Isla de Lobos walk

Both me and Kirill are attending Spanish classes two times a week, arranged by a local "adult education" organization. As the end of the year approaches, they arrange a few events for the students. First of them was a trip to Lobos (small island between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) yesterday.
We've been to Lobos before, once in my case, twice in Kirill's, but both times we didn't really explore, just went to a small shallow cove and stayed there. This time, since we were with somebody who knew where to go, we decided we'll join the walk.

Our group was surprisingly large, about forty, as the pupils from both Puerto del Rosario and Corralejo went together.That meant that we were walking with the speed of a slowest member of the group; which was ok, but meant that the timing worked out just a bit too tight for lunch and little swim afterwards.

As it appears, we didn't need a guide really, the paths are marked and signposted, there is a map by the pier where the boats arrive and there are nowhere to get lost. In the heat of real summer it'd probably be more annoying to take a wrong turn somewhere, but it is not summer yet, so it doesn't matter so much. The whole circular walk, including ascending the only visible extinct volcano, is about eight kilometers. Most of the walk is flat, with one obvious exception of the volcano, and another of the approach to the old lighthouse on the east of the island.

The volcano slope walk is most unpleasant one, as the zigzagging path which was once paved with black rocks is now worn and almost gone in places; it would be quite slippery after the rain, too.

The approach to the lighthouse is wide and the surface is good.

The approach to volcano was a bit weird. There is a flat salt plane to the east of the path; and that looked like a place where animals go to die. There were two freshly dead seagulls on it; and quite a large number of scattered bones and small skulls, presumably of rabbits. Maybe it's not so very weird, they have to die somewhere and the climate and terrain make the remains exposed and keep them well. Still, it felt odd.

When we are going up the path to the top, a seagull started to make very low passes over people walking just ahead of us. As we came up to them the reason became clear - there was a seagull nest right next to the path. I don't think seagulls are very intelligent birds, but that seems as either a height of stupidity or maybe a consequence of pulling a short straw in a group survival strategy meeting - after all, everybody looked at those eggs and nobody went off the path to look for others, and there must be a few around.

Well, I say a nest, but it's really just a few bits of straw, paper and other rubbish on the ground. Nice color though.

Little volcanic abstract from the top.

Important bit - there is just one restaurant at the island, next to the "Puertito" (little port with another, smaller pier) and you need to tell them beforehand when are you coming for lunch and what are you going to be taking. There are just two choices - seafood paella and fried fish. Food is not that great, but the portions are absolutely huge. The beer comes in small cans only; and after a walk you might want to take a few. Is it worth having your lunch there? Not so sure, but if you want hot food, that is basically all there is. You can bring your own picnic of course, but then you will have a different problem of keeping your drinks cold.

And this is just a little port abstract that Yuri, big fan of neat things, noticed and asked me to photograph.
Isla de Lobos photos on Alamy