Escape.

There is only so much cold, wet weather a body can stand. Every morning brought the same sodden outlook, so much rain that the muck and grunge dropped from the gutters and was spat onto the greenhouse roof. 

Time to escape!

All that we wanted was a week in some warmth and sunshine. 

Hurray! We found it in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.

This was the nearby beach where I had my daily swim.

We went with our trusty holiday companions, the Young and Fit.

The landscape of Lanzarote could not be more different from that of England. Black volcanic rock covers the ground, there is an absence of growth and greenery. It has it's own particular beauty.

We drove to the north of the island to explore the town of Teguise.

May Day and the place was deserted.

And it was cold!

A rather nifty arrangement  in this window.

Our next destination was visible on the horizon,

the hill fort. 

Over a small drawbridge and beyond a very solid door,

up to the rooftop with it's fantastic view over the surrounding countryside.

Inside the fort we found a pirate museum, of interest to us because some of those mentioned came from our home port of Bristol!

From there we drove to the west coast and the town of Famara.

I like this place, where nothing ever seems to happen, sand covers the streets and I always expect to see tumbleweed rolling by. Famara has a great beach where I have swum on previous holidays, but on this May Day the red flag was blowing in a cold wind and we kept well wrapped up!

There are one or two quirky buildings

and a lot of volcanic rock!

It was good to return to the south of the island and and the sunshine.