Fuerteventura - discovering the North
Calderon Hondo, basins of Los Charcos, Popcorn Beach, Corralejo Beach, Museo del Queso Majorero
Our northern discovery trip was busy and colorful. We started the day with a hike and because of this, we begun our journey earlier than we usually do. We enriched our itinerary with beaches and ended up in a cheese museum.
Fuerteventura is a volcanic island, the best evidence of which is the Calderon Hondo crater. There are a total of 7 volcanoes in this area, but it is worth focusing on this one. There are several hiking trails to choose from if you want to explore this area on foot. We decided on an easier option and drove there as close as possible. Since we travelled to the island in June, the sun was quite strong in the early morning hours already. That's why we arrived at the parking lot at around 7:30 am, from where we started our short walking tour. Even then, the sun's radiation was strong, so we covered ourselves well with sunscreen, got equipped with hats and sunglasses and set off towards the crater. This version of the tour is not dangerous, you can climb to the top in roughly 30 minutes and the ascent only gets stronger at the end. Most of the trail was paved with giant cobblestones, so you had to be very careful not to have a wrong step. It was often wiser to hold on to what we could, on the steeper, slightly rocky, but more gravelly parts. When we got to the top, we were greeted by a railing, from where we could see into the crater and admire the landscape from there. Although the wow moment was missed, it was still a special experience to see the area from above. Here we also met our squirrel buddies, who were friendly and seemed to be used to the close proximity of humans. You wouldn't think it, but it's an accidentally introduced species that ended up multiplying enormously due to the lack of natural predators. It is important to note here that no matter how tempting it is, do not pet or feed them, because they can sting/bite that could easily lead to nasty infections. If you visit here, be sure to come in suitable clothing, of which sun protection and suitable footwear are the key elements. Rubber sandals or beach slippers should be avoided.
After we warmed up we continued to the seawater basins of Los Charcos, where we knew we would cool off in the water. With the help of Google maps, you can easily find your way here. We quickly changed into beach clothes in the car at the parking lot and set off to find a quiet place. The special feature of this beach is that several smaller natural basins have formed in the rocky bay, where you can have a good dip in the crystal clear water. I strongly recommend it for children as well. If you want to venture further afield, you will have to climb over wet rocks, which is why good-grip footwear is a must. I speak from experience, because once I was just a bit careless and almost fell headfirst into the water. Similar to other places, there was not much natural shade, so it is worth bringing a parasol. Those with keen eyes and perseverance can also meet colorful crabs and small fish here. We didn't spend too much time here due to the sun. It is a beautiful place, after Cofete Beach, it became my personal 2nd favorite on the island.
From there we headed towards Popcorn Beach, which can be found on Google Maps as Playa del Bajo de la Burra. True to its name, the place is covered with popcorn-like pebbles as far as the eye can see. If you look closely, you can really see that these are pieces of coral that have been washed ashore by the water and have turned white. Due to the rocky terrain and the waves, it is not really possible to bathe, but it is worth visiting here, as it is an unusual natural treasure. As a ture bucketlister in heart, I always consider it important to protect our environment as much as possible during my travels. I would like to point out here that no matter how tempting it is, you mustn't take any pieces of fake popcorn from here, and be mindful about not leaving the trash behind either!
By this time we were hungry enough to continue towards the city of Corralejo, where we had lunch. We didn't plan ahead, so we chose a place on the spot relying on Google reviews. We entered the Avenida Restaurante and we had a delicious seafood lunch. We were not prepared for one thing though - the huge Hungarian-like portions. After that we headed to the last beach, the sand dunes of Corralejo (Dunas de Corralejo Natural Park). The place is easily accessible, you can park along the road without any problems, but you have to be prepared for a long walk before you get to the water. The landscape is very special, wildly novel, while there is only sand everywhere as far as the eye can see - this area is 2.5 km wide and 10 km long. It really feels like you are in a desert. The interesting thing about this beach, apart from the dunes, was that you could see several small barricade-like positions built of stones, where you could hide from the wind and sun. A funny incident also happened to us here. We were unsuspectingly looking for a good place to take a dip when for a fleeting moment I feared we had stumbled onto a nudist beach. After a few minutes of shock, it became clear that we only saw a few adventurous beachgoers. It is absolutely not mandatory to get naked. Should you find yourself in a similar situation, don't worry and do as you see fit!
By this time we were already tired but we decided to visit the cheese museum on our way home (you can find their website here). It wasn't a huge experience, but I think it's mostly because we've already seen a factory in the southern part, so this place didn't have too many new things to offer. What I really liked was the garden - it was beautiful, exactly the view that you can find when you search for pictures of Fuerteventura.
All in all, we had a great day, I really enjoyed the adventure and exploring various beaches, as each one showed a different side of the island's landscape. Los Charcos beach became my favorite from this area.
For more details and trip preparation, explore the linked articles. If you enjoyed my post, don’t forget to like and share!
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