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FALKLAND ISLANDS Holiday NewsFor more Travel news |
FALKLAND ISLANDS – WHAT TO SEE & WHEN in 2010 | TREAD YOUR OWN PATH IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS | Set sail to the Falkland Islands | Renewable Energy to Supply 40% of Falklands PowerIslands expected to generate twice as much renewable energy as UK |
From penguin chicks hatching to Battle Day parades and the world’s most southerly marathon, here’s a round-up of some of the activities and events taking place in the Falkland Islands throughout 2009, outlining what to see when. February - Wildlife watching opportunities: Gentoo penguin parents will be foraging for food for their chicks, while Magellanic penguin chicks will be leaving their burrows for the first time. March - Camp Sports Week: The annual Sports Week celebrations mark the traditional end to the sheep shearing season in Camp (a Falklands term for the countryside, derived from the Spanish word campo). After five months of hard labour on the farms, it’s time to relax and celebrate the gathering of another year's wool clip. You can just spectate, or join in the programme of horse racing, sheep and dog trials, barbecues and children's events. March 14 - On your marks for the world’s most southerly marathon: The world’s most southerly AIMS-certified marathon takes place around Stanley, taking in the fantastic views of the capital. 2010 will mark the fifth year that the event has been organised by Standard Chartered Bank and proceeds go to Seeing is Believing, the bank’s charity for visually impaired people. June 14 - Liberation Day Parade: The Liberation Day Parade commemorates the end of the Argentine occupation in 1982 and the Islanders’ deliverance by British Forces. A thanksgiving service is held, followed by a Parade and a moving ceremony is then held at the Liberation Monument in the capital Stanley. June 19 - On the count of three...take a mid-winter swim: Probably one to watch rather than participate in, braver members of the Falklands’ population take a mid-winter dip in the chilly waters of the South West Atlantic. A fundraiser for local charities, the event takes place at aptly named Surf Bay some four or five kilometres east of Stanley. August 14 - Falklands Day: Falklands Day marks the first recorded sighting of the Islands on 14 August 1592 by English sea captain John Davis in the Ship ‘Desire’. September 12-13 - Check out the local arts and crafts: The annual Craft Fair is held in Stanley and displays the work of local weavers, leather workers, photographers and other artists. Particularly interesting is the horse gear, whose origins lie in the 19th-century gaucho traditions. September - Black-browed albatross and elephant seals return: September is a great time to visit as the Magellanic penguin, black-browed albatross, and southern elephant seal are among the species that return to the Falkland Islands this month for the summer. September 1 - Gone fishing - Trout fishing season officially opens: Few places can offer true wilderness fishing like the Falklands. Remote, unspoilt locations, pristine waters, stunning backdrops and strong runs of fish make the Falkland Islands one of the last great wilderness fishing experiences in the world. Anglers can choose an itinerary of coastal estuaries, deep, isolated rivers and fast running streams. Brown trout common to northern Europe were introduced to the Falklands more than fifty years ago. This fast growing migratory fish quickly adapted to local conditions and now provides some of the finest fishing around. October 2 - Take your partners for the Falklands Conservation Charity Ball: Every year the ball raises over £8,000 for Falklands Conservation, which monitors and protects the exceptional wildlife heritage of the Falkland Islands. November - Follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin in his anniversary year: To coincide with the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species (published November 1859) visit the Falkland Islands Museum in Stanley for a special commemorative exhibition on Darwin’s trips to the Falklands. November 28 - Charity Fire Engine Pull: Raising funds for charity, the Falkland Islands Fire and Rescue Service will attempt to pull a 14-ton fire engine over 1.7 miles in a record time. The firefighters train regularly in preparation for this annual feat, now in its seventh year. December - Egg hatching: It might be the end of the year, but it’s when new life starts on the Falkland Islands as the Magellanic penguins and black-browed albatross are among the other species whose eggs hatch this month. December 8 - Battle Day Parade: On Battle Day the Falkland Islands remember those lost - on both the British and German sides - in the South Atlantic at the Battles of Coronel and the Falkland Islands in 1914 and the Battle of the River Plate in 1939. December 26-28 - They’re off - Stanley Sports Association Race Meeting: A Christmas horse race has been held at Stanley race course since 1912 and the event has become an exciting country race meeting with top class locally and internationally bred horses battling it out for a number of high value and status prizes. Many Falklands residents enter their own horses and other side-events held at the Meeting include bull riding, sheepdog trials and a gymkhana. For further information on the Falklands Islands, please visit www.falklandislands.com and www.falklands.gov.fk. Media enquiries should be directed to Suzanne Holiday and Katie Liddell at Keene on 020 7839 2140 or falklandstourism@keenepa.co.uk.
| The latest edition of Footprint’s infamous South American Handbook is hot off the press, providing an essential resource for anyone heading to the Falklands - packed full of advice on how to get off the beaten track.
