Rock Climbing Wall

Vacationing in the Caribbean

The name Caribbean is almost synonymous with Sea, Sun and Sand. Magnificent beaches abound ranging from dazzling white sand, to pink sand to rich golden brown sand through to beautiful black sand beaches. These beaches seem to call you to dive into the sparkling blue water and then relax on the beach soaking in the sun and admiring the beauty of the scene. For those who want more activity at the beach than reclining on a lounge chair sipping a cold drink, Caribbean vacations offer a range of beach activities. On almost every island you can find jet skis, ocean kayaks, parasailing, surfing, wind surfing, kite boarding, water skis and banana boat rides at the major beaches. The opportunity to go surfing is a key element in deciding on a vacation locale for a growing number of people and Barbados is the surfing paradise of the Caribbean. The island’s location far out in the Atlantic Ocean allows waves to travel thousands of kilometers across the sea before finally unleashing their power over Barbados’ coral reefs. Barbados receives waves to surf from all directions thus providing for unlimited surfing conditions all over. The number one surfing location in Barbados is the internationally recognised Soup Bowl in Bathsheba. All over the island however there are beaches suited to surfing, from Brandons Beach near Bridgetown to Accra Beach. South Point Beach has a fairly powerful and clean wave while the shorebreak at Inchcape on Silver Sands Beach seems to break 365 days a year. For those who do not know how to surf but want to learn while on vacation, Barbados has many surfing shops to provide instruction. The Dominican Republic is known as the kiteboarding capital of the world and for the past four years the Kiteboarding World Cup has been held in the Dominican Republic town of Cabarete. Along this region of the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, nature has created the perfect blend of wind, water and waves to generate incomparable kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions. In June of every year, Windsurfers also flock to Cabarete for the annual World Cup Windsurfing Competition. As fun-filled as Caribbean beaches are, today there is much more to a Caribbean vacation than activities at the beach and these activities are both beyond and behind the beach. As you move beyond the beach there is a range of activities including Deep-sea Fishing, Dolphin/Whale Watching and Diving. Fishing is a recreational pastime on every Caribbean island and throughout the Caribbean certain pelagic game fish can be found with some of the more sought after species being sailfish, marlin, tuna and wahoo. As these species are migratory fish they are more abundant at certain times of the year on each island but there are other species that can usually be found year round at different islands. The game fishing off the waters of Tobago is a sport angler´s dream with some of the world´s most exciting game fish, including blue marlin, white marlin, swordfish, wahoo, tuna, barracuda, dolphin (mahi-mahi) and shark. Jamaica’s northern waters are also well-known for deep-sea and sport fishing. Anglers can hook a large number of fish, including mahi mahi, wahoo, blue and white marlin, sailfish, tarpon, barracuda, and bonito. Visitors can now go whale and dolphin watching in a number of Caribbean countries including: Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines. In fact, there are an amazing thirty species of whales and dolphins in the Caribbean. The most frequently spotted species include humpback and sperm whales, and bottlenose, spotted and spinner dolphins. Whale watching vessels are usually medium to small-sized vessels carrying less than 75 people, which offer an excellent opportunity to get a great view of the whales. While each of these islands offers whale watcing, the activity has developed in Dominica to the point where Dominica has become known as the “Whale Watching Capital of the Caribbean.” The island boasts a 90% success rate in spotting whales or dolphins during a whale watching excursion. The island offers excellent year round whale watching opportunities including spectacular sperm whale mother-calf pairs, whose spouts can sometimes even be seen from shore. Those sparkling blue waters that provide so much enjoyment topside also provide a world of adventure below its surface. The Caribbean is one of the top regions for scuba diving and snorkeling with breathtaking marine life. The Cayman Islands are one of the premier areas in the world for diving with crystal clear turquoise waters that run deep with wondrous walls, shallow coral reefs, new and old wrecks and some of the most dynamic marine life. Tobago is another island