Yes there are still many minefields - in fact there's one mentioned in the last of the 3 essays. Walking is not a risk because everything is so well fenced and marked. Just in case anyone's still stupid enough to enter a field, the government has made it an offence to do so.
There have been negotiations going on for a number of years with Argentina to settle the conditions under which the mines will be finally cleared and who will pay. It appears that agreement had been reached. A crew from Zimbabwe was on the ground and beginning the task in the last few days of our visit.
One often reads about the likes of the Andes or the Himalaya... But this was a truly great read about a place way off the beaten track, and to be honest, a much nicer read anyway than the 21st TR about Cho Oyu or the 37th about Aconcagua, just because it catches the spirit of exploration: to go where not many have gone before. Now I would just love to see something about Olavtoppen on Bouvet Island, Swart Peak on Marion or Le Dome on Kerguelen... If you ask me, 11/10 for this page.
I never thought the Falklands looked *that* similar to Northern Scotland though...
Many thanks for reading my piece and the kind words.
To me the Falklands resemble the Outer Hebrides more than N Scotland. And the tor-like summits are very reminiscent of Dartmoor. But, really, the country has its own VERY unique character.
Great page Martin,
you must have had some spooky experiences on some of the tops, thinking about the fierce battles that were so recently fought there.
cheers Johnnie
So many wasted and ruined lives!
But a prime example of sheer grit overcoming injury is Simon Weston who was seriously burned on a troopship. I stood next to him in a Cardiff pub after an England/Wales rugby match (the last one at the old Arms Park I think).
He is an inspiration to all those wounded soldiers who have to get on with their lives in spite of serious physical & mental damage.
But seriously - you're absolutely right. The waste of, above all, human life beggars belief. And that applies to both sides. The only characters who are guaranteed to survive war are those who cause it in the first place.
totally agree Martin, I've always blamed the Iron Lady, but like others that start wars instead of negotiating settlements, no doubt she doesn't lose any sleep over the victims.
Hi Martin, you wrote an excellent page. I'm Argentine and I think you described very well the reasons of the begginig of the war, the course of the battle and the final combat and surrender. But I'm not agree with the postscript; i guess you didn't see the truth of the situation; Buenos Aires is not seething with demonstrations by Malvinas veterans. Perhaps you have seen one demostration (I don't know in what occasion, perhaps for the veteran's day or the sovereignty day); but all argentinians know that Buenos Aires is not seething with demonstrations by Malvinas veterans.
Congratulations for the page again. Sebastián.
Hi Sebastian. Thanks for your nice words and your comment.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and perhaps there is a slight language issue here since I don't speak Spanish.
Of course BA is not "seething" with demonstrations by Malvinas vets right now but during our visit in early November it most certainly was. If hundreds of noisy, banner-waving, highly pissed off ex soldiers isn't seething I don't know what is. Of course, as foreigners, we didn't know what was going on and so politely enquired. That's when we learned what they were protesting about and why - as I describe in my article.
So, as we say, I called it as I saw it. Sorry you disagree but, as I saw it, my description is accurate.
Nice to hear from Argentina anyway and good luck in the World Cup. Oh and thanks for Carlos Tevez. What a player!
Hello Martin,
What a lovely account you have written. I am planning a trip of 2 weeks to the Falkland Islands myself in December 2012, I have been wanting to go there for a long time. I go mainly for the wildlife, but I do intend to take a couple of hikes there. It's nice to know in advance that the terrain is very rugged, that there are practically no paths and that the wind is mostly galeforce. This promises to be a very interesting trip indeed! O, and the photographs are stunning. I intend to take lots and lots of photos myself.
I throughly enjoyed reading your account, and looking at the photographs. I also hiked the Mount Usborne range (from a spot east of San Carlos to Bodie Peak to Cantera Mountain to Mount Usborne and return). I followed the summits on my hike to Usborne, but thought I'd 'save some time' cutting through the lowland bog on my return journey (and hopefully avoid crossing anymore stone runs). Needless to say, I did not save any time, but would not have traded the experience for anything. The wind was legendary, and overall I probably covered about 15 or 16 miles. I also spent 3 days on Saunders, so I also enjoyed your account of that island as well. I did the hike to the summit of Mount Harston, but did not venture very far east. It was really a nice treat to stumble on this website and this article. It brought back some wonderful memories.
BobSmith - Feb 6, 2010 9:15 pm - Voted 10/10
Wow!This is a very nice post!
What about the mines? I've read that there are still lots of mines about and that walking in some areas is quite the risk. Not true?
vancouver islander - Feb 6, 2010 9:53 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Wow!Thanks Bob.
Yes there are still many minefields - in fact there's one mentioned in the last of the 3 essays. Walking is not a risk because everything is so well fenced and marked. Just in case anyone's still stupid enough to enter a field, the government has made it an offence to do so.
There have been negotiations going on for a number of years with Argentina to settle the conditions under which the mines will be finally cleared and who will pay. It appears that agreement had been reached. A crew from Zimbabwe was on the ground and beginning the task in the last few days of our visit.
mvs - Feb 7, 2010 1:45 pm - Voted 10/10
really helpedto satisfy my curiosity about a strange place. What a neat journey to go on! Thanks for posting the adventure.
vancouver islander - Feb 7, 2010 7:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: really helpedMany thanks Michael - glad you enjoyed it. If you like out of the way places, this is for you. Cheers, Martin
Ps. A return to Conuma is on the schedule for next summer. Stay posted.