The Falkland Islands are a must for intrepid travellers passionate about wildlife, wilderness and discovery. Whether you’re interested in walking, wildlife, photography or history, you’ll find everything you need in this new Handbook: comprehensive listings for hotels, B&Bs and restaurants, activities, events listings plus photography and handy maps. Author, Ben Box, parts with his wisdom and first-hand experience of the destination with suggestions of where to go and what to do.
One thing’s for sure, the Falkland Islands are full of surprises and here are the top five experiences not to miss off any Falklands itinerary - the ‘must-sees’ as well as some of the more unusual experiences: 1. See the Penguins at Volunteer Point: Home to the world’s most accessible colony of nesting king penguins, join a guided 4WD excursion to the turquoise waters and white sandy beaches of Volunteer Point. At just over 2.5 hours’ drive from the capital Stanley, visitors are guaranteed to see gentoo and Magellanic penguins, while sea lion and dolphins can often be seen in this wildlife sanctuary. 2. Island Hopping, Falklands-style: Travelling in a Falkland Islands Government Air Service 9-seater Britten Norman Islander aircraft is the way to take in this stunning archipelago. Where else would your pilot also be the postman and your lodge host double up as your airport baggage handler?! Flights operate to major settlements and islands including Sea Lion, Bleaker, Saunders, Pebble and Carcass Islands; each has a diversity of flora, fauna and natural beauty to discover. 3. Revisit Falklands History: Take a guided or self-guided historic walk around the capital, Stanley, to unveil a maritime history that spans back to the seventeenth century. The Falkland Islands Museum in Stanley shows a fascinating insight into the Islands’ past. A battlefield tour of Goose Green or Mount Tumbledown, led by local people with expert knowledge, will evoke memories of the 1982 conflict. 4. Boat Trip to West Point Island: Experience vast numbers of black-browed albatross, rockhopper penguins and superb cliff scenery on an excursion to this island off the most north-westerly point of West Falkland. During the hour-long boat journey dolphins will keep you entertained and on arrival you can explore the picturesque settlement. 5. Explore Camp: Camp is the local term for everything outside Stanley, derived from the Spanish for countryside, el campo. A Camp visit is a must for anyone wanting to experience the real Falklands – from working sheep farms to spectacular beaches bursting with plant life and wildlife, including elephant seals, sea lions and penguins.
Tailor make your own Falklands adventure with Journey Latin America (www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk / 0208 747 8315), which offers an eight-day itinerary visiting Darwin, Pebble and Sea Lion Islands and Stanley from £1,261 per person. The price includes accommodation, domestic flights, some meals and most guided excursions. International flights excluded.
For further information on the Falklands Islands plus a downloadable taster guide, please visit www.falklandislands.com. Media enquiries should be directed to Suzanne Holiday and Katie Liddell at Keene on 020 7839 2140 or falklandstourism@keenepa.co.uk.
The new South American Handbook costs £22.50. For more information on Footprint or to read more about the new Handbook visit www.footprintbooks.com or contact Liz Harper at Footprint on 01225 469141 / LHarper@footprintbooks.com.
· The best time to visit the Islands and experience the local culture and wildlife is October to April. The average summer temperature (December to March) is 15º Celsius (59º Fahrenheit) and the Falklands has more sunshine hours and less rainfall than the UK. · There are over 40 international tour operators offering tailor-made packages and escorted tours to the Falkland Islands. See www.falklandislands.com for the latest list. · Visitors can reach the Falklands on the weekly LAN Airways flight via Chile or the charter flight operated twice weekly from RAF Brize Norton in the UK by the Ministry of Defence. · Footprint Handbooks has been publishing guides for independent travellers since 1924. The latest South America Handbook, released in September 2010, is the 86th edition. The guidebook includes 1,872 pages including 32 pages of colour photography and maps. · An inspiring mini-guide to the Falklands has been produced by the Falkland Islands Tourist Board and Footprint in conjunction with Wanderlust. For a hard copy please contact Keene on the number above or download from www.falklandislands.com.
| Expert guides, celebrity-led voyages and fantastic cruise deals on offer! Travellers seeking the trip-of-a-lifetime to a natural paradise abound with wildlife should take advantage of one of the great deals on offer to mark the start of the 2009/10 cruise season (September to April) in the Falkland Islands. From leading field experts, fantastic discounts and themed voyages on offer – there’s something to suit every intrepid traveller. Visiting the Falklands via cruise ship or expedition vessel allows passengers unrivalled access to penguins, the rare black-browed albatross and elephant seals, among hundreds of other species that reside on the 770-plus islands that make up the Falklands archipelago.