that offers a myriad of diving opportunities for both the new and experienced diver plus the holiday snorkeler. Home of the elusive manta rays and the Caribbean’s largest brain coral, Tobago is a year round scuba diving destination. Behind the beach on each Caribbean island there is also a range of vacation activities that can include hiking, bird watching, river tubing, visiting natural attractions, history tours and enjoying a vibrant nightlife. The natural landscape with abundant rain forests makes hiking a popular vacation activity in the Caribbean and Trinidad has a range of hiking opportunities with hikes varying in difficulty from 1 to 8. There are tour guides for those who want guided tours and almost every weekend hiking groups visit various natural attractions. The 32-kilometer trail from Blanchisseuse to Matelot on Trinidad’s north coast is considered a jewel. Along the hike one alternates from unspoiled rainforest to untouched beaches. The trail rambles over a succession of small ridges, crossing several small streams and passing through abandoned estate lands with cocoa, coffee, tonka bean, nutmeg and papaya (pawpaw). Dominica, lying in the Eastern Caribbean between Martinique and Guadeloupe, calls itself the Nature Island and rightfully so. Its landscape is covered with lush untouched natural rain forest. Within those forests are tall cascading waterfalls, hidden fern grottoes, mountain lakes, boiling lakes, hot springs and mysterious regions of volcanic activity. All these natural wonders within a 29 mile by 16 mile island that has almost 300 miles of footpaths, so that in almost every part of the country, trails weave their way into gorges and across valleys, climbing up to 4,000 foot mountains, creating a hiker´s paradise. In Dominica, there are trails for every level of hiker, varying from easy 30-minute walks to more moderate 45 minute to 2-hour hikes to strenuous 6-hour treks. All of these in a land that seems to bear fruit everywhere, so that all over you see oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, bananas, papayas, guavas, star fruit, breadfruit, passion fruit. The natural landscape of the Caribbean also allows bird watching to be another popular year round vacation activity. Trinidad and Tobago has some of the most diverse bird species to be found in one location with over 460 species in a combined land area of 1,868 square miles. Asa Wright Nature Center, is Trinidad and Tobago´s premier birding location and it has been widely recognized as one of the most successful eco-tourism stories in the world. Asa Wright, with a listing of 159 bird species, is a 270-acre conservatory, located on a former cocoa-coffee-citrus plantation partly reclaimed by secondary forest and largely surrounded by impressive rainforest. The center has several cottages that are available for rent and one can choose to spend a night, a weekend or even longer. There are numerous trails throughout the property and very knowledgeable guides. Two of the highlights are the short walk to the manakin leks to see these beautiful little birds dance to attract a mate and to see and hear the Bearded Bellbird. Another special attraction of the Asa Wright Nature Centre, is a breeding colony of the nocturnal Oilbird, or Guacharo (Steatornis caripensis). Located in Dunston Cave, this is the only known easily accessible colony of this species. These visits must however generally be booked in advance as the number of visits and visitors is limited. Wet, wild and wonderful are the words that describe yet another popular outdoor Caribbean vacation activity; River Tubing. On Grenada’s Balthazar River, Dominica´s Layou River, Jamaica´s White River or Great River you can spin and swirl in large modified tubes as the river currents take you on a thrilling ride down river. Along the way you can enjoy the scenery of natural untouched rain forest and at the end of your ride you can swim in the river´s natural pools. Nature has blessed the Caribbean in innumerable ways and provided it with a host of natural attractions. On the island of Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands is a national park known as The Baths. Here giant granite boulders are scattered about a beach lapped by the blue Caribbean Sea. Standing almost 50 feet tall, these massive boulders form a series of grottoes in which to play and explore. Within this seaside labyrinth are many placid pools that create a truly romantic locale. St. Lucia boasts of one of the most unique Caribbean natural attractions with what is probably the world´s only drive-in volcano. Located at La Soufriere you can drive your car to the semi-active volcano and then take a guided tour. The five acre wide hissing crater is a red, blue and green tinged