Battlefield Tour, Mt Tumbledown – 9 March 2011

I’d deliberately saved this battlefield tour as the one to do last as it has the longest walk, about 6 miles round trip. The terrain was very different to that of Mt Longdon. We were to walk in the footsteps of 2 Scots Guards as they made their assault on Mt Tumbledown through 13^th/14^th June 1982. We set off from a lay-by on the Stanley Road and walked to what would have been their assembly point. Unusually, there was a very thick mist which made our orientation very difficult, but very atmospheric! After a short distance we came across a dump of ammo boxes and mortar shell cases. It really is incredible to think this stuff has lain here untouched for nearly 30 years!

Despite the mist my lungs and legs were telling me we were beginning to climb. Then out of the mist appeared the craggy rocks of Goat Ridge. Keeping the Ridge on our left we continued to the starting line. Once over the fence we walked across country to Mt Tumbledown, the mist was beginning to clear, but the top of Mt Tumbledown was still hidden from view. As if by magic, the mist started to lift and across the valley to our left Mt Longdon came in to view, the landscape scarred from artillery fire. This scarring was pointed out to me; I just assumed it was bald patches where the peat was exposed.

And then a steady, steep climb up the side of Mt Tumbledown. The view back the way we had come was stunning. We now had blue skies and I was surprised at just how steep the terrain had been, it looked very different in the mist. My lungs and legs had been right! We continued to climb and were rewarded with some stunning views of Wireless Ridge over to our left and Stanley ahead of us and in the distance.

We saw the remnants of an Argentine bunker still containing a water bottle, blanket and the soles of plimsolls. Plimsolls were issued to the conscripts to prevent them deserting.

The tour culminated with the memorials, the first just below the summit and the smaller of the two. It was my privilege to volunteer to clean the brass plaques and strangely cathartic.  The second memorial on the summit involved a bit of a scramble to reach it and, as you know there is no mountain goat in me, I caused a bit of a queue! So with blue skies we began our descent, I’d eaten all my food and was beginning to peel layers off and slap on sun cream. If it is appropriate to say I have favourite battlefield tour, then this would be mine and largely due to the scenery. And the Scots Guards? Gentlemen, here’s tae you.