My penultimate day on St Helena and I’ve another day of hiking planned. I was asked twice yesterday if I regretted not staying here two weeks but I’m happy with the one. If there had been some boat trips going where I could snorkel or dive a couple of times, or group hikes to some of the more extreme Post Box walks I could have filled another week but it wasn’t to be. The only boat trips have been on the weekends and they seem to be a friend-of-a-friend-mentioned kind of arrangement, so difficult for a tourist to book. There’s lots of potential for the island to develop organized outdoor group holidays but I’m not sure there’s necessarily a lot of incentive and the flight cost/effort makes it prohibitive for many. Hazel, owner of the Consulate Hotel, thinks the new airport has killed tourism as South Africans can’t afford the plane tickets. I’m not sure how 10 days (to/fro) on a boat was cheaper time-wise….

For my first hike I drove out just past yesterday’s walks to tackle Peak Hill. A short walk with supposed wonderful views but the mist socked in just as I reached the short peak, literally 10 mins after I started hiking. I sat for a while at the top waiting for it to clear and was eventually rewarded with just a quick glimpse of the coastline far below. I could see the mist rushing up the hill again, tantalizing lifting for a moment before socking in again.

I realized I started the hike backwards, if I had gone counter-clockwise I would have ended with the peak. Oh well, I’ll continue around the way I’m going. However, as I scrambled down the other side of the hill and started to descend the fields that lined the crest of the ridge the wind became uncomfortably strong, buffeting me about and I regretted not having my hiking sticks for stability. At one point it was gusting so much I had to actually crouch down to avoid being blown over.

The deep grass was slick, there were dark clouds racing towards me, the wind was dangerous and I couldn’t see where the steep trail went ahead of me so I made the decision to turn around, which meant clambering back up and down the peak! Fortunately the brush growing alongside the trail offered some protection from the wind and I made it down without any incident.

Back to start for a calming PB&J sandwich, the whole expedition lasting one hour. I wasn’t sure what to do next as it was dismal out. I was inclined to give up and go back and find a gentle forest walk to do as these Post Box hikes were severely underrated. This was only 2.5/10 for difficulty and “no steep climbs”. I just want to say my calves were on fire, both times, going up that darned peak! Short – yes, steep – definitively!

It was only 10a by now and since I was so far out on the western end of the island I decided to continue on just in case I could see something through the mist.

I followed Blue Hill road until its end to attempt Blue Point, one of the most popular Post Box walks on the island. I parked where the pavement became track and walked the .65 miles to the start of the hike. The mist was competing with clearer skies but the real winner was the wind, it’s very strong here, so much so that it’s a challenge to walk. I have my hat band tightened and the neck cord cinched as far as it would go under my chin. Once I turned back east again the mist cleared right up, and I had great views of the promontory ahead – I’m going to try the hike!

The Blue Point trailhead is in a wonderful small bowl of exposed volcanic soil, sorted into multicolored sections like the tourist site in Mauritius. Erosion is the name of the game here, the narrow path is loose dirt cut into a slope, luckily on the leeward side of ridge and therefore no danger to my balance.

It quickly transitioned into a scrubby cloud forest and the resulting moss and grasses provided better holding for the trail.

Like all good things the forest ended and the trail was once again on exposed volcanic earth on the top of a windy ridge that headed down into the Gates of Chaos (no lie).

It was a stunning walk along the ridge, I was stopping every 10 meters to take pictures. The wind had dropped a bit in its ferocity which made it less nerve-wracking on the vertiginous slopes.

The last bit to the Post Box was again on an exposed ridge with gusty wind. It was rather exhilarating, in a heart pumping way.

It was an out and back hike, perhaps a bit easier on the uphill return as you’re not fighting gravity’s added momentum on the treacherous footing. I thoroughly enjoyed the hike.

I headed back to Jamestown, arriving about 2pm. After my tea and cake I rested for a bit then wandered into town for dinner. I thought to try the Mantis Hotel as some place new but I was too early so went back to Anne’s Place, and found my hosts, Colin & Marlene in line ahead of me at the bar! They were down for a little last minute Christmas shopping and stayed for a drink. we met back up at the B&B for some BBC TV before bedtime.