Cape Province, in
South Africa, has a very pleasant spring climate in October and November
with a good chance of sunny, cloudless days and temperatures of 25-30 C,
perfect for relaxed tee shirt and shorts walking, at low level.
The
Swartberg Mountains, running east to west for 150 miles ,some 200 miles
north of the Cape of Good Hope, with summits in excess of 7000 feet, make
a formidable barrier between the fertile Little Karoo to the south and the
arid Great Karoo but provide excellent walking trails and fresher air. Being a National Park, a permit-currently costing 30 Rand (approx
£2.25) per person per day-is required.
For many years the mountains were considered almost impenetrable until
Thomas Bain designed and built, using convict labour, the Swartberg Pass.
This unsurfaced road enters through a narrow gorge and winds, via a series
of steep hairpin bends, to a summit at 5000 feet where snow often lies for
many months. It is considered one of the world’s most spectacular mountain
passes and gives access to a variety of marked trails, suitable for day
walks or longer hikes. In this mountain environment, with water supplies
problematical, the walker must be fully equipped and prepared for all
eventualities. Quite luxurious huts-rather like small bungalows-should be
booked in advance through the Park Centre and a number of dry caves are
also available for overnights.
For walkers, there are rich rewards-an untouched, remote natural setting
with extensive views in all directions and blissful solitude. A profusion
of plants and spring flowers-mountain fynbos, pelagoniums, ericas and
proteas. Abundant bird life, especially in the valleys, small adders
basking in the sun and just the chance, perhaps unwelcome, of encountering
a troupe of inquisitive baboons.
As sterling rapidly sinks, South Africa still provides excellent value for
money with a coffee at 60p ,a pint of beer around 85p. While there is a
certain uneasiness in the larger towns, with their surrounding townships,
beyond these the sense of generous welcome remains.
Now that Mandela has retired, the political climate is changing and long
term stability is perhaps less assured. Visit soon
The
Balearic Islands, lying in the Western Mediterranean, are well known to
tourists and have a reputation for sea, sun, sand and Sangria .There is
however another side to these beautiful islands.
Click photo for larger image
Majorca, perhaps better known by its
Spanish name-Mallorca-is the largest and most topographically varied.. The
Sierra de Tramantana range runs North to South along the Western coast
,with the highest peaks touching 4500 feet. These limestone mountains,
with pine covered lower slopes, are in marked contrast to the low lying
interior farmland and heavily overbuilt Southern and Eastern coasts.
A number of ancient mule tracks cross
the mountains and lead down to attractive coastal villages and coves, far
from mass tourism. The Government of the islands, conscious of this
untouched and unspoilt area, has begun to repair old paths, to place
way-marks and erect signage, with a view to welcoming the discriminating
and active walker. In addition, approximately 300 km of quiet rural roads
have been designated as suitable and safe for cyclists. SportActive, a local company,
ATOL bonded and based in Lisburn , owned by David McCall and Martin
Birney, has been organising both walking and cycling holiday packages to
Mallorca for the last five years. Holidays are inclusive of flights and
are centered , on a half board basis, near Alcudia , on the North coast.
Transport to walks is also provided. Each week, five days of walking is
interspersed with a free day.
A group of sixteen walkers left
Belfast International very early on a Saturday morning in May and
travelled most comfortably, courtesy of Thomas Cook Airlines, on a smart,
clean, Airbus A320 arriving in Palma precisely on time. SportActive had
arranged that seats were allocated close to the front of the cabin and
that a meal was provided—little touches of care which were appreciated.
A minibus was waiting to transfer the
group to Alcudia , just under one hour away.Walking began on Sunday morning, led
by David McCall ,very ably assisted by his partner, the lovely Helen.
As the week progressed ,David’s
abilities became clear. A Mountain Leader Award holder and very widely
experienced, everyone knew that they were in safe hands and could simply
relax, forget about navigation, forget about time, forget about business
worries, forget what day of the week it was and simply enjoy wonderful,
energetic walking.
A good example of what was on offer involved a minibus journey of twenty
minutes to a walk starting point west of Alcudia at Mal Pas. A short climb
up through pines to a saddle, where most opted to drop down steeply to the
beautiful Coll Baix cove-unfortunately dangerous for swimming- and clamber
back up again. A steep climb followed, initially through pines but
eventually on to the open hillside, bathed in warm sunshine, with fabulous
views across to the Formentor Peninsula . Finally we reached the
summit watchtower and lunch stop.
