PR FV 55: Gran Valle - Degollada del Cofete - Cofete

The short distance trail PR FV 55 starts on the dirt track connecting Morro Jable with Punta de Jandía. The beginning of the track is signaled by information panels about the Nature Trail. We begin the trail along a dirt track that leads us through the Great Valley, surrounded by towering mountain ranges, such as Morro de Mungía to the west and Cuchillo del Ciervo to the east. The Great Valley is heavily eroded due to the intense erosive processes it has been subjected to for millions of years.

This leg of the trail goes along one of the first tracks connecting the leeward and the windward coasts of the island. Along the way, we can appreciate the historic remains of several aboriginal structures, items of great archaeological value, and real flora treasures, such as the cardón de Jandía or Jandía cactus (Euphorbia handiensis), a species endemic to the island which is regarded as the plant symbol of Fuerteventura.

Almost imperceptibly, we begin a gentle ascent that will take us to Degollada de Cofete, a place that offers fabulous views both of the impressive Cofete coast to the north and of the Great Valley to the south, and which is considered by many to be one of the best viewpoints on Fuerteventura.

From this point, we begin a gentle descent which will allow us to enjoy varied magnificent views of the Cofete coast, the mountain ranges, the village of Cofete itself and Winter house. The building of this house was commissioned in 1946 by a German engineer, Gustav Winter, who at the time had leased the entire Jandía peninsula. This building is associated with a number of popular legends, such as the one stating that it was a shelter for Nazis or that it had been used as a supply point for German submarines during World War II.