Ascension Island

Ascension Island, a rugged volcanic dot in the tropical South Atlantic, is one of the most extraordinary and little-known islands anywhere, a stark landscape of red and black cinder cones, lava fields and volcanic peaks that looks almost lunar. Yet at its heart rises the surprising Green Mountain, whose mist-fed summit was deliberately planted over the centuries into a lush, cloud-forested garden, a unique man-made ecosystem. The island's beaches are among the most important nesting sites in the Atlantic for green turtles, which haul ashore in their thousands, while its cliffs and offshore stacks teem with seabirds. Volcanic, remote and biologically remarkable, Ascension is a fascinating island of stark contrasts.

History

The Portuguese navigator João da Nova found the island in 1501, and Afonso de Albuquerque named it Ascension in 1503. William Dampier's HMS Roebuck sank in Clarence Bay in February 1701 and sixty men survived for two months before rescue, and organised settlement began on 22 October 1815, when the British garrisoned the island after Napoleon was sent to Saint Helena; Charles Darwin called here on the Beagle in 1836 (Wikipedia, Ascension Island).

Highlights

• Green Mountain - the lush, mist-fed cloud-forest summit.
• The volcanic landscape - the stark cinder cones and lava fields.
• The green turtles - the thousands nesting on the beaches.
• The seabird colonies - the teeming cliffs and offshore stacks.

When to go

Year-round; Ascension's warm tropical climate makes it accessible in any season, though the green turtle nesting season, roughly January to May, and the hatching that follows are a special highlight. The Green Mountain summit is often misty, feeding its unique cloud forest.

What to expect

Ascension is remote, reached by infrequent flights or ships and requiring permission, with limited facilities, so visiting takes planning and is for the adventurous. As a stark volcanic island crowned by a unique man-made cloud forest and famed as a vital turtle and seabird haven, though, Ascension is a genuinely fascinating and remarkable place of contrasts.

Nearby

The settlement of Georgetown and the island's beaches lie around the coast.

Key facts