Los Dolores Hermitage

The lava stopped short of the village here, and the edge of the flow is still there to see. The church is the village's thank-you: by local tradition, the Virgin Mary held back the eruption, and the people built her a church. The whole story is set out outside, at a small chapel to the right of the main building.

The church itself is plain in the island way, with white walls and its lines picked out in dark volcanic stone. The image inside is venerated as Our Lady of the Volcanoes, patroness of Lanzarote, and the church is still a place of pilgrimage. Around it the ground is open and quiet, with views across the surrounding countryside.

• A short stop. Fit it into a drive across the island; the church and the chapel beside it are quickly seen.
• Read the story outside. The account of the miracle is posted at the small chapel to the right of the church.
• Toilets. Public toilets stand about 30 m from the church.
• Water. There is no drinking water nearby, so bring your own.

By car, you pull into a car park about 15 m from the church, with a second one about 50 m away. Both the parking and the entrance are wheelchair-accessible. From the car the white walls stand out sharply against the dark volcanic country around them.

The Los Dolores bus stop sits about 40 m from the church, so arriving by bus leaves almost nothing to walk.

Best: early morning or late afternoon, when low sun throws the dark stone trim into relief against the white walls.

Avoid: dropping in during a service unless you have come to join it.

It is a working pilgrimage church, and at midday the light on white walls turns flat and glaring.

Los Dolores Hermitage is a working pilgrimage church. Dress as you would for any Catholic church, with shoulders and knees covered, and keep your voice down inside. If a service is under way, stay at the back or come back once it has finished.