Venture to the Canaries
MALCOLM ROGERS heads for the sun and sands of Fuerteventura, looks
at the ancient art of road bowling and visits Co.Waterford
 By Malcolm
Roger
THE shadows are lengthening in these northerly climes —autumn days
will soon be upon us. But just a few hours away is a land of azure skies
and turquoise seas, where the great rollers of the Atlantic ocean crash
onto miles of white sand.
Welcome, mis amigos, to the island of Fuerteventura, just 65 miles off
the coast of Africa. This is a tranquil place — the only neighbours
you need to worry about on a weekend night are the crickets, the only
ones kicking up a racket.
You can, of course, find plenty of people to party with in the resorts
of Puerto del Rosario and Gran Tarajal, but just beyond is a place of
spectacular beauty and peace — desert-scale sand dunes, hardy Mediterranean
pines and miles of candelabra cactus. The island, probably the oldest
of all the Canaries, is characterised by strange, ancient contours arising
from various volcanic episodes. I am at this point obliged to refer to
the terrain as a lunar landscape. Moon-like, that is, give or take the
odd banana tree.
The seaside, however, is the glory of Fuerteventura. They do very good
sand here. The beaches are generally reckoned to be among the most impressive
in the whole of Europe and the climate guarantees year-round sunbathing
— a shore thing, you could say.
Sun and Scuba doo!
Think Canary Islands and you think sunshine. And in the case of Fuerteventura
you would be spectacularly right. With 3,000 hours of sun a year, coupled
with negligible rainfall, a sun-kissed stay is virtually guaranteed summer
or winter.
Mind you, winds there are aplenty on Fuerteventura so, although Africa
is a next-door neighbour, you won’t experience the furnace heat
of a Castillian summer. A prevailing wind called Gota Fria — literally
‘a drop of the cold stuff’ — blesses the island with
year-round temperatures of about 70 degrees F.
The dependable winds of Fuerteventura also guarantee perfect conditions
for surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing and land yachting.
The 20-mile strand at La Playa de Sotavento de Jandía in the south
of the island annually hosts the world windsurfing championships.
The clear, rich, warm waters also make this an ideal scuba diving destination
— as they say round these parts, a dive into Fuerteventura’s
waters is the shortest route to heaven.
Heading for the hills Inland, Fuerteventura is as peaceful and even
warmer than the coast. Hire a car, load yourself up with provisions and
munch your way northwards towards the resort town of Corralejo.
Soon you’ll be in the midst of shimmering sand dunes, real Lawrence
of Arabia country. Having been suitably gobsmacked by this immense landscape
of sky and sand, point the car southwards and head for the little pueblo
of La Oliva. This is a postcard-grade village, one of the prettiest on
the island. With the 1730 feet of Montaña de Escantraga as a backdrop,
white-washed houses, tiny churches and ancient windmills stand out from
the burnished earth.
Canary cuisine
The island’s cuisine reflects Spanish, Portuguese, and North African
influence as well as a nod in the direction of the Americas, as this was
at one time an important staging post en route to the New World.
In most of the villages such as El Cotillo, Tefía or Corralejo
you’ll find cafes and restaurants which serve local dishes. From
La Oliva continue south, keeping a lookout for the decidedly strange dragon
tree (Dracaena draco), a prehistoric native of the island. You’ll
soon reach la Villa de Santa Maria de Betancuria. Founded in 1404, it
was the island’s capital until 1834 —maybe it was that long
address which finally sunk it as a capital, but that’s only a guess.
What is indisputable is that this is one beautiful place, a confetti pile
of white houses tumbling down the volcanic crater.
Myth is as good as a mile
The villages may well lead you to ponder the island’s place in history.
As evening draws its perfumed veil over the land you may find yourself
taking your ease in some idyllic town square, glass of vino tinto in hand,
the jacaranda trees wafting gently in the breeze. You may very well begin
wondering if Plato was right after all. Is this place indeed the lost
world of Atlantis? Another few glasses of wine and it all seems entirely
possible.
Whatever its origins, today Fuerteventura is home to some 40,000 residents
making it one of the least crowded of the Canaries. It has a well-deserved
reputation for being unspoilt, unhurried and not overly commercialised.