EricChu - Feb 7, 2010 4:11 pm - Voted 10/10
An excellent page!You wrote a very interesting trip report and also the photos are remarkable!
vancouver islander - Feb 7, 2010 7:28 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: An excellent page!Thanks Eric - glad you enjoyed the piece.
Proterra - Feb 7, 2010 4:37 pm - Voted 10/10
Epic...One often reads about the likes of the Andes or the Himalaya... But this was a truly great read about a place way off the beaten track, and to be honest, a much nicer read anyway than the 21st TR about Cho Oyu or the 37th about Aconcagua, just because it catches the spirit of exploration: to go where not many have gone before. Now I would just love to see something about Olavtoppen on Bouvet Island, Swart Peak on Marion or Le Dome on Kerguelen... If you ask me, 11/10 for this page.
I never thought the Falklands looked *that* similar to Northern Scotland though...
vancouver islander - Feb 7, 2010 7:26 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Epic...Many thanks for reading my piece and the kind words.
To me the Falklands resemble the Outer Hebrides more than N Scotland. And the tor-like summits are very reminiscent of Dartmoor. But, really, the country has its own VERY unique character.
DrJonnie - Feb 11, 2010 5:32 pm - Voted 10/10
SortedGreat page Martin,
you must have had some spooky experiences on some of the tops, thinking about the fierce battles that were so recently fought there.
cheers Johnnie
vancouver islander - Feb 11, 2010 5:43 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: SortedMaybe it was the isolation, maybe the wind, maybe just me - but I felt haunted throughout that day.
Thanks Dr J
Cheers, Martin
DrJonnie - Feb 12, 2010 5:57 am - Voted 10/10
War - what is it good for?So many wasted and ruined lives!
But a prime example of sheer grit overcoming injury is Simon Weston who was seriously burned on a troopship. I stood next to him in a Cardiff pub after an England/Wales rugby match (the last one at the old Arms Park I think).
He is an inspiration to all those wounded soldiers who have to get on with their lives in spite of serious physical & mental damage.
vancouver islander - Feb 12, 2010 11:35 am - Hasn't voted
Absolutely nothing ........say it again y'all.
But seriously - you're absolutely right. The waste of, above all, human life beggars belief. And that applies to both sides. The only characters who are guaranteed to survive war are those who cause it in the first place.
DrJonnie - Feb 15, 2010 2:16 pm - Voted 10/10
Make love not wartotally agree Martin, I've always blamed the Iron Lady, but like others that start wars instead of negotiating settlements, no doubt she doesn't lose any sleep over the victims.
staiariol - Jun 14, 2010 8:31 pm - Hasn't voted
disagreeHi Martin, you wrote an excellent page. I'm Argentine and I think you described very well the reasons of the begginig of the war, the course of the battle and the final combat and surrender. But I'm not agree with the postscript; i guess you didn't see the truth of the situation; Buenos Aires is not seething with demonstrations by Malvinas veterans. Perhaps you have seen one demostration (I don't know in what occasion, perhaps for the veteran's day or the sovereignty day); but all argentinians know that Buenos Aires is not seething with demonstrations by Malvinas veterans.
Congratulations for the page again. Sebastián.
vancouver islander - Jun 14, 2010 8:57 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: disagreeHi Sebastian. Thanks for your nice words and your comment.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and perhaps there is a slight language issue here since I don't speak Spanish.
Of course BA is not "seething" with demonstrations by Malvinas vets right now but during our visit in early November it most certainly was. If hundreds of noisy, banner-waving, highly pissed off ex soldiers isn't seething I don't know what is. Of course, as foreigners, we didn't know what was going on and so politely enquired. That's when we learned what they were protesting about and why - as I describe in my article.
So, as we say, I called it as I saw it. Sorry you disagree but, as I saw it, my description is accurate.
Nice to hear from Argentina anyway and good luck in the World Cup. Oh and thanks for Carlos Tevez. What a player!
Cheers, Martin
Margondela - Jan 26, 2012 11:03 am - Hasn't voted
Beautiful placeHello Martin,
What a lovely account you have written. I am planning a trip of 2 weeks to the Falkland Islands myself in December 2012, I have been wanting to go there for a long time. I go mainly for the wildlife, but I do intend to take a couple of hikes there. It's nice to know in advance that the terrain is very rugged, that there are practically no paths and that the wind is mostly galeforce. This promises to be a very interesting trip indeed! O, and the photographs are stunning. I intend to take lots and lots of photos myself.
Kind regards,
Margot
jkj10 - Feb 26, 2012 10:58 pm - Hasn't voted
Usborne & SaundersI throughly enjoyed reading your account, and looking at the photographs. I also hiked the Mount Usborne range (from a spot east of San Carlos to Bodie Peak to Cantera Mountain to Mount Usborne and return). I followed the summits on my hike to Usborne, but thought I'd 'save some time' cutting through the lowland bog on my return journey (and hopefully avoid crossing anymore stone runs). Needless to say, I did not save any time, but would not have traded the experience for anything. The wind was legendary, and overall I probably covered about 15 or 16 miles. I also spent 3 days on Saunders, so I also enjoyed your account of that island as well. I did the hike to the summit of Mount Harston, but did not venture very far east. It was really a nice treat to stumble on this website and this article. It brought back some wonderful memories.