Helen
We take a bus to Perito Moreno Glacier, and it’s well worth it. Even the views from the bus are impressive! The glacier itself is huge, and it’s difficult to take in its enormity. It looks surreal, huge seracs standing upright on top of one another for miles onto the distance! We walk along boardwalks to various viewpoints, occasional claps of thunder indicating chunks of ice falling into the lake. It’s busy, and why not, it’s an amazing attraction to see. But even though we’re surrounded by people, the enormity of the glacier somehow makes me feel calm, like nature is so huge surely it will always be in charge? I stand at a viewpoint and stare in wonder. At one point a huge piece falls, creating an enormous sound as it crashes into the lake below. It was well worth the journey. Apparently it’s been receding since 2020, another sign of global warming. Being here and seeing the scale of these glaciers helps me understand more the effects of receding glaciers. I think it’s the fourth biggest reserve of fresh water in South America.
We end up staying a few days in El Calafate, the weather forecast isn’t great, and it’s a good place to relax. It’s a big town, it’s touristy on the main avenue with some nicer more authentic cafes and restaurants more hidden away down the side streets. We find the Calafate coffee roasters, as it’s name suggests, they roast their own coffee, but recently they’ve turned their warehouse into a hip and comfy cafe. Apart from that their coffee and cake is really good. We chat to the owner, he’s from Buenos Aires originally but moved here 11 years ago for a safer quieter life. He’s hoping the cafe will do well, although he’s unsure as yet as the summer tourist season is so short. Fingers crossed for him as it was a great place. At our campground we meet many other travellers and it’s good to chat and be inspired. I meet a couple who live on north Wales about thirty minutes from my home town! They’re travelling north, backpacking, and have only just started their journey.
Eventually we do leave, and head on our way, continuing south towards Torres Del Paine. The weather forecast is a bit mixed, but the wind looks in our favour so we go for it. The first 40 miles are unbelievable, with a really strong headwind it feels like we’re flying, we float along the road at 25mph, we’re even pushed up a long winding hill without making much effort. It feels so good. But at the top of the hill we turn direction and suddenly we’re in a crosswind. I’ve never felt a force like it! I’m barely able to keep the bike upright, and keep getting pushed into the middle of the road and across the other side, completely losing control. I’ve no idea if there are any cars or buses behind me and I’m lucky there weren’t as I would have had no chance! At one point it’s so strong I have to get off and push but even then it’s so strong it’s forcing me into the road until I have to drop the bike just to stay upright. The bike does a somersault and flies down the ditch at the side of the road and I quickly follow! It’s really terrifying, particularly as there’s no where to get any shelter, we’re on an open plain. We eventually drop down into the ditch and walk and cycle for some time until we turn the corner slightly. We pass an overturned trailer, the owners standing beside looking shocked. It shocks and scares me too. Eventually we can cycle again but even then the occasional gust has me veering into the road. It’s certainly not an experience I’d like to repeat, and really gives me a feel for the famous Patagonian winds. That day we do 74 miles as there is no shelter until we find an abandoned police station to camp in. It’s been used by several cyclists in the past and it’s fun to read and look at their wall art. We add our own. There’s also another cyclist there from Uruguay and two more turn up later on. Exhausted, we eat early then I fall into a deep sleep!
We wake up and set off very early the next day, keen to get the miles done before the afternoon winds arrive. It’s a stunning calm morning, the sky clear shades of red as the sun rises. We ride in silence, gloves and coats on until it warms up. We see many guanacos, ostrich, wild horses and pink flamingos. Eventually Torres Del Paine can be seen in the distance, it looks impressive. It’s another long day, but the winds are calmer and the sun shines. We cross the border once again into Chile and descend a lovely tarmac road into the tiny village of Cerro Castillo. At the Argentinian/Chilean border the road turns from dirt track to perfect smooth tarmac, we stop and take a picture as it looks quite comical. Cerro Castillo is a quiet remote village, one road leading south to Puerto Natales, the other leading into Parque National Torres Del Paine. We had originally hoped to follow the latter road and do a loop through the National park ending in Puerto Natales. But the forecast isn’t looking great with more strong gusts so we decide to head straight to Puerto Natales and wait for good weather, before heading north maybe for a day trip to see the famous towers.
