Timanfaya
The most recent volcanic activity occurred in the early C19th southwest of Lanzarote in an area known as Timanfaya. This area has been a national park since 1974. Nearly three-quarters of the park is covered with lava or ash and is almost devoid of plant life (except for occasional spreads of lichens) and nearly all bird and animal life. The park has a number of volcanoes over 500m (1,650ft) in height, known as the Montanas del Fuego (Mountains of Fire), and many other superb volcanic features. Some of the volcanoes have deep craters, such as that on the Caldera de Corazoncillo, which is 33m (108ft) deep. In other parts of the park there are small cones, known as hornitos (little ovens), formed by exploding gas. The volcanic landscape is extremely colourful, with shades of red, yellow and brown. It is possible to take a spectacular bus tour around the Ruta de los Volcanoes, covering 10km (6.2 miles) and lasting about 40 minutes.
It is also possible to park one's car at the camel station as you approach the Timanfaya National Park. Here, over 100 dromedaries take visitors for a 20-minute ride over the volcanic slopes. Passengers sit in wooden seats on either side of the single hump. The camel station has a café, toilets and a small museum, the Museo de Rocas, which has numerous geological specimens from the park, along with information about the "camels". It is open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 3 pm.
Cesar Manrique designed the El Diablo Restaurant which is a glass-walled circle and gives superb views over the volcanic landscape westwards towards the sea. Much of the restaurant's food is grilled over a barbecue using natural heat from underground. The heat of the land below the surface is also shown by the park's employees in a series of demonstrations. Indeed, 6m (20ft) below the ground the temperature is 400°C (752°F)!!
