Under the Canary Islands, most people imagine the 7 main islands of Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. However, fewer people know that the main islands include the small island of La Graciosa, located near the island of Lanzarote. However, the Canary Archipelago also includes the five small uninhabited islands of Lobos, Alegranza, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste. The archipelago also includes a series of adjacent rocks Salmor, Fasnia, Bonanza, Garachico and Anaga.
All uninhabited islands, except one, are protected from tourist visits. From the point of view of tourism, the only visited island is Lobos.
Lobos
Lobos, Spanish Isla de Lobos, is a small island in the Canary Islands, located 2 km north of the island of Fuerteventura. It has an area of 4.68 km2. Politically, it belongs to the village of La Oliva on the island of Fuerteventura. It has been a nature reserve (Parque Natural Isla de Lobos) since 1982.
The island is accessible to tourists via a short ferry ride from Corralejo in the north of Fuerteventura. It has one-day facilities and weekend houses for local fishermen. At the northeastern end of the island is the Punta Martiño lighthouse, the lighthouse keeper and his family were the last permanent residents of Lobos, until the light was automated in the 1960s.
Regular cruises are provided by shipping companies from the port of Corralejo during daylight. To protect the natural landscape from human impact, access is restricted to designated areas and hiking trails marked with directional signs. The journey leads visitors from the boat through diverse landscapes, including the lighthouse at Punto Martiño and to the top of the caldera. There is a small sheltered lagoon, Playa de la Concha, with a sandy beach for swimming.
Visitors can apply for a permit to camp on the island at the local environmental office in Fuerteventura. It is spent a maximum of three nights in the only permitted place known as “El carpintero” (carpenter). The island is a popular place for excursions for tourists from Fuerteventura who are interested in flora, fauna and geology. A maximum of 200 people are allowed access to the island per day.
Alegranza
Alegranza is one of the islands of the Chinijo archipelago, north of Lanzarote, on the Atlantic coast. As to the administrative division, it belongs to Teguise (Lanzarote). The island is the second largest in the Chinijo archipelago after the island of La Graciosa.
It is part of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park and the Los Islotes Integral Reserve. It is the northernmost part of the Chinijo archipelago and all the Canary Islands. It has an area of 10.30 km2 and is uninhabited. The Punta Delgada lighthouse in the eastern part of the island was declared a place of cultural interest on December 20, 2002.
Montaña Clara
Montaña Clara is part of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park and the Los Islotes Integral Reserve. Like the rest of the Canary Islands, its origin is volcanic. Its name is due to the light tones of the volcanic cone that covers a large area of the island. The island has an area of 2.7 km² and its highest height is recorded in La Mariana with 256 m.n.m. Despite its small area, it is an important refuge for the wilderness. It is inhabited by various species of birds, such as the Eleonor Hawk. It is the main breeding column of the turtle in the Canary Islands.
Roque del Este
It is located about 12 km northeast of Lanzarote and is the easternmost point of the Canary Islands. Like the rest of the Canary Islands, its origin is volcanic and has the inverted shape of the letter L. We find two ridges on it, which are located at both ends of the island. The larger is in the north and, has a height of 84 meters; the second in the south with a height of 63 m. Roque del Este is part of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park and the Los Islotes Integral Reserve.
Roque del Oeste
El Roque del Oeste or Roque del Infierno, also known as El Roquete in old maps, is the smallest island in the Canary Islands. It is one of the islands of the Chinijo archipelago north of Lanzarote. It is part of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park and the Los Islotes Integral Reserve.
(Photos: internet)
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