The Falklands is becoming an increasingly popular port of call, particularly as part of a wider South America or Antarctica voyage.
Fantastic savings and complimentary value adds! Save £1,000 and follow ‘In The Wake Of Shackleton’ with Noble Caledonia (020 7752 0000, www.noble-caledonia.co.uk) on its 22-day voyage onboard MS Expedition. Prices (before discount) start from £5,995 per person, based on double occupancy, departs on 9 February 2010 from the Argentinean port of Ushuaia. This exceptional expedition voyage includes two days in the Falkland Islands exploring white sandy beaches and privately owned islands via zodiac followed by eight days in South Georgia plus an additional day in the West Falklands on return to Ushuaia. Book now - discount is only valid on bookings made by 30 November 2009.
Book any Exodus Polar Expedition to the Falklands before 31 December 2009 and receive a FREE pair of Opticron Countryman Binoculars worth £250! Exodus (0845 863 9601, www.exodus.co.uk) offers twenty itineraries featuring the Falklands in its new 2010/2011 Polar Expeditions brochure out this September, in association with Quark Expeditions. Enjoy the antics of the rockhopper and Magellanic penguins on a 20-day Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia voyage from £6,549 per person (land only) departing from Ushuaia on 30 November 2009.
The Falklands has real ‘Star’ quality Visitors can take a giant leap to the Falklands with legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong who leads a 26-day voyage of discovery to the Falklands and Antarctica with Titan Travel’s ‘National Geographic Journeys By Sea’ (0800 988 5175, www.ngjourneys.co.uk), departing 15 November. Prices start from £8,998 per person, based on double occupancy.
Join world renowned sea bird expert Graham Roberton (Australian Antarctic Division) and a team of expert photographers on a special voyage visiting the Falklands this November with Peregrine (0844 736 0170, www.peregrineadventures.com). Departing 6 November 2009, the 24-night voyage visits Steeple Jason, Sea Lion and Bleaker Islands as well as Carcass Island, Saunders Island and the capital Stanley. Prices start from £6,250 per person. Passengers booking before the end of September also have the chance to win Leica equipment!
West Point Island and Saunders Island are the most popular islands in the Falklands archipelago visited by cruise ship passengers outside Stanley, while the most popular trips from the capital are to Gypsy Cove and Bluff Cove, where a brand NEW Museum is about to open providing a fascinating insight into Falklands heritage and local ship wrecks.
Also NEW for the 2009-2010 cruise season is the installation of a wave barrier on the jetty, a new pontoon, a new ramp giving access to the pontoon, plus a shelter for awaiting cruise passengers.
Over 35 cruise operators feature the Falkland Islands. A full list of operators is available on the tourist board website at www.falklandislands.com.
| 17 February 2010 Annual wind power contribution in the Falkland Islands is set to rise to 40 per cent of total energy generated with the installation of three new wind turbines, which started going online on 15 February. The installation of the first three wind turbines in 2007 has resulted in the displacement of 26% of annual fuel consumption and the aim with the three new turbines is to reach 40% fuel displacement.
This figure compares favourably to the UK Government's goal for 20 per cent of electricity produced in the UK to be renewable by 2020, proving the Islanders’ commitment to renewable energy. As well as reducing their carbon footprint in order to protect the pristine environment of the Islands, the increase in renewable energy has meant that the cost of electricity has been reduced by six pence per unit for Islanders.
The turbines arrived on the Ministry of Defence charter ship, Hurst Point, in September 2009. They are the same type and make as the first three turbines: 330 kilo-watt synchronous variable speed and variable pitch turbines manufactured by Enercon (Germany).
The turbines have been installed at Sand Bay Wind Farm, six miles from the Islands’ capital Stanley and approximately one kilometre across the valley from the first three turbines. The most significant impact of the three additional turbines will be the reduction in the amount of diesel used on the Islands, thereby reducing costs and minimising the environmental impact.
Phase Three of the development of the wind farm will be energy storage, achieved by charging a 2MWh battery during optimal wind times and discharging the battery when wind is not available. This will ensure that energy production is kept more constant.
Glenn Ross, Power Station Manager and a Member of the Government’s Legislative Assembly, said: “We are excited about the installation of the three new turbines as Phase One of the wind farm project has been very successful and a further significant step in wind power contribution is certain.”
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