Descending along the North face of the mountain, views were outstanding
and a little detour to the Penya Rotja viewpoint simply added to the
enjoyment. Finish was at Ermita de la Victoria, where a
deconsecrated Church had been sensitively converted into a luxury hotel.
However, a restaurant, with a shady terrace and long views, provided the
liquid refreshment required.14km ,covered in relaxed style, set up
appetites for a buffet evening meal in excellent company-we even
understood each other’s jokes.
SportActive, offering walking
and cycling holidays in Majorca, France, Austria and Poland is, on the
evidence of this holiday, to be very highly commended for its quiet
professionalism ,attention to the important small details and ,
importantly, for being good value for money.
Ronnie Carser
The following article has
been contributed by Dorothy Eccles (Mid-Ulster Walking Club).
Dorothy has been a keen walker for many years and has an adventurous
streak. She has recently returned from a cycling expedition in the
Middle East . These are her thoughts on a trip to Chile with
Ramblers Holidays last winter.
Chile January 2008
I don’t
know why more people
don’t choose to take
holidays in January instead of July,
and thereby miss the cold, dark, dreary days whichwinter brings, and go somewhere
that is sure to be sunny.
On January 15 I left Belfast
on a cold damp dark
day with four friends,
and, 36 hours later travelling via Heathrow and Madrid, arrived in
Santiago de
Chile. It was a very long journey and economy class does not afford one
much comfort for a 13 hour flight-but
compared to the months of discomfort which early explorers
endured on sailing
ships, it would be churlish to complain.Ramblers Worldwide Holidays run a very efficient company. Alf,our
Scottish Spanish speaking guide,
was waiting for us and quickly had us and our luggage in a bus and on the way to a hotel in
the city centre.
We were the third group he had lead in Chile this season so he had any
problems well sorted.
Santiago de
Chile was hot, sunny and busy. We stayed there 2 nights and then flew
south to Pucon , an hour’s flight.
Road journeys in Chile can be very difficult
so flying is a sensible option.
Now we were ready to “ see ” Chile. For the next seven days we walked in
what is known as " The Lake
District of Chile ”.
Chile has a mixed-race population.
Only about 1% of the
earlier Mapuche Indian people
remain.
Settlers have come from all over Europe to farm, to work,
and to have a better way of life.
In this area of Chile,
a German influence is very strong.
Our Hôtel could have been transplanted directly from
the Black Forest.
The landscape in the Lake Districtis dominated by volcanoes.
They are exactly like a child’s drawing-perfectly
symmetrical snow-clad cones with wisps of steam coming from the top. Our walks
through the forests
took us past lakes which reflected the volcanoes, and cameras were ever
ready to record the beauty around us.
Chile is the home of the Araucaria,
better known to us
as the Monkey Puzzle.
It only grows at higher levels and like our own much loved specimens, many
showed the same age related problems,
a heavy canopy with straggly dead lower limbs.
We visited Chiloe,
the second biggest island in South America.
The chief industry here is salmon farming.
Thousands are employed in it and the product is exported all over the
world. Hundreds of new low cost houses have been built to accommodate this
explosion of the population.
Surprisingly we did not eat a lot of salmon,and also very little
lamb, in spite of seeing lots of
very large flocks. We saw some large beef herds, mostly black and white
Freisian look-alike
animals.
One day we visited a llama farm and as we left the bus I heard the unmistakable “put-put”of a
milking machine, a
legacy of my farming background.
On investigation I found a man in a tiny milking parlour,
using four units and working his way through about a dozen cows. He was putting
the milk into cans,
something I haven’t seen for years.
I was so sorry not to have some Spanish.
Another flight,
this time a three hour one, still going south - this country is not called
“ a long thin country”
for nothing-and we
arrived in Puerto Arenas, Patagonia,
the most southerly capital in the world. Only ?% of Patagonia is in
Chile,
the remainder being in Argentina.
It is a huge area,
1,000,000km square.
We visited the area known as Torres del Paine.
This was the place we were all looking forward to seeing and we were not
disappointed. The beauty of the scenery surpasses one’s expectations.
The park has been a UNESCO Biosphere for 30 years and is considered to be
one of the most beautiful, uncontaminated and unique places on the planet.
The dining room of our hotel had huge windows
in which were framed the famous 3 Torres-Sur,
Central and Sud. In the mornings
food remained untouched as we watched the rising sun firstly gild the peaks and then pour down the hillsides as it rose over the horizon.