landscape, which has 24 steaming vents that hint at deposits of iron, copper oxide, magnesium and others minerals bubbling to the surface. The entire area gives a fascinating picture of what the earth must have looked like 400,000 years ago when the dome of molten lava collapsed. The bioluminescent bay found at Puerto Mosquito (Mosquito Bay) located on the southern shore of the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico has to be rated as one of the things you must see before you die. A trip into the bay on a balmy night is a magical experience because when the calm waters around the bay are disturbed, the microscopic organisms in the bay emit a blue-green light and so swimming or kayaking in the bay is like floating among the stars. The 2008 Guinness Book of World Records has officially declared this magical bioluminescent bay the brightest recorded in the world. The Caribbean was considered desirable property in the 17th and 18th century, which led to numerous battles between France, England, Spain and Holland and many islands changing ownership several times. The need to protect these islands resulted in numerous fortifications, while the change of ownership led to varying architectural styles. Many of these historic sites are well preserved and provide interesting glimpses of the past. Two of these sites are Brimstone Hill in St Kitts and the Garrison Historic District in Barbados. The Brimstone Hill Fortress has been converted to a National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of historical, cultural and architectural significance. The fortress is considered one of the best preserved historical fortifications in the Americas. It has been described as “a monument to the ingenuity of the British military engineers who designed it and to the skill, strength and endurance of the African slaves who built and maintained it”. Tours of Brimstone Hill are conducted daily, and highlights include the hospital, ammunition stores, artillery officer’s quarters, the Prince of Wales Bastion, and the Citadel of Fort George. In addition to learning about the historical significance of the fort, a visit affords one the opportunity to enjoy attractive panoramic vistas of forested mountains, cultivated fields, the historical township of Sandy Point, and the neighboring islands of Nevis, Montserrat, Saba, St. Martin and St. Barts. The Garrison Historic Area in Barbados surrounds the Garrison Savannah, which is the center of much of the sporting and recreational activity in Barbados. The Savannah however is a historic location for much more than sport. The historical significance of the Garrison Savannah goes back to 1650 when Charles Fort was erected in the area and then in 1705, St. Ann´s Fort was added. This area developed into a military complex and being the site of a military complex, numerous buildings were constructed from the 1660´s to the 1800´s. These buildings today give the Garrison area much of its historical and architectural interest. On any walk around the Garrison area you cannot miss seeing the numerous cannons that are located in the area. These form part of the Barbados National Cannon Collection, which constitutes the largest cluster of 17th Century English cannons in the world. One of the prominent buildings in this area is the Main Guard building facing the racetrack. This elegant Georgian building from 1802 with its handsome clock tower and wide verandah is now an information centre and houses exhibits about the West Indian Regiment. As you continue around the Savannah there are numerous 17th- to 19th-century military buildings constructed from brick brought as ballast on ships from England and also several memorials. Another significant building in this area is the Barbados Museum, which is housed in a compound that was formerly a military prison, and centered around a large airy courtyard with trees and flowering shrubs. When night falls your activities do not end as the Caribbean has an array of bars, clubs and world class restaurants. For true local flavor however, the weekly street parties are unmatched. On the island of St Lucia the fishing village of Gros Islet transforms itself every Friday night into a colorful carnival scene, featuring soca and reggae music and a “jump up” (dancing in the streets). The Fish Fry on Friday´s in Grenada´s village of Gouyave provides you the opportunity to sample an array of freshly caught local seafood to the backdrop of calypso rhythms. Not to be outdone the Sunday School in Tobago´s Buccoo Village held every Sunday night allows you to dance to the music of the steelband while looking out on the fishing boats gently rocking in the bay. With so much to do on a Caribbean Vacation, your only difficulty is to choose an island.

