Sights in Antarctica
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San Carlos
In the 1982 conflict British forces first came ashore at San Carlos settlement, at the south end of San Carlos Water. Until 1983, when it was subdivided and sold, San Carlos was a traditional large sheep station - the isolated 'big house', with its lengthy approach, will give you some idea of how farm owners and managers distanced themselves from laborers.
The settlement boasts a fine stone corral, a relic of the era when gauchos ran cattle on the islands. There is also an excellent museum which covers the islands rural and natural life as well as the Falklands War. Many of the events of that epic period took place just a stone's throw from the museum. Continue through…
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Christ Church Cathedral
The massive brick and stone Christ Church Cathedral with its brightly painted, corrugated-metal roof and attractive stained-glass windows is undoubtedly Stanley's most distinguished landmark. Plaques along the walls honor the memory of local men who served in the British forces in WWI and WWII, as well as the great and good of the Falklands.
The stained glass windows are the church's most vivid feature. As you enter from the main door you face the Post Liberation Memorial Window with the Falklands crest and the islands motto 'Desire the Right'. Below are the crests of the various British forces involved in the 1982 conflict and, below that, illustrations of three features…
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Argentine Cemetery
On the approach to Goose Green from Stanley is the well-kept Argentine cemetery. There's something very moving about this simple memorial to the loss of life from the futile Falklands War. Simple white crosses mark the 234 graves; many of them unmarked because conscripts did not wear identification tags, or else their comrades took them to give to relatives.
Other graves carry moving memorials to young men who would not be returning to their 'mama, papa' or their hermanos (brothers) or hermanas (sisters).
A little further down the road there's a small memorial to three British soldiers close to the road, and a little further back another one marking where 'H' Jones, the…
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New Island
Remote New Island is the most westerly inhabited island of the Falklands and is divided into two nature reserves. The spectacular scenery, wide variety of breeding birds, dolphin sightings offshore, penguins, sea lions and fur seals all help to make this a popular stop for cruise ships. Those intrigued by tales of shipwrecks and survival will also enjoy New Island.
The remains of two wrecks can be seen close to the settlement. The 1800 ton iron Glengowan burnt out at Stanley in 1895 on her maiden voyage. The Protector, an ex-minesweeper, lies beached at the head of the settlement harbor. New Island was also home to Charles Barnard and his companions. This hapless group of…
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Carcass Island
Despite its unappealing name, small but scenic Carcass is one of the most popular islands in the Falklands. It has always been free of rats and cats and, as a result, has lots of small birdlife including the tiny, light brown Cobb's wren. The Carcass Island settlement, surrounded by a dense stand of trees, is one of the most picturesque in the Falklands.
Aside from the wrens other birdlife includes black-throated finches, Falklands thrushes, Upland geese and Johnny rooks, which can be found around the elephant seals at Northwest Point. Magellanic and gentoo penguins also call Carcass home.
The island takes its rather macabre name from the HMS Carcass which surveyed the…
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Falkland Islands Museum
This museum contains a professionally presented collection of artifacts from everyday life in the Falklands, plus natural history specimens and a fine collection relating to the islands numerous shipwrecks. Outside displays include the Reclus Hut, an Antarctic research dwelling from the 1950s, rebuilt in Stanley.
Ironically, the Falkland Islands Museum building was constructed for the Argentine representative of LADE (Lineas Aereas del Estado; an airline operated by the Argentine air force), which until 1982 operated air services between Comodoro Rivadavia and Stanley. For several years after the Falklands War it was the residence of the British military commander; after…
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Sea Lion Island
Tiny Sea Lion Island is less than 1.6km (1mi) across but teems with wildlife. Among the common sightings are five species of penguin, enormous cormorant colonies, giant petrels and the foolishly tame Johnny Rook. Hundreds of elephant seals crowd the sandy beaches, while sea lions pepper the narrow gravel beaches below the island's southern bluffs.
Thanks to the progressive farming techniques of past owners, the flora and fauna of the island flourished right alongside the farm's sheep and Sea Lion is now one of the only working Falkland farms with any substantial cover of native tussock grass. Sea Lion Island is one of the best places in the Falklands to see killer whales…
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Lady Elizabeth
Stanley's most dramatic wreck is the magnificent 68m (220ft), 1200 ton iron barque Lady Elizabeth. Launched in Sunderland in 1879, she's a fine example of the last generation of deep sea sailing ships, built as bulk carriers for cargoes such as coal, grain or wood. A sand spit runs out to the ship, making it easy to walk out for a closer inspection.
The Lady Elizabeth had visited Stanley in 1889, carrying building material for the new cathedral. Her final visit in 1913 wasn't so happy. Limping into the Falklands with damaged steering, rigging and deck fittings, she ran onto Uranie Rock and would have sunk were it not for 200 tons of concrete she was carrying as permanent…
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Volunteer Beach
Volunteer Beach provides a sheltered home for more than 750 breeding pairs of king penguins, the Falklands largest colony. A few hours walk east of the beach, Volunteer Point hosts an offshore breeding colony of southern fur seals (bring binoculars); the return walk along Volunteer Lagoon provides glimpses of elephant seals.
During the summer months Falklands Conservation has a warden stationed at the beach. The warden can answer questions and has an information kiosk at the carpark, where there are also some informative display boards. Volunteer Beach is about a 2.5hr drive from Stanley.
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Westpoint Island
Westpoint Island is only small but has the Falklands highest cliffs, and is of particular interest due to its population of black-browed albatrosses. There are over 10,000 breeding pairs in total, including a large colony on the Devil's Nose promontory in the western part of the island. This area also contains rockhopper and Magellanic penguin colonies.
The island is a very popular stop for cruise ships. It also has an airstrip, although it's not easy to visit from Stanley because the runway is very weather dependant.
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Hill Cove
Hill Cove's principal claim to fame is its status as the Falklands only forest. Some of the spruce trees at the heart of the wood are looking a little grim but the trees on the periphery are fine. The forest area is home to crowds of small birds, particularly black-chinned siskins and Falkland thrushes.
Behind the forest is the Hill Cove cemetery and you may catch a glimpse of Hill Cove Farm's miniature horses, which will probably be on view, just above the grass, in one of the paddocks.
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Mt Maria
Rising west of Port Howard, the walk to the top of 658m (2160ft) Mt Maria is very simple and if the weather is clear there's a superb view in all directions. To the north you can see all the way past the islands along the north coast of West Falkland. Mt Adam, the highest peak in West Falkland, rises due west and you can see to the sea to the west and south.
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