Backchat With Catboy
Our man on the radio shares his secret camping spot
OOne morning we had a caller on the show telling us how she’d been camping for the first time since arriving in the UAE, and it led to a conversation about great road trips and camping spots we’ve found across the country. One of my favourites is up north. Last time we were there was back in 2011. We’d packed my Jeep Wrangler with as many camping essentials as possible, and enough food to feed the entire population of the Northern Emirates for a weekend and still have leftovers. Now, there are those who don’t like driving around the UAE and I have to admit that, on occasion, I find it quite a challenge myself. However, once away from the more densely packed roads, I love it. Heading north on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, the scenery tends to be sand, camels and more sand, and the roads are wide and, for the most part, deserted.
An hour or so up there and we were through Ras Al Khaimah, past the concrete factories and at the Oman border crossing. The first time I did this trip, there was nothing more than a prefab cabin with a little window and a man with a stamp, whose only company seemed to be a bunch of nonchalant goats wandering around. These days it’s big buildings and a little bit more paperwork (the goats, however, are still there and as louche as ever).
Another 30 clicks north along a stunning stretch of road with a sheer cliff-face on the right and water on the left and we started to climb. And when I say climb I mean a-bit-like-the-start-of-the-Italian-Job climb. Steep zigzagging gradients carved into crumbling rocks with vertigo-inducing drops that increased my grip on the steering wheel considerably.
As we reached the nadir of the climb, a track of loose rubble jutted-off to the left of the tarmac and seemed to head right off the cliff. You guessed it: that was the track we were taking! And it did go off the cliff. Well, not exactly off the cliff but steep enough for me to use some terrible words my children still haven’t forgotten as I rode my brakes the whole way down.
Once back at sea level (and my stomach had settled down), it all became worth it. Before us was a hidden cove, stretching back roughly two hundred metres with a hundred metres of rocky shore leading into azure blue waters, teaming with some amazing tropical sea life. An amazing spot for snorkelling.
We’ve heard it called Secret Beach but we much prefer to call it by the name we were first introduced to it by… Cemetery Beach. Yes, just back from the shore there is a cemetery and, behind that, an eerie, abandoned village. Lots of small, empty buildings to explore. The kids absolutely loved it, although none of them ventured anywhere alone, especially at night, thanks to the spooky surroundings, made even more creepy in the evenings when packs of wild hyenas came down from the mountains to see what was left of our barbecues.
It’s been a long time since we were up there and, to be honest, I’ve no idea if the place is still even accessible, but if you are planning to head up, here’s a couple of tips: • Take Thursday off work and head up early. Whilst it’s a hidden spot, those who know it, love it. By Thursday night, there are normally only a few spaces left along the seafront and there isn’t a lot of room for cars. • Speaking of cars, there’s no access to the beach itself for vehicles, so they have to be left at the southern end and, whilst it’s quite a chore to lug all your kit to the opposite end of the beach, it’s worth it. The cliff protects you from the wind and you won’t have anyone else trudging through your campsite at night.