Following Hidden Trails

I am a follower of hidden trails. In fact, on at least half of the hiking trips I take lately, I’m off the trails altogether, bushwhacking into the unknown. What do you get for doing as Walt Whitman suggested, and taking the “road less traveled?” A bit of adventure. Here are some of the things myself and a friend or two have discovered off the beaten path in the last year.

Old Mines – We have run across at least fifteen abandoned and sometimes hidden mines, many of them far from any trail. One had a mystery involved, with a possible death (although the police seemed to have no interest) based on the clothes and unopened food left at a nearby campsite. Another went a thousand feet into a mountainside, and had a rotting photo of someone at the back, in a hole in the wall that appeared to be a shrine of some sort. Another ended at a vertical shaft which we could not see to the bottom of with our flashlights.

Old Houses and Towns – A couple months ago we lost the trail we were on and instead started to follow a dry wash. Twenty minutes from the car we came upon what looked like a ghost town. Upon closer inspection we discovered that it was an old ranch, with about six or seven buildings and three old cars from the fifties. After poking through the main house for a while (there was still a wood stove and a chair or two), we headed up the little creek that ran through the property.

Caves – Up the stream from that old ranch, I saw a spring coming out from under a large limestone rock. I knew this made caves in the nearby cliffs likely. Sure enough, five minutes later we were 100 feet into the hillside, looking through a narrow opening and wondering what we might find further inside the cave. I went back later and explored the system for over an hour.

Natural Oddities – In addition to the waterfalls and fantastic rock formations that we find whenever we follow hidden trails and canyon-bottoms, we are sometimes surprised. Ten miles south of the town of Fairplay (all of these examples are from Colorado), we stumbled upon a stream that came gushing straight out of a grassy hillside. We will likely return to see if there is any way to access the caves that the underground stream undoubtedly has carved uphill from there.

Rocks And Minerals – In addition to possible flecks of gold in the bottom of my gold pan (it’s hard to tell for sure), I am always finding crystals, rocks and interesting minerals. In the spring of 2008 a friend and I became somewhat lost on the backside of a mountain, after climbing to the top to check out a cave or mine we saw. At some point we discovered boulders of quartz and followed them up the hillside. We came to an incredible fifteen-foot-high wall of white quartz, laced with veins of transparent/translucent mica. The wall had resulted from a miner blowing open the side of the mountain many years earlier. Since gold is often found with quartz, we may return.

Today (12/30/08), before writing this, I hiked a couple miles up a canyon near where we live. I try to take advantage of these occasional December days in the 60s. Trudging through the snow in my t-shirt, I eventually came to the end of my road-less-traveled, after it passed by an old mining building. From there I followed barely visible trails created by deer and elk through the scrub oak. At the top of a rocky (and dry) hill, I found an old camp site, with old tin cans from who-knows when. The day after tomorrow I may start the new year by hiking another hidden trail I’ve been meaning to explore.

