Montana Bermeja Beach

Turn away from the sea and Montaña Bermeja fills the view: a reddish volcanic mountain standing behind the beach, with a pool of water lying between the sand and the road. Turn back and it is black sand, jagged lava and the open Atlantic breaking hard on the shore. Three colours carry the place — red slope, dark sand, deep blue water — and craters line the horizon inland.

The water is too rough for swimming. The beach is for a walk along the waterline, a break by the sea, or a pause on a longer walk along the coast.

• This is a beach for walking: strong currents and heavy waves make swimming dangerous.
• There are no toilets and no drinking water at the beach or nearby. Bring water with you.
• The black sand and bare lava offer no shade, so bring a hat and sun cream.
• The car park lies across the road from the beach, so you cross the road on foot.
• Los Hervideros lies about 700 m away along the coast, with its own car park, and pairs well with this stop.

The beach sits beside the coast road on the west side of Lanzarote, between El Golfo and Los Hervideros. The car park is across the road, about 185 m away in a straight line; from there you cross over, pass the pool of water and walk onto the sand. A second car park, at Los Hervideros, sits about 700 m away.

No bus stops at the beach. The nearest stops are El Golfo, about 2.4 km away in a straight line, and Rotonda La Hoya, about 2.8 km away, so without a car the approach means a long walk along the road.

Best: late afternoon. The low sun comes in off the sea and lights the red slope of Montaña Bermeja behind the beach.

Avoid: the middle of a summer day. Black sand takes the heat, and there is no shade anywhere on the beach.