Montana Amarilla (La Graciosa)

The colour is the first thing you see. The hill stands ochre and sand-yellow over an island that is otherwise brown scrub and dry soil, and the banding in the rock shows up sharply as the sun drops.

La Graciosa is low and bare, so the climb up the northern side opens out the south of the island, with Lanzarote across the water. The wind on top blows hard and does not let up.

At the foot of the hill sits a cove of clear water, good for an hour on the sand or a swim with a mask: snorkellers find plenty of fish there. Getting there is part of it. There are no paved roads on the island, only sand tracks through open desert from the ferry village.

• No water, no toilets. There is neither at the hill or nearby, and no shade on the way. Stock up in Caleta de Sebo, which has supermarkets.
• Wind on the summit. The top is very windy; hold on to hats and loose kit.
• Trainers are enough. The sand tracks are easy going underfoot.
• Bring a mask. The cove at the foot of the hill has clear water and plenty of fish.
• Mind the boat back. The day runs on the ferry to Órzola; plan the walk back to Caleta de Sebo around the return sailing.

Private cars do not come to La Graciosa. The ferry from Órzola, on the northern tip of Lanzarote, crosses the El Río strait to the harbour at Caleta de Sebo in 25 minutes.

From the village the hill is reached on foot along the island's sand tracks, with the yellow cone in view ahead. The other way in is to ride one of the island's licensed taxis as far as Playa de los Franceses and walk the last 15 to 20 minutes. The path to the summit starts on the northern side of the hill; the cove lies at its base.

Best: early morning or late afternoon, when the low sun deepens the yellow of the rock and the heat on the open tracks eases.

Avoid: the middle of the day in summer, and days of strong wind if you mean to climb.

La Graciosa is desert with no shade on the walk in, and the summit catches whatever wind is blowing.

La Graciosa lies within the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park, and the land outside its two settlements, Caleta de Sebo and Casas de Pedro Barba, is state-owned and managed by Spain's National Parks Autonomous Agency. Motor vehicles are strictly limited to a small number of licensed ones, so the hill is reached on foot or by the island's taxis. Keep to the path on the climb.