Princes Street Stone Run
A river of quartzite boulders running down a valley, one of the best examples anywhere.
Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map
Stone runs are rivers of quartzite blocks that fill valley floors in the Falklands, formed by freeze-thaw shattering during the last glaciation and then creeping downhill through the ground ice, and the Princes Street run west of Stanley is the most accessible good example, a grey stream of boulders several hundred metres wide running down the valley with no soil or plants between the blocks.
What you actually see
- The boulder river - quartzite blocks filling the valley floor for hundreds of metres.
- The bare surface - no soil or vegetation between the stones.
- The periglacial origin - formed by freeze-thaw and ground ice movement.
- The roadside access - the easiest good stone run to reach in the islands.
When to go
October to April is the practical season. The runs look the same year round. Low sun in morning or evening shows the surface texture best.
Honest expectations
Walking on the blocks is genuinely dangerous and a broken ankle is a real risk. There are no facilities and no marked viewing point. It is a field of rocks, which is either interesting or not.
Nearby
Stanley is east, and Darwin is southwest.
What to pack for Princes Street Stone Run
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.