By Manuel Meyer
The tiny lava pebbles make a crunching sound beneath the hiking boots. The trail is a steep one through a volcanic landscape leading to the Pico Peqeno “small summit” on the Cape Verde island of Fogo. Over and again, trail guide Mike Zotter comes to a halt in order to explain the bizarre stone formations. His hiking group listens carefully — not only because he is explaining something interesting, but also because it means this break will last a bit longer. The sun is mercilessly beating down, and finally after two hours, the edge of the Pico Pequeno crater has been reached.
The view from here is breath-taking, one taking in a chasm where lava streams last flowed in 1995. The Cape Verde islands are mainly known as a beach holiday destination. But the group of 15 islands in the Atlantic off Africa’s western coast have become a magnet for those of the world’s hikers eager to discover ever better trails. And Fogo island, Mike says, is a “true paradise.”
After a tough trek past a field of lava stones, the restaurant of Ramiro, located between the villages of Portela and Bangeira, is finally reached. He serves up fresh goat cheese and the famous Fogo wine. His restaurant is not only a meeting point for a few hiking tourists and volcano freaks, but also for locals.
The next day, the tour heads to the island of Santiago. The first Portuguese settlers came here in 1462, establishing the town of Ribeira Grande. This erstwhile island capital has still preserved its village-like character. On a rise there stands ruins of a cathedral built in 1556. It was built for the purpose of Christianising African slaves — for Ribeira Grande was the hub of the dark chapter of Portugal’s slave trade between Africa and the Americas.
The largest Cape Verde island of Santo Antao can only be reached from Mindelo by boat, since the rugged mountain landscape has so far prevented any airport construction. While hikers in the north will trek through rugged subtropical valleys and mountain passes such as Paul Valley, the southern and western parts of the island are barren and dry, but no less interesting.
Particularly scenic is the hike through the volcanic cone of Cova de Paul in the green and fertile mountain region in the north of the island. The steep walls of the crater are covered in thick pine forests. Many tourists will hike up to the 1,585m-high Pica da Cruz, the highest point in the north-western part of the island.
One of the most scenic hikes on Santo Antao leads along the steep coastline to Cruzinha da Garca. On an old, artfully laid out cobblestone path the trail leads steeply up the coast. Hikers repeatedly will pause to stop in order to take in the views from atop the steep slopes. The terraced village of Fontainhas with its colourfully-painted houses lies picturesquely on the ridge of a cliff.
Just as between Ponta do Sol and Cruzinha da Garca, the hiking trails on Santa Antao often are paved paths, just as they are in Ribeira das Patas further south. The serpentine-like trails breathtakingly wind their way up the face of a cliff.
The 700m of altitude difference are a challenge, but the views looking down into the valley make the effort worthwhile. Besides the landscapes along the countless hiking trails, the island is impressive above all for the feeling of solitude.
At the Coroa volcano, the tallest peak on the island at 1,982m, there are usually no other hikers to be encountered. Given the lack of markers along the trail, and with drifting clouds making orientation difficult, this is not always reassuring. — DPA
