Visit 2006/7 - January 1
The word on the grapevine is that there is to be a communal picnic at the Scout site up in the hills between Green Mountain and Cricket valley, so Johnny picks up up and off we go but can't find them and end up at the old Nasa base, and have some eats there.
From here White Hill (White Horse) looks very white and could almost be a chalky outcrop except that chalk comes from the remains of tiny sea micro-organisms and Ascension is entirely volcanic.
On the way back we drive up to the top of the 1085 feet high Lady Hill, however, as is clear from the photo, the Landrover is stymied from achieving the full 1085 feet to the summit. What is not clear from the photo is that the road up is cut out of the side of Lady Hill with a steep drop over the edge, so it feels like a mini-adventure although in reality it is quite safe.
From the top the views in all directions are pretty stunning. Off to the South West is the New Mountain road snaking in from the left with wind turbines powering the USA Base visible in the distance.
Whilst off to the North East is the village of Two boats, with Atlantic in the distance. Just visible creeping up from the bottom centre to the village is the water pipeline built by the marines over 150 years ago.
Back in Georgetown later (around 19.00) the moon has risen and is clearly visible over the lower slopes of Cross Hill.
The light at this time of night takes on a much richer tone, and Johnny assures me that all the professional photographers who have visited the island over the years have tended to get up early in the morning to take pictures, return to base for the middle of the day, and then go out for more pictures in the late afternoon. Maybe they have a point.
In the foreground is the island's only (I think) bit of one way road, although it is wider all along its whole length than many of the single track two way roads one comes across in rural Buckinghamshire back home.
