A cycling tour of a South Atlantic island guarantees magnificent views, good exercise – and fantastic company
It’s starting to drizzle as we park outside St Paul’s Cathedral. So far, so London. Except this is 8,500km away from the English capital and the church outside the car windows here, while large by the standards of buildings on the island of St Helena, is probably about the same size as the canteen in the massive British institution.
In this instance, the structure is just the starting point for an adventure, however; one that will begin as soon as Martin Henry can manhandle two large, heavy bicycles out of his car.
Henry is St Helena’s Minister for Health and Social Care. He’s younger, fitter and a good deal chirpier than most would expect a government official to be and his diplomatic assignment for the day is to show an interested visitor (me) the wonders of his home island, ensuring that the outing involves good, healthy exercise and fresh air and – crucially – that I don’t fall over from city-boy fatigue.
In between his official duties, Henry likes to cycle and, as a social, talkative bloke, he also likes to host visitors as he takes in the dramatic landscape.
Happily, he offers user-friendly (in all senses of the term) e-bikes – bicycles with a small engine powered by a battery pack, which can be set at different levels to assist the effort the cyclist is putting in – as an option. And he’s a patient, friendly sporting companion, setting a chilled pace to begin with. The help from the motor means having a conversation is possible, which makes the experience considerably more enjoyable, setting up a positive cycle, as it were.
Surprise and satisfaction
Riding in the light rain keeps us cool, helping us to avoid sticky sweatiness, but the water does make the road surface slick in places, meaning that there is a need to use the brakes on both wheels to maintain traction on the many notable gradients and hairpin bends. St Helena’s roads are narrow, with constant twists and turns, but there is enough understanding and courtesy from local drivers to allow for passing to be relatively relaxed, with regular striking views meaning that pulling over to let traffic past is never a negative move.
Unsurprisingly in terrain that leaps from sea level to over 700m above that within short horizontal distances, there are some crazy hills to navigate, long and steep, that present a huge challenge for cyclists relying on mere muscle. As a training ground for serious athletes, this location would be a dream: short distances that are extremely demanding and always scenic, whether you’re taking a slow trundle or competing in a time trial. The narrow valleys make everything feel really compact. You can see a recognisable landmark on the opposite slope – the Boer Cemetery, for instance – from some distance away and then pass the entrance to the property just a couple of minutes later.
This makes for a headspace of almost constant surprise for the rookie rider as you pass each new marker, be it a village, a church, a geographical formation or a site of historical significance. You reach somewhere you know is on the other side of the island from where you started (because you noted that from the comfort of the back seat of a taxi beforehand) without feeling any discomfort; only the pleasant feeling of having had a pleasing leg and lung workout.
Talk it through
If you’re riding with Henry, your mouth will also get plenty of exercise, as he’s a man who loves both his country and the people who live there, most of whom he knows personally to some degree. As a result, he is never without a story (or nine) about what is currently going on around the island and what sort of effect all those interactions will have on everything else that’s going on around the island! He’s also happy to chat about his work as health minister, to ask for input and to listen to it, so who knows? You could have gone out for a bit of exercise and sightseeing and ended up having an effect on policy and matters of national importance.
You’ll also have more or less circumnavigated one of the most remote islands on earth in just a couple of hours, which is an amazing sentence to be able to tell people who aren’t aware of how tranquil an experience it actually is. It’s a brilliant way to see St Helena and easy enough to combine with a hike – more enthralling views; more bracing exercise – a visit to a coffee plantation, a swim or a dive into history.
Text and photography | Bruce Dennill, Shutterstock
For more information, go to sthelenatourism.com.
