Letterbox Walks

To keep the troops seconded to Ascension occupied, there are a collection of hikes called the Letterbox Walks. There is a book describing the walks and a letterbox along the route with a embossing stamp. The idea being to stamp the book from each walk done, just like bagging Munro mountains in Scotland. We have now done 4 of the 34 walks.

The first was my favourite, Elliot's Pass, which circumnavigated Green Mountain just below the summit and gives stunning views of all sides of the island. It is a narrow path clinging to the steep mountain side with the occasional tunnels through the lava rock. The path was originally used as a look out by the British Navy.

When ever we visit a country or island one goal is to climb to the highest point so getting to the summit of Green Mountain was on the itinerary for our stay on Ascension. It is of course a letterbox walk. The first step was driving up the steepest road we have ever been up with switchbacks every 100yards, I didn't get the car out of first gear. Then it was almost a bushwhack through a forest of bamboo (an extreme example of the invasive non native plants introduced 2 centuries ago) to the 2817ft summit.

We also did a rather nice letterbox walk along the north east coast, a deserted corner of the island. It was a beautiful hike across lava fields to secluded sparkling white sand beaches filled with the craters left by nesting turtles to Porpoise Point where through the binoculars I think I spied some dolphins.

The last letterbox walk we did was to Comfortless Cove, so called because ships with yellow fever were quarantined there. The lovely golden sand beach nestled in amongst black lava is one of the few beaches where it is safe to swim. The highlight was the tropical fish swimming around you and toss an apple core into the water and the black trigger fish swarmed around like piranhas.