Hiking: Montaña Bermeja (La Santa)

Nestled in the windswept northwest of Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Montaña Bermeja stands as a sentinel of volcanic splendor near the laid-back surf village of La Santa, in the municipality of Tinajo. This modest yet striking cinder cone, reaching about 160 metres, owes its name and fiery red tones to iron-rich lava oxidized over millennia, painting the landscape in earthy crimson hues that evoke the island's primal, untamed energy.

Rising from the arid malpaís terrain, the mountain anchors a rugged coastal realm where black lava fields give way to the Atlantic's relentless roar. At its base, the trailhead beckons from the Paleontological Zone of La Santa—a fossil-rich site whispering of ancient marine life—inviting hikers to embark on the renowned 6.7-mile (10.8 km) La Santa–Montaña Bermeja loop. This moderately challenging path meanders through calderas and clifftop paths, past hamlets like El Roque and Mojón del Río, with a 157-metre elevation gain that rewards with sweeping vistas of Famara’s sheer basalt cliffs, the shimmering Taburiente massif on La Palma, and the endless turquoise horizon.

A haven for adventurers, the area pulses with Lanzarote's wild spirit: trade winds whip across the trails, sculpting dunes and testing resolve, while the surrounding badlands bloom sporadically with volcanic flora like retama bushes and lichens clinging to obsidian rocks. Surfers flock to nearby La Santa breaks for world-class waves, but Montaña Bermeja offers solitude—perfect for birdwatchers spotting endemic species or stargazers under unpolluted skies. Untouched by crowds, this red-hued pinnacle captures the essence of Lanzarote's geological drama, where earth's fiery heart meets the sea's eternal rhythm in a symphony of isolation and awe.