Degollada del Viento – Where the Wind Holds the Silence
Sometimes you have to escape the beaten track to truly understand Fuerteventura. The Degollada del Viento viewpoint is one of those quiet places that don’t announce themselves – you have to seek them out.
A Mountain Pass at 350 Metres
At around 350 metres above sea level, roughly halfway between Pájara and La Pared, the Degollada del Viento mountain pass sits in the western part of the island. The name says it all: “Gorge of the Wind” – and indeed, a breeze almost always sweeps across the barren upland here, as if the island itself is breathing.
The Old Canarian House – the “Casa Honda”
What sets the Mirador Degollada del Viento apart from other viewpoints is its architectural centrepiece: a faithful reconstruction of a traditional Canarian Casa Honda, the typical dwelling that is sunk halfway into the ground. The thick earthen walls defy both wind and sun alike – a structure that seems to have grown from the landscape rather than been placed within it.
The View: Highlands and Isthmus
From the viewing platform, the vista opens up into two worlds. To the south stretches the narrow isthmus Istmo de la Pared – that slender waist where Fuerteventura seems almost on the verge of breaking apart, pinched between the Atlantic and the sea. To the north lies the monotonous, ochre-yellow highlands of the municipality of Betancuria, calm and timeless, as if time itself had forgotten to move on.
Military Restricted Zone West of the Pass
Immediately to the west of the mountain pass lies a military restricted zone. Occasionally, one can hear the distant echo of manoeuvres. Entry is of course strictly forbidden – a detail that lends the scene a peculiar, faintly mysterious quality.
Getting to the Degollada del Viento Viewpoint
From Pájara, follow the FV-605 in a south-westerly direction. After roughly 12 to 13 kilometres, a small side road branches off to the right, leading to a lay-by. From there, a short, gentle climb brings you to the viewing platform – no sweat required, but a view very much included.
