is a walking trail which stretches from Playa Blanca in the south to Órzola in the far north and takes you through the island’s most virgin and solitary areas. Lanzarote in four easy, varied stages which, if you prefer, can be extended to five. Further, to round it off, at the end of the hike you can opt to ferry across the sea to the small, idyllic island of La Graciosa, there to spend a couple of days delighting in its coloured mountains, enticing white sandy beaches and, above all, the reigning peace and tranquillity.

Stage 1. Crossing Los Ajaches
From Playa Blanca to Uga - 17 km / 900 m+ / 6 hours

The route starts in Playa Blanca, on the Atlantic seaboard – specifically the beach of Las Coloradas, from where you can see the mysterious outline of the neighbouring Fuerteventura island. As soon as you leave the built-up area behind, you enter the desolate massif of Los Ajaches. This vast, eroded landscape emerged some 20 million years ago and it is there that you start climbing up towards the summit of Hacha Grande (561 m).

After this first ascent, the best thing is to refuel on a delicious meal of ropavieja (meat, chickpeas, potatoes, red peppers, onion and garlic, bay leaf, thyme and cloves). This tasty dish is served up at the small Restaurante Femés, located at the village roundabout. Be warned that Femés is the only inhabited spot on today’s route.

The stage continues towards Atalaya de Femés (609 m), the second highest point on Lanzarote, after which you embark on the long, panoramic descent to Uga. The vast lava field you’ll be crossing tomorrow can be distinguished from the heights.

Stage 2. From the Heart of La Geria to the Malpaís of Timanfaya
From Uga to Tinajo - 21 km / 350 m+ / 7 hours

After spending the night in a cosy country house in Uga and breakfasting in their leafy garden – the ideal time to taste their traditional, energy-packed gofio– the second stage leads us to the heart of La Geria, a unique winemaking area in that the vines grow on picón,the volcanic gravel produced by eruptions from the early 18th century which changed the landscape of much of the island.

At the 5-kilometre mark you cross the main road and walk past two wine cellars. Bear in mind that this is your last food station before you get to Tinajo at the 18-kilometre mark.

The route continues through the malpaís of Timanfaya, a dream-like inferno of rocks, calderas and lava fields which is reached via a winding trail reserved for hikers. You wander along this route for hours through the chaos of Lanzarote’s youngest magma.

Stage 3. Coasting the Ocean
From Tinajo to Caleta de Famara - 21 km / 150 m+ / 6 hours

On the third day, the route leads from Tinajo to Caleta de Famara along the rugged seaboard, where the ocean roars between wave-eroded cliffs and volcanoes. After crowning Mt Bermeja, you come to the surfing capital of the island via an unforgettable coastal strip of white sand punctuated by large black rocks encrusted with olivine. At the end of the day, the formidable Risco de Famara cliff-face becomes tinged with the warm colours of the sunset.

For food, at the 8-kilometre mark you go through the small fishing village of La Santa (not to be confused with the nearby sports vacation centre). At the bar called El Quemao, in the street of the same name, which is frequented by local fishermen, you can eat well and cheaply. The seafood soup comes highly recommended, particularly when the fresh north wind is blowing.

Stage 4. The Abyss of the Heights
From Caleta de Famara to Órzola - 27 km / 1.500 m+ / 9 hours

The fourth stage, from Famara to Órzola, is the longest and toughest on the whole route. It runs entirely along the stunning cliffs of Risco de Famara. Access is via an amazing oasis which grows in the Barranco de la Paja, a valley flanked by sharp slopes rising over 600 metres above the Atlantic.

To have a rest and find something to eat, it is advisable to take the detour which goes through Haría (11-kilometre mark), as it has all kinds of bars and restaurants.

After your noon stopover, the route starts climbing towards the Gayo peaks, which feature some spectacular vantage points. From here it is only a few kilometres to the popular Mirador del Río. The panoramic view from this lookout is on a grand scale – the island of La Graciosa looks like a 3D map, with its colourful volcanoes, shining beach sand and white houses.

The final descent along the trail leads to the port of Órzola. Your baggage and tickets will be waiting for you at the lockers in El Graciosero. Half an hour later you land at the neighbouring island of La Graciosa, where time seems to stand still.

Relax on La Graciosa

The small island of La Graciosa, with an area of just 29 km² and still free of tarred roads, is the ideal hideout for relaxing for a couple of days at the end of the hike. Or, if you are still rearing to go, for exploring its fantastic landscape.

Book your Vueling to Lanzarote and gear up for a heady shot of trekking across the island.

Text by Sergio Fernández Tolosa & Amelia Herrero Becker of Con un Par de Ruedas

Photos by Con un Par de Ruedas and Clara Bon Photography

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