This trip was a bonus. The GR131 doesn’t go onto this island – but should and maybe will.

Having discovered the existence of Isla Graciosa off the northern tip of Lanzarote it looked like an ideal place to explore. No roads, few cafes, lovely beaches, virtually uninhabited. I had a spare day so I made myself get up at 6, miss breakfast and catch the first bus. I arrived in Orzola just in time to catch the 8.30 ferry which took a little over 25mins to cross the relatively calm sea to the little harbour on Graciosa – Caleta de Sebo.

One is greeted by a few sea front cafes and lots of people trying to hire out cycles for the day. I wandered away from the busyish front to a smaller bar for a coffee and time to plan the day.  I found a man with a jeep who gave me a bumpy ride up towards the top end of the island. Poor chap had a swollen face from an infected molar and was in a lot of pain, his nearest dentist was on Lanzarote!

Once he had gone I was left in this isolated wild volcanic land. I wandered up along the coast to the northernmost rocky point, black larva disappearing under Atlantic breakers. What a great place to sit and contemplate, the only sounds were the wind and waves. Other uninhabited Islands were visible to the north and east but no boats appeared.

More islands.

I then started my walk around the east coast of the Island. There was a vague sandy path through the rocks and several times I diverted onto sandy beaches. The fascinating breakers coming over the rocky promontories were a challenge to my photographic efforts. In a couple of places were rock arches breached by the sea.

I didn’t see a soul until I reached the apparently uninhabited small harbour village of Pedro Barba, a couple of mountain bikers had reached here on tracks. By now the early mist had lifted and the sun was warm, a small sandy beach had me stripped off and swimming in the clear water. Magic.

I ate some lunch whilst drying in the sun. Looking down the coast there seemed to be no way below the cliffs and I contemplated moving inland to continue south. However once I had followed the beach further I spotted the path going across the crumbling cliff face and enjoyed a Kilometre or so of exciting walking.

After the cliffs there was a better path round the coast on a more open ash field backed by distant volcanic cones. At times the path was really crunchy as you walked over thousands of shells.

Sparse flowers were a delight…

At one point someone had collected all the round stones in the area and created a concentric  design giving good symmetry with the background of volcanic cones.

Again there were glorious beaches and rocky coves all the way back to Caleto del Sabo.

Time for a beer before catching the ferry back across the strait under the dramatic 2000ft  Famara cliffs of Lanzarote and round the rocky point into Orzola harbour.

What a great day!