A fascinating island for all lovers of the outdoors!
Eastern Islands, Falkland Islands
East Falkland is home to Port Stanley, the archipelago’s capital, and Mount Pleasant, where the international airport is based. It is the most populated of the islands, yet outside these two settlements the population in low, with just a scattering of farmsteads and hamlets whose livelihoods are based on sheep farming. Outside the capital, the land is simply referred to as ‘Camp’.
Background
The landscape of the northern part of East Falkland is one of rolling hills reaching a peak of 705 m at Mount Usburne, the Falkland’s highest point. The south-western region, across the narrow isthmus of Lafonia, is far more flat and made up of lagoons and open, peaty grasslands. Volunteer Point, in the far east, contains a famous and accessable King Penguin colony and there is a reasonable network of roads and tracks here that link the various settlements, which are friendly and welcoming to visitors.
While this is the most ‘settled’ of the islands, this is all relative. This island has everything for anyone wanting to get away from the stress and tedium of modern living. From history of Port Louis – the first French settlement (1764) to the more recent history of the Falklands War; from white, sandy beaches deserted by all except wildlife to rivers teeming with fish. Just off the main isle of East Falkland lie Bleaker and Sea Lion Islands, which are also interesting places to visit.