Walking on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Paddy Dillon

as the cheese-making Quesería Rubicón. A signpost for the PR LZ 09 stands at the roundabout, pointing up a tarmac road that gives way to a track. Climb past a notice for the Monumento Natural Los Ajaches, with views of Femés and the Valle de Femés.

      The path climbing from the Valle del Pozo to the gap of Loma Pico de Naos

      A goat farm is reached on a stony gap at Loma Pico de la Aceituna, at 414m (1358ft). Two mapboards and two signposts stand to the right. The PR LZ 10-11 heads left, but almost immediately turns right. The PR LZ 09 heads right, followed on Walk 1 and Walk 4. A broad path, covered in stones and boulders, drops steeply across a rocky slope while exploiting soft beds of rock. There is crude stone paving later, then the path swings left and runs down to a three-way signpost in the Barranco de la Higuera, around 260m (855ft). Walk 1 joins from the right. Keep left, or straight ahead through the barranco, roughly following pylons to reach another signpost at 127m (417ft).

      Take careful note of where the signpost actually points. Most walkers continue to the coast, which is covered in Walk 3, but our route follows a vague path running parallel to the track, just to the left, becoming clearer only as it drifts away from the track. This is the PR LZ 10-12 for Loma Pico de Naos. The path rises gently into Valle del Pozo, following a dry streambed for a while. Exit on the right past prickly pears and follow the path across a crest around 220m (720ft). The path is unmistakeable, looping in and out of gullies on the mountainside, passing more prickly pears and becoming rockier as it rises. Reach a track on a gap at Loma Pico de Naos, at 302m (991ft), where there is a turning space. The track leads, in less than 1km (½ mile) to bus stops at Las Casitas.

      Looking along the Valle de Femés, from the slopes of Pico de la Oveja, to Las Casitas

      A path on the left climbs south-west, later zigzagging uphill. It then has rock rising to the left, and tabaibal dotted around, before reaching a bare gap. At this point it is worth turning sharp left up a short path to a rocky little summit at 375m (1230ft) bearing prickly pears. The path continues from the bare gap, zigzagging uphill and reaching a fork. Keep left along the higher path, but if the other is taken in error, both paths rejoin later. It is again worth making a sharp left turn to climb to the summit of Pico de la Oveja, at 471m (1545ft), to enjoy fine views. On the way to the gap beyond, the slopes become bouldery and the path is more rugged. Either pass or climb Pico de las Flores, then continue towards buildings on the next gap. This is the goat farm on Loma Pico de la Aceituna, passed earlier in the day. Simply walk down the access track and road to return to Femés.

WALK 3

      Femés to Puerto Calero

Start	Roundabout, Femés
Finish	Roundabout, Puerto Calero
Distance	12km (7½ miles)
Total Ascent	270m (885ft)
Total Descent	610m (2000ft)
Time	3hrs 30min
Terrain	Mostly clear paths, initially on steep, stony and rocky slopes. A vague stretch later, then clear cliff coast paths.
Refreshment	Bar restaurants at Femés, Playa Quemada and Puerto Calero.
Transport	Occasional buses serve Femés on weekdays from Arrecife, Playa Honda and Tías. Regular daily buses link Puerto Calero with the airport and Playa Blanca.

      Apart from a rocky, stone-strewn path on a steep slope early in the walk, most of this route is easy. A descent through an empty barranco leads to the sandy beach of Playa del Pozo, then a cliff coast path leads to the village of Playa Quemada and onwards to a holiday resort and marina at Puerto Calero.

      Route uses PR LZ 10 and 11. The last bus stop at Femés is near a little supermercado. There is a nearby roundabout with a palm tree at its centre and this is where the walk starts, around 370m (1215ft). First, take a look around the village – especially the plaza, church and a mirador overlooking distant Playa Blanca and Fuerteventura. There are bar restaurants, as well as the cheese-making Quesería Rubicón. A signpost for the PR LZ 09 stands at the roundabout, pointing up a tarmac road that gives way to a track. Climb past a notice for the Monumento Natural Los Ajaches, with views of Femés and the Valle de Femés.

      A goat farm is reached on a stony gap at Loma Pico de la Aceituna, at 414m (1358ft). Two mapboards and two signposts stand to the right. The PR LZ 10-11 heads left, but almost immediately turns right. The PR LZ 09 heads right, followed on Walk 1 and Walk 4. A broad path, covered in stones and boulders, drops steeply across a rocky slope while exploiting soft beds of rock. There is crude stone paving later, then the path swings left and runs down to a three-way signpost in the Barranco de la Higuera, around 260m (855ft). Walk 1 joins from the right.

      A signposted path junction deep in the Barranco de la Higuera

      Keep left, or straight ahead through the barranco, roughly following pylons to reach another signpost at 127m (417ft). Take careful note of where the signpost actually points. Most walkers continue to the coast using the track, which is fine, but our route follows a vague path off to the right across the stony, scrubby bed of the barranco. Look across the bed and aim towards a drystone enclosure, then aim for another one, picking up a narrow path that quickly becomes obvious. This eventually leads to a signpost overlooking a beach at Playa del Pozo, which could easily be missed if the track was followed. There is a ‘pozo’, or well, on the beach. Turn left as signposted for Playa Quemada, and a track begins to run inland towards Barranco del Fraile. Follow it, but quickly turn right up a track blasted from a rocky slope above the sea.

      There is a metal marker beside the track, where a path heads off to the right, bending, rising and falling while cutting across rocky and stony slopes. A path junction is reached where there is a choice between zigzagging down to the sea and climbing again, or drifting inland with less descent and ascent. Both paths rejoin before a mapboard is reached at the seaside village of Playa Quemada. Follow roads that run close to the sea to spot a number of bar restaurants. There is a mapboard and signpost at a bus shelter beside a road junction, but no bus services. Unless a pick-up or taxi can be arranged, walkers need to continue along the coast for another hour.

      Walk to the far end of the village, to the end of the tarmac road, where a track continues parallel to the coast. The track is mostly used by cyclists; walkers might prefer to follow a narrow, rugged path near the low cliffs of Risco Prieto. Either way, head towards the large Hotel Hesperia Lanzarote. Join a road and rise to pass the hotel entrance. When a road junction is reached turn right downhill, and the road then bends left and begins to rise. Watch on the right for a house called Gran Cortijo Viejo, where a gritty path and a few steps drop to a brick-paved promenade.

      Looking along the coast to Playa Quemada, Puerto Calero and Puerto del Carmen

      Turn left and follow the palm-fringed promenade as it runs between a marina and apartments. There are a couple of points where it is possible to go down to the marina, which has a range of shops, bars and restaurants, as well as a Museo de Cetacéos (whales and