Our
second day with the car and the weather was fine for a trip over to
Sandy Bay with the aim to do the walk to Lot's Wife's Ponds. First
you drive up ans then it is down through lush vegetation, the narrow
road twisting around hair pin bends. The scenery was dramatic and
the car horn used prodigiously. When the tarmac ran out we parked
the car and walked half a mile to Sandy Bay beach and what must be
some of the most remote public conveniences anywhere. St Helena
must rank as a country with the highest number of public conveniences
per capita in the world. They are everywhere.
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| Road down to Sandy Bay |
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| Lot's Wife's stack in back ground |
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| seemingly abandoned church |
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| old cannons as buffers |
Sandy
Bay is site of more fortifications dating from early nineteenth
century. If it's a beach where the enemy might land – build a
wall, put in a few guns. The walk to Lot's Wife's Ponds is clearly
marked from the beach leading one across the dry river bed and up
gulleys to a col where you drop down to the next bay. In contrast to
the verdant hills above this track is across a barren moonscape. A
rope has been fitted to aid with the steep descent and climb back to
the rock pools at the bottom.
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| Lot's Wife's Ponds |
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| safety rope to aid descent / ascent |
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| the ponds |
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| Sally Lightfoot crab |
The
drive over to and back from Sandy Bay and the walk took all morning
but there was still time to drive the high peak road west to
Thompson's Wood. The road is worth it for the views. It follows
the ridge giving views on one side down to the north side of the
island and at the same time south over Lot's Wife's rock stack.
Coming
back there were clouds blowing up and over the ridge. If we'd had
more time we could have picked two or three more walks to do through
the cloud forest.
St
Helena isn't large but there are so many great views and history to
discover it is worth hiring a car to see as much of it as you can.
And everyone is so friendly, a wave as you pass, a smile of hello.
Saints are good people.
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