GeologyRocksTimanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Tue, 10/26/2004 - 20:07Hi
I have been on this tour too and thought it was fab. The down point had to be that you can't get out of the bus to touch anything!!
Well worth a visit, i have some fab photos of water shooting out of holes!
Did you see the grill thing where they cook all the restaurant food??
Talk about a big barbie...
kirsty x
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Wed, 11/03/2004 - 13:56Hi Kirsty,
We did see the grill, absolutely incredible, but unfortunately we didn't have time to stay and have a meal at the restaurant. It was still great though, we'd definitely go again if we went back to Lanzarote. In the near future I'd like to see the other Canaries first, we've "done" Fuerteventura and Lanzarote and now we'd like to see the rest! Especially La Palma, that's the one that may break in half and cause a huge tidal wave that'll wipe out Florida next time it erupts! I want to see it before that happens!!!
Anyone been to any of the other Canaries? If so, let us know what's worth seeing (and what isn't) before we book our next holiday! 
Katie
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Fri, 11/05/2004 - 17:04I thought that the whole of Lanzarote looked like the moon or something, how about you ?
Definitely! It was quite surreal really, nothing but lava as far as the eye can see!
I'm pretty sure La Palma isn't on the tourist trail either, but you can go and stay there without a permit. I think you have to fly to Gran Canaria/Tenerife (can't remember which is nearer) and then get a boat. I think it would probably cost a lot of money anyway!
Maybe in a few years!?!?!?!
Katie
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Fri, 03/18/2005 - 14:17Hi all,
Just got back this morning from Lanzarote where I've been for a week.
I have to say that the Fire Mountain was the highlight of my week away. Me and a friend was supposed to be taking one of the 'subsidised' excursion tours (one where they give you a presentation and try to sell you some REALLY expensive beds and bedding - but at 12 Euros for the trip!!) but as there were only 6 on the coach they cancelled it as not worth their while!
Anyway, back on topic. We hired a car (55 euros - 2 days) and drove up to Timanfeya, and just the drive along the access road to the park was an eye opener.
You drive along a plain that is made of the same black rock, almost as far as the eye can see, that is found all over the island before reaching the camel tour, and then a bit further on, the enterance to the park. The park and coach tour's been mentioned already on here so I don't need to say more except that I had the sirloin steak and it was delicious!!
We then drove back out the other way, calling at the visitors centre (free, but dissapointing) and eventually getting back to Arricefe along some VERY dodgy roads!!
I took loads of pictures of both Timanfeya, and other shots at Pueto De Carmen and Teguise including some 360 degree panoramas. If anyone would like to PM me I'd be happy to email them to anyone that's interested.
Off topic, but a neccesary waring to anyone visiting Lanzarote (and I would guess probably the other islands) take care when buying,or even asking about buying, electrical goods, esp. camcorders, cameras etc. PM me for more details.
But most of all, Have a great holiday/visit and don't, like me, get sunburnt!!!
Pete
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Fri, 03/18/2005 - 23:20Hi,
Glad to be here!
I really only have a passing interest in geology. I did it at school at O level and I still remember bits of it.
I went to Calpe earlier in the year, and from looking at the big rock (Peñón de Ifach) there I was thinking that it may have been the remmenants (sp) of a volcanic vent surrounded by metamorphic rock.
Since I got back, I read somewhere that I'd got it totally wrong!!!
I've got quite a few photos of both Peñón de Ifach and also around Lanzarote (I've got some panoramic shots from around Timanfeya too) so if you'd like me to send them through to put on the site (or just for your personal collection) I'd be most happy to send them through to you.
However, the panorama's are quite a size, but if you've got Broadband I can email them one at a time. I can sort out whichever way (even maybe writing to disc and sending to you) as and when we do it.
Best regards
Pete
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Sun, 03/20/2005 - 09:54That'd be great, Pete.
You can email them to me at [email protected]
If you could just put a short description in the email of what the photo is, that'd be good.
As usual we'll give you 5 extra points for each picture we use
I'm looking forward to seeing these.
Cheers
Jon
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Thu, 04/21/2005 - 11:04Hi, This year in Canary Islands, we have had a grand Volcanic Tremors (about 5-5.4º R) and more sulfur gas emissions than an "usual way" from the caldera crater and fumarolic sistem , in Tenerife. It mades scientifics to alert about a possible "fissural" Teide eruption.
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Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Submitted by Jon on Tue, 07/20/2004 - 15:49.Timanfaya National Park, Lanzarote
Timanfaya is a National Park on the island of Lanzarote that is on the site of one of the most recent volcanic activity on the Canary Islands. The volcano is still active and has some astounding scenery, as well as several unique plant species. The park houses a Visitor Centre, souvenir shops, a café/bar and the restaurant El Diablo where the food is cooked using the heat of the volcano itself.
The park covers a large area and entering from the south (Playa Blanca) will lead you first to the camel rides and a small museum. There’s also a shop and a café, but unless you want a camel ride, skip this part.
Around five minutes drive north is the entrance to the main tour and restaurant. This costs 8 euros per person. You drive the car up a road and park it in the car park at the top of the volcano.
The main part of the park is accessed on the 45-minute bus tour. The tour takes place on a fleet of flesh-coloured buses (which we had trouble finding, but I think that was just us as they are in the car park!). This is both the best and worst part of the tour. The scenery is spectacular, awe inspiring, and simply sensational – but you are stuck on a bus. The driver does stop at selected viewpoints, but you still have to take pictures through the coach windows. There are some pictures here and more will follow.
Once you’ve done the tour there are three demonstrations of the volcanoes heat (not including the restaurant). If you’re not there as part of a tour group then you may have to hang around until a tour group does arrive, but do hang around, it is worth it. The first demonstration has you holding rocks dug up from a few centimetres below the surface – they are hot! The second demonstration has the staff putting some dried wood into a hole. It’s not long before it bursts into flame. The video (6Mb) shows this really well if you have a fast enough connection. The third and final demonstration is the most spectacular. Water is poured down a hole and it’s not long before it comes shouting back up as steam. The video for this is here (1Mb).
If you have the time go and have something to eat from the restaurant, the food isnÂ’t great but the view is.
The souvenir shop should be your next stop. If you see anything you like here, get it now as the other souvenir shop at the visitor centre is more expensive for most items. For example we did it the wrong way round and bought a book in the visitor centre for 24 euros, which was only 17 euros in the souvenir shop.
The visitor centre is some 5 minutes drive north of the main attraction. The centre hosts some interactive displays and a shop. The interactive displays are informative, but do not contain anything a geologist will not already know (apart from some of the recent history, flora and fauna).
Overall, well worth a half-day visit or maybe a full day if you take your time. The tour and demonstrations are second to none. ItÂ’s just a shame you canÂ’t get out of the buses.
Jon and Katie
Geologists are gneiss!!