In the evenings we watch the sun
set, and light drain
from the valleys and once again
the tops were gilded
before disappearing below the
horizon.
Tired after a day spent outdoors and with a glass of Chilean wine to hand,
this was as close to perfection as one can get.
In Patagonia
we watched the condors glide high in the sky,
seeming almost to be suspended by some invisible wire.
We heard and saw
Magellan Woodpeckers-thump,
thump- the tree trunks.
We walked among herds of Guanacos-Andean llamas-and
quite a few Rheas-members of the ostrich family.
We glimpsed a puma
slink through undergrowth,
but did not get the chance to photograph it. As has happened in New Zealand,
some unwise settlers brought gorse to Chile to use as a quick growing fence.
Quick growing it certainly is,
and indestructible.
It covers acre upon acre and has survived every attempt
to remove it.Wild blue lupin
grows in profusion and beautiful pink foxgloves,
rather better imports.
Glaciers cover many valleys and, as it was summer in the southern hemisphere the rivers were
full of melt water and the roar of waterfalls fill the air.
Icebergs calved
off the Grey Glacier
floated like crashed planes in
Lagos Bay.Willie Grey,
our friend, felt very much at home
here.Surprising for me, the icebergs were an incredible
iridescent blue-internally
reflected light, I was told.
Chile is a land of great diversity.
The driest place on earth is found in Northern Chile,
there are snow covered mountains, glaciers and icebergs, enormous
waterfalls and wide open arable stretches of land.
One of the reasons it was able to remain a distinct region was because
explorers found it difficult to cross the Atacama Desert in the north or
the Andes mountains which run from the north to the south.
The people are friendly and welcomingwanting to share their beautiful land.
The Isles of Scilly, situated 120 miles
south of Rosslare and 30 miles west of Land’s End, may not, at first
sight, appear to be a walking destination.
Travel to the five inhabited, low lying
islands is relatively expensive and accommodation is scarce but the
rewards, in terms of scenery and an ‘away from it all’ feeling, are
suitable recompense.
Whilst it would be possible to take a car,
using surface transport to Great Britain and a subsequent long drive,
costs of flying to Bristol or Exeter and then hiring a vehicle, will be
very similar. As Jet 2 has opened a summer service to Newquay in ’09 from
Belfast , this provides an ideal entry to both Cornwall and onward to
Scilly, using the twin otter aircraft of Skybus. The ability to have
perhaps a weeks’ walking on Dartmoor and a few days on the islands is
tempting.
A more unusual approach is to take the big
British International Helicopters Sikorsky 61 from Penzance and enjoy
magnificent views from less than 1000 feet. If ‘choppers’ are not your
thing, the sturdy little Scillonian 3 sails daily from Penzance, taking
just under three hours to reach the islands.
The first impression of the islands will be
the clarity of the air and surrounding sea, pollution being less evident.
On the largest island-St Mary’s- there is, surprisingly, much farmland,
with little fields surrounded by high hedges, producing early spring
flowers. The tiny island capital, Hugh Town, has most shops and facilities
available, with daily boats leaving for the neighbouring islands. A
limited variety of accommodation is available, mostly in the town and
early booking is advisable. The Tourist Information Centre (01720422892)
will provide the necessary brochures.
A particular recommendation might be Star Castle, built in 1597 in the
form of an eight pointed star, on the hill top above the town. With its
solid, thick walls, surrounding battery and wonderful views, it has been
loving updated to become the winner of the 2009 Island Hotel of the Year
award. It is very expensive—but impossibly romantic-the venue for a
special occasion?
Walking is varied on St Mary’s with
beautiful rocky coastal paths and extensive views leading to secluded bays
of fine white sand or along quiet lanes in the interior, with virtually no
motorised traffic. Tresco has downland, castles and of course, the famous
Abbey Gardens while St Martin’s is noted for long sandy beaches and boasts
the most southerly vineyard in Britain. Bryher and St Agnes are also well
worth exploring on an afternoon walk.
To follow a long tree shaded lane to the
seaside graveyard at Old Town on an early summer evening, with
nothing but birdsong and a distant calling cuckoo in the ears, to sit
quietly near the grave of the late Prime Minister Harold Wilson and absorb
the utter peace and tranquillity of the surroundings, is a reminder of how
Mr and Mrs Wilson , in the midst of busy lives, returned each year for
forty years to their humble cottage near Hugh Town, to find a slower pace
of life.
That tranquillity is still available and
what better way to enjoy than on foot.