Waking Holidays in Abruzzo – Italy

Walking Holidays in the Majella National Park

There are regular flights by Ryanair from Stansted to Pescara in Italy (we recommend you sit on the right hand side of the plane for the best mountain views) which brings you to within an hour’s drive of the magnificent Majella National Park. Collect your hire car, turn inland, and head for the hills. After an easy 20 minutes on one of Italy’s least crowded and most civilised stretches of motorway, you begin to climb steadily, passing villages and vineyards, until you round a corner to be greeted by the striking view of Caramanico Terme, sprawling at the foot of the mountain. From here wind steeply up for ten more minutes, along the rim of the Orfento Gorge, through wild upland pasture, dotted with pines and scented broom, to Decontra. At 810m altitude, this little mountain village is in a superb position, with stunning south-facing views over the gorge to Monte Amaro (2793m), Monte Morrone (2061m) and the lush Orta valley in between. The Majella is one of Italy’s newest National Parks, established in 1995. A vast dome of limestone, the massif peaks at Monte Amaro, the second highest summit in the Appenine chain. Locally the mountain is known as the Montagna Madre – Mother Mountain; some say it is the slumbering body of Maia, goddess of spring and fertility. The Majella is set apart from other segments of the Apennine chain – and well known by specialists as a result – because of its broad crest of almost desert-like high altitude plateau, combined with the deep, wild valleys that cut into the heart of the mountain. Some unique man-made features of the Park are its medieval rock hermitages. In the 11th Century, these mountains became famous as a haven for monks fleeing the corruption of Rome to live as hermits or in isolated communities deep in the valleys. Today the secluded sanctuaries and cave churches can still be found, built into the cliff-sides. Some are simple dwellings roughly hewn out of the rock, while others have been restored and are now protected as National Monuments. Fauna The most exciting inhabitant of the Park is the native brown bear. Numbers are estimated at just six animals and sightings are extremely rare, even by the park wardens. Wolves are present in greater numbers, but again rarely seen. The Apennine chamois has been reintroduced relatively recently and frequents the highest, rocky areas of the massif, while deer and wild boar are abundant. Otters can be found in the Orfento and Orta rivers – the breeding programme at the centre in Caramanico is helping to boost numbers. In woods after rain you might see the remarkable black and gold colouring of a salamander. Golden eagles soar above the park, as do buzzards and numerous smaller raptors. Flora Over 1800 hundred species of plant have been documented in the park, 1/3 of the native Italian range. At the lowest levels you will walk in classic Mediterranean woodland and open maquis. Higher up, the beech woods dominate, and above them the low growing Mountain Pine gives way finally to the open grass, limestone and shale on which alpines thrive, including gentians and the Apennine Edelwiess. A wide range of orchids flourish throughout the park. Walking Decontra is ideally situated for walking, with many routes setting out from the village itself. You can embark on challenging full day summit bids, potter for an hour to a glorious picnic spot, or anything in between. Choose between high mountains, upland meadows or deep gorges. Here are three sample walks to whet your appetite. Valle Giumentina and Hermitage of San Bartolomeo This is a half day circular walk which starts and ends at the door of your room in Decontra. Follow a broad gravel track on level ground out of the village and past meadows and cultivated fields. Cross the plateau of the Valle Giumentina, once a lake, and keep an eye out in the ploughed fields for fossils and flints from stone-age tools. The track rises gently at the far side of the plateau, where a grassy path leads to a curious collection of conical stone shelters. These were built by shepherds over the last two hundred years, using the stone cleared from the fields around. The Majella is traditionally an area of transhumance: shepherds from low-lying Puglia further south drove their flocks to mountain pastures here in the summer months. These conical shelters are similar to the distinctive “trulli” for which Puglia is famous. Another gravel track, with spectacular views across the plateau to the Majella massif, leads to the lip of a deep gorge. Far below is the trickle of the Santo Spirito stream, and on the far side, disguised amongst the cliff walls of the gorge is the hermitage of San Bartolomeo.  A steep footpath leads down to where smooth flat rocks beside the stream provide a perfect picnic spot. Steps carved out of the cliff lead up to the hermitage above, built in the 13th Century by the man destined to be Pope Celestine V. An ancient fresco survives over the door, and inside the effigy of the saint keeps watch over a trickle of miraculous water – guaranteed to cure any ailment, even blisters! After retracing your steps to the lip of the gorge, a grassy mule-path leads back through the wild pasture land towards the village. The Orfento Gorge There are many walks exploring this extraordinary gorge. This option is a half day excursion starting and ending in Decontra, though both longer and shorter variations are possible. Follow the road out of the village and take a well cobbled mule-path dropping left on a traverse through cypresses and broom; there are wonderful views across the gorge and down to the town of Caramanico Terme. At the bottom of this track, walk for a few metres along the road before descending steeply on a well-maintained footpath.  