Pechiguera Lighthouse

Two towers stand on the point, one behind the other. The old one, built in 1866, is 10 metres tall and rises from the front of its keeper's house. The new one, in white stone, stands five times that height right behind it and ranks among the tallest lighthouses in the Canaries.

Across the water lies Fuerteventura, and the channel between the two islands, La Bocayna strait, is what the light is for: three white flashes every thirty seconds, visible 17 nautical miles out. The headland around the towers is bare black volcanic rock with Atlantic surf rolling onto it, and there is nothing to buy here. It feels like the end of the island. The seafront walk from Playa Blanca finishes at the lighthouse, so it makes the natural turning point of a walk along the coast.

• Neither lighthouse is open to visitors; you see them from outside, and the old one shows vandalism and neglect.
• There are no toilets, drinking water, cafés or bars at the point, and none nearby. Bring water, especially if you walk out.
• The headland is bare volcanic rock with no shade.
• The paved promenade from Playa Blanca stops before the lighthouse; the final stretch is a dirt path over rough ground.

A car park sits right by the lighthouse, about 26 m away, so you can drive to the point and step out onto the headland.

On foot, the coastal walkway runs here from the centre of Playa Blanca. Most of it is paved seafront promenade; where the paving ends, a well-trodden path crosses waste ground to the lighthouse. The same coast path also brings you out from Playa Dorada.

The nearest bus stop, Faro Park, is about 935 m away in a straight line. Taking the bus out and walking back to Playa Blanca along the seafront is a good way to do it.

Best: late afternoon into sunset. Avoid: the middle of a hot day.

The point faces open sea to the west, so the evening light falls on the towers and the water, while at midday the bare rock has no shade and there is no water to buy.