This week’s dream: a botanical wonderland in the mid-atlantic
Isolated in the mid-atlantic just south of the equator, Ascension is one of the world’s most remote and unusual islands, says Matthew Teller in the FT. A UK Overseas Territory used largely as an RAF base, it emerged above the waves only a million years ago, the “cragged, forbidding” summit of an undersea volcano. “Contorted” flows of black lava ring its coast, red cinder cones stud its interior, and among them lies the world’s only man-made cloud forest, planted in the 19th century. The surrounding seas are rich in life. Adventurous tourists may well enjoy a visit – but be warned: the island’s runway is out of action, so the only way to get here is on a cruise ship, or by boat from Cape Town, a journey of ten days.
When humans first spotted Ascension in 1501, it was home to nothing but seabirds, turtles, and a few tiny ferns. The Royal Navy garrisoned it in 1815, fearing French efforts to spring Napoleon after he was exiled to St Helena, the nearest speck of land, 800 miles away. Charles Darwin visited, as did the botanist Joseph Hooker, who planted trees, trapping moisture and gradually transforming the island into a “smorgasbord” of plant life. Climb Green Mountain – the island’s main peak, at 859m – to see the best of this “botanical wonderland”, and enjoy “stupendous”, 360-degree views of the rest. You’ll see satellite dishes and radar arrays on every hilltop – the island is one of four global nodes in the GPS navigational system – as well as the Nasa station (now defunct) that received the news of Neil Armstrong’s moon landing.
The island has golden beaches, and offshore, its reefs teem with colourful fish, but you might also see Galapagos sharks: swimmers and divers are advised to exercise extreme caution. RMS St Helena (020-7575 6480, rms-st-helena.com) has return fares from Cape Town from £1,670. For entry permits and information on the island, see www.ascension-island.gov.ac.