Darwin Road is a drive you'll never forget in the Falkland Islands
Darwin Road is a gravel road located in the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf.
Where is Darwin Road?
Darwin Road is the main road on the isolated and sparsely populated Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the southwest Atlantic Ocean. The surface of the road is loose gravel. Reduce your speed when approaching oncoming vehicles. Have consideration for other road users. Speed limits are 25 mph (40 km/h) in built-up areas and 40 mph (64 km/h) elsewhere. The views on the road are stunning.
How long is Darwin Road?
The road is 92 km (57.16 miles) long and runs east-west from Stanley to Darwin. Stanley (also known as Port Stanley) is the capital of the Falkland Islands. It is located on the island of East Falkland and is the most remote and probably the smallest capital city in the world. It’s a colorful seaside town with a ramshackle assemblage of buildings. Darwin is a small settlement in Lafonia on East Falkland.
Are landmines a real danger along Darwin Road?
After the Falklands War, minefields may be encountered in some areas, around Stanley in particular, but all are very clearly fenced and marked; there have been no civilian casualties. Today, there are still an estimated 20,000 landmines on the Falkland Islands. Over 100 minefields remain in the Falkland Islands, laid by Argentine forces during the 1982 conflict. However, it is important to note that it is illegal to enter a minefield and remove minefield signage; also, in the rare event of finding a suspect item outside a minefield, it MUST be reported to the Bomb Disposal Unit (73613 or 53939) or the police (28100) and, of course, DON’T TOUCH IT. Beware of the landmines—be sure to pick up a map from the military office in Stanley if you plan on going hiking alone.
Pic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thejourney1972/2384584082