Few places have managed the trick of remaining impossibly picturesque
while at the same time keeping big-time tourism at bay quite so effectively.
This is a place to slip into low gear, relax by the lapping waters that
wash in from Saharan Morocco and watch the sun set slowly over the Atlantic.
And wait for the crickets to begin their nightly recital.
 Do much
more in Dunmore
Name: Dunmore East, from the Irish Dún Mór (Big Fort)
Where in the world: At the mouth of Waterford Harbour.
Why you might want to go there: Load of pollocks, really. Dunmore East
is a major angling resort with everything from pollock to perch and shark
to shrimp turning up at the end of your rod. And the ambient static of
the Celtic Sea’s crashing rollers will remind you of what seaside
holidays used to be like. This corner of Waterford is a compelling place,
still largely untrammelled by the excesses of modern tourism, and manages
to exude a natural charm.
Named after the great fort whose remains stand on Black Knob Cliff, Dunmore
East commands a coastline in both directions. Not quite as honky tonk
as nearby Tramore, nor as secluded as Kylemore Quay, the village and its
hinterland is the perfect family destination.
History: Long. Harristown passage grave lies just outside the town, which
either means people have been living round here for the best part of 4,000
years or the early Irish used to take their holliers here too. In the
centre of the village is an Anglo-Norman castle erected in the 12th century.
A few centuries after the Normans had re-designed the area, Dunmore East
had become a packet station for mail between England and Ireland.
Activities: This is the sunny south east so life is a beach. Dunmore
East boasts three beaches — you use whichever one the tide dictates.
Even during autumn you could reasonably hope the weather might be clement
enough to sample their delights.
Organised activities: The Dunmore East Adventure Centre runs activities
for five-year-olds upwards through teens and onwards. With loads of staff
on hand, your kids can take part in treasure hunts, windsurfing, archery
and boat trips. Arts and crafts, boat trips, surf skis, raft-building,
archery, picnics, discos, beach combing, climbing and much more are on
offer.
The centre has an equally comprehensive agenda for adults, without, as
far as I could ascertain, the treasure hunt. Booooo! By the way, it’s
the ideal place for a Halloween party. There are different themes and
activities for different age groups and on Halloween itself, a ghoulish
barbeque is promised. To contact the Adventure Centre tel: 00353 5138
3783. www.dunmoreadventure.com
Sport: Basically two sports dominate down here — fishing and golf.
On the outskirts of Dunmore East lies Dunmore Golf & Country Club.
The course commands fine views of the village of Dunmore and on down the
coast to Hook Head and provides a stiff challenge in lovely surroundings.
For fishing, head for Dunmore East Angling Charters. Their boats are ideal
for wreck, reef and shark angling, diving, scenic and evening trips, rod
hire and tackle sales. This part of the Irish coast saw very heavy U-Boat
action in the Second World War, resulting in Waterford having one of the
highest concentrations of ship wrecks around the Irish Coast. Many are
within an hour of Dunmore East and provide excellent angling, as do the
reefs of Hook Head. Tel + 353 (0) 51 383397 or +353 (0)87 2682794; e-mail:
workboat@oceanfree.net
Where to eat: The Strand is a family-run restaurant with a fine reputation
for good food and service (Les Routiers Dining Inn of the Year 2002).
It’s set in the sheltered Counsellor’s Cove, a beautiful protected
EU Blue Flag beach. The restaurant specialises in freshly caught seafood
and relaxed atmosphere. Tel 00353 5138 3174.
The ivy-clad Ship in the centre of the village is one of the best seafood
restaurants in the south east, Michelin Guide and Egon Ronay recommended.
Tel: 00353 5138 3141.
Where to stay: The Haven is only a two star hotel but has a deserved
reputation which seems to belie this grading. Originally one of the ‘Big
Houses’ surrounding Dunmore East, where wealthy merchant families
and naval officers made their homes during the British rule, it retains
its genteel aspects.
However, today it boasts a terrific Bacchanalian atmosphere, central
location, tel: 00353 5138 3150. Website: http://thehavenhotel.com
Trident self-catering cottages also have very good sites in town.
Tel: 00353 1607 7200 or web: www.tridenthomes.ie
|
