Caves from Ajuy in Fuerteventura next to the Beach of Los Muertos
This place of interest is in a very small village of 150 inhabitants and approximately 9.5km from Pajara, head for the FV-621 and this will take about 20 minutes by car to arrive.
Visit the Natural Monument of Ajuy that is encompassed in the Rural Park Betancuriaen Fuerteventura. One of the tourist attractions of the fishing village of Ajuy is the natural caves and lava flows formed in the cliffs to the right of the village, some of these cliffs reach 40 meters high, another great interest in the area includes the sample of buildings and facilities of the lime industry in Fuerteventura.
The main cultural values present in the Natural Monument of Ajuy is to do with the ethnographic heritage related to the lime industry. The presence of structures and relics related to this industry, which had its great height between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries and in which the production of lime was shipped through the Port de la Peña, the boarding ramps and lime as the housing sites known as “the office” or the cave store, these are all data of interest to this zone.
On reaching the coast of Ajuy you can find ample parking next to the beach, where you can visit some small lime kilns, you can see a sample in the photo and theres also a gallery of photos. These constructs are used to make lime. This material was widely used in construction and Albear (painted white) houses on the island of Fuerteventura.
The Playa de los Muertos in Ajuy has a length of nearly 300 meters and an approximate width of 40 meters, this is one of the exceptions to the island with a beautiful black sand along with some quiet areas (small rounded stones) as the name peculiar to the beach of the “Dead” say that is because many people drowning in these coasts were washed away, ending up in this black sandy beach. This beautiful beach is very comfortable for swimming especially on calm days but must be cautious and not venture into its waters as they often have strong currents, the days of rough seas we recommend not to swim at these beaches in the west of the island . This is the beach who chose D. Jean de Bethencourt, in 1402, to land on the island and from here began the conquest of Fuerteventura.
The Amazing Caves of Ajuy have excellent links at the end of the beach on its northern end is the mouth of the gorge of Ajuy and right there is the access by a spacious and comfortable stone ramp, this is the beginning of this journey extending about 1.5 km along the cliffs of the coast and lasts about 30 Min. An excellent view of the beach and the village on one side and the journey that awaits on the other.
The first thing you discover is as petrified sand and result in strange formations caused by erosion, the route runs along impressive cliffs 100 million years old, one of the few places where they can be observed that these rocks belong to the Cretaceous and that have been created in the deep sea, the oldest rocks in the Canary Islands, called Basal Complex where you can see ocean sediments, fossils of marine gastropods and rock formations that are sure to have a great interest to amateur geologists. For a variety of geological processes you can find here samples of oceanic crust that formed at about 3,000 meters deep, but believe it or rose crust millions of years ago and we can observe in this place above the sea level.
No doubt this tour will give you many surprises, the trail is well marked, half of the deposits found a platform for lime, in this place you can admire the beauty and power of the sea that will impress you if you visit one day of strong currents, you can then follow the path to a viewpoint where this journey ends and admire the sea inlet and finally be able to download the stairs to the sea and enjoy the famous Caves of Ajuy.
If you choose to rest in the village on return you can enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen, this is an opportunity not to be missed on the agenda of someone who is visiting Fuerteventura.