Ajuy is a small, pleasant fishing village situated on the West coast of the island and is a worthwhile inclusion in your itinerary if you plan to hire a car.

The black, sand and pebble each is bordered North and South by towering cliffs which give shelter to the village below. The sea however can sometimes be quite rough so be careful if you have small children.

The walk to the ‘Mirador Caleta Negra’ leaves the beach on the right and goes up and around the rocks – it’s all clearly marked.

There are some spectacular views of natural limestone formations along the route (for all you budding geologists) which rose up from the waters below millions of years ago.

You arrive at one viewing platform and get excellent views along the cliffs and of the enormous caves.

You can also take the narrow steps down to a lower viewing point and in fact the adventurous can go right down to the bay and into the caves.

The first cavern ends at the sea after around 150 metres, while the second is longer and darker, so bring a powerful flashlight if you plan to explore it – and don’t go inside if the surf is up.

When you return along the same route to the village you have a choice of two excellent restaurants, fresh, locally caught fish being the predominant course (of course!) When you leave Ajuy head back through the pretty town of Pajara there’s a worthwhile detour on the left after two kilometres to the ‘Barranco de la Madre del Agua’, a palm valley with pools and a little stream ideal for a brief rest stop.