For a short walk, you could park a car here and take this footpath to explore the gorge below, returning the same way. The gorge bottom is a magical world of lush greenery, cool shade and the crystal clear Orfento river. The footpath crosses and re-crosses the river on wooden footbridges beneath tall cliffs. Upstream the way forks, and you take a slightly higher path which climbs above the river and provides magnificent views of the gorge, its cliffs, and of Decontra perched on the rim. Eventually a rocky footpath leads away from the river, climbing steeply around grassy bluffs. Just before arriving back at Decontra, a wild meadow promontory juts out over the gorge to a magnificent viewpoint. As a short walk from the village, this is a perfect place to relax at sunset. Le Murelle A spectacular drive brings you high onto the shoulder of the massif (2100m). The car park is known as the ‘Blockhaus’ because of the ruin on the ridge above, built in the late 19th Century as a base from which to combat the brigand bands that hid in these mountains – later the Germans made use of it in the Second World War. The walk begins by undulating along a ridge, past the carved rocks known as the ‘Brigands’ Table’, before a climbing traverse – which in two places has a short cable handrail – rounds a spur into the dramatic cirque of Le Murelle. The path skirts beneath cliffs, above huge views into the deep western valleys, and often as late as July cuts across lingering snow fields. It is a steep climb out of one side of the huge natural theatre, onto the Cima (summit) delle Murelle. Then pick your way along the cox-comb of rocks on the lip of the cirque, a narrow spur climbing onto a weird desert landscape and the day’s highest altitudes. At 2600 metres, the summit plateaus of the Majella are a strangely smooth table-land of flat stones, dotted here and there with colourful cushions of Alpine flowers. After crossing a corner of this unique environment the descent begins, down to the approach ridge and back to the Blockhaus. This is a challenging full day walk, with some navigational difficulties, and so is best done with an escort. Where to stay In Decontra there are two newly-renovated places to stay – a traditional village cottage  with two charming bedrooms, bathroom and private sitting room and with wonderful views. There is also a lovingly restored family-run old Farmhouse with large rooms and en-suite bathrooms. The village has only been connected to the outside world since the 1970s; until then it had no electricity, and no road. Now the 80 or so inhabitants still work the land and vegetable gardens, graze their flocks and gather their winter fuel from the high mountain woodlands. The village is served by mobile suppliers selling fruit and vegetables, bread, meat and cheese, and there is an excellent restaurant and bar “Il Cervo”. Italians come from afar to dine here at weekends. We highly recommend trying the ravioli al cervo (with venison sauce), and the arrosticini (tiny cubes of local lamb on skewers). When to goThe walking in this region is rewarding any time between May and October. In the spring, the upland meadows are thick with flowers, including many varieties of orchid, and snow lingers picturesquely on the mountain peaks. Summer can be hot, but the air is usually refreshing above 1500m and there are plenty of shady walks to choose from and cool mountain streams to paddle in. October offers crystal clear days and beautiful autumn colours. Other attractionsThere are plenty of non-walking activities to do in the area. The local town of Caramanico Terme has shops, an outdoor swimming pool and a luxurious 4-star spa hotel where you can treat yourself to a massage. There are mountain bikes for hire, and the Park Visitors Centre arranges informative tours of their otter-breeding centre. The Botanical Gardens offer an understanding into the wide range of local mountain flora. A magnificent drive up the Orta Valley and beyond leads down off the southern flanks of the Majella massif to the beautiful medieval town of Sulmona, with its 11th century cathedral crypt, 14th century buildings and dozens of sugared almond shops! And to finish your holiday on a high note, on your return journey to Pescara you could stop off at the fascinating National Archaeological Museum in Chieti. Abruzzo Passion Walking Specialist walking tour operator Abruzzo Passion will enable you to really get the best out of a holiday in the Majella National Park. Their Upland Manager lives in the village and will be on hand to introduce you to the village, offer advice and support, provide a delicious and lavish daily packed-lunch and lead three full-day escorted walks per week to some challenging and less accessible areas, including Le Murelle, featured above. The great flexibility of an Walking Holiday with Abruzzo Passion is that you can travel on any day of the week, stay as long as you want (minimum 3 nights) and walk as much or as little as you wish each day. Prices start at £335. For more details on this holiday and others offered, please visit www.abruzzopassion.com.com.Flights and driving times Stansted to Pescara on Ryanair, three flights a week. Drive time to Decontra = 1 hour · UK to Rome Ciampino on Ryanair or Easyjet, several flights daily. Drive time to Decontra = 2 ½ hours