In Cerro Castillo we meet Marco and Camilo once again, who cycled almost 300km from El Calafate to avoid the winds! They’re staying at the garage of the fire station and luckily for us there’s some space, as although the weather is calm when we go to sleep, during the night I’m awoken to wild gusts and heavy rain. We all set off the next day and get as far as the nearest cafe, it’s wild and windy already, so we have coffee and veggie empanadas, putting off the windy cycle for as long as possible. Eventually we set off, but within a mile I’m already being pushed into the road. It feels dangerous and stupid to carry on. It didn’t feel right the other day but we were 40 miles from anywhere at that point. Right now we have the option to turn around, and something inside is telling me that’s the right thing to do. So we do. I retrace our steps to the cafe and discover we’ve just missed the 10am bus and the next one doesn’t go until 6.30pm!
We sit on the side of the road looking for a potential truck or pick up to give us a lift. I’ve never hitch hiked before but within ten minutes a rusty pick up with two men goes passed, I stick my thumb up and give them my best desperate smile. Thankfully it works, we throw our bikes into the back and jump in. We chat away gratefully, Victor and Andres work in the park and tell us more about the mountains. Within thirty minutes we’re in Puerto Natales. It’s cold and windy and I’m not sure I like it. But we find a warm cafe and we’re soon chatting away to two chilenos from Santiago. Finding a good campsite on the outskirts of the town with great views of the pacific, and more importantly a warm kitchen and dining area, we set up our tent and wait for Marco and Camilo to arrive. They shortly do, having made good progress, apparently after the first ten kilometres the wind changed direction slightly, making the 50km journey not so bad. I feel a tinge of guilt that maybe we should have cycled, but I feel maybe I used up my nine lives the other day!
Puerto Natales as it’s name suggests is a port town, bigger than I’d imagined, with a good mix of older tin roofed buildings and more modern wood clad cafes and restaurants. It’s the hub for anyone wanting to visit, hike or climb in the famous Torres Del Paine national park and so is very touristy. It’s also next to the pacific and it feels good to be beside the sea again. At this point I’m constantly checking various weather apps, particularly for the wind direction and speed, as I don’t want to be caught out again. We decide to have a day off and then head back up north towards the National Park to try to get some good views of the Torres Del Paine. It’s a bit of an effort as we’ll be cycling into the winds, but the forecast is good for the next two days and I haven’t come this far not to see them! I first heard about the famous Torres Del Paine years ago when I was in Vietnam and met a Chilean couple who said it’s the most beautiful place in Chile!
We head off and within two miles cycling into a headwind I’m wondering if it’s ok just to look at YouTube videos instead! But we persevere and after twenty miles we turn a corner and catch a glimpse of the magnificent range. The sun is shining, the road is quiet and it’s a beautiful sight. Another twenty miles and we’ve arrived at a perfect wild camp, down at track to the side of the lake overlooking the towers. It’s stunning, and there’s no one else around! I can’t quite believe our luck, if this was the Lake District we’d most certainly be sharing this view with others!
Having dinner sat out in the evening sun with these views will give me lasting memories. There’s barely a cloud in the sky and the wind has dropped. We wait patiently for sunset and then even longer for the sun to drop further casting its final rays of light on the jagged edges of the peaks. The morning is equally clear and beautiful, sunrise casting new colours on the opposite side of the mountains. We sit in the warmth of the sun, listening to the birds waking up. We have what might be our last swim in a lake in South America. It’s freezing cold but I find it briefly calm and refreshing, and the sun soon warms us up on the rocks afterwards.
We set off back towards Puerto Natales, re-tracing our route from yesterday. In theory, the wind is almost always a north westerly, so the strong headwind we had yesterday should now be a nice easy tailwind for us. But it’s changed direction and we’re cycling into a headwind again! I feel so tired, no energy and feel myself getting really frustrated, my expectations of an easy day not being met. Even though it’s a beautiful sunny day, I’m struggling. It takes us all day to get back to Puerto Natales and I’m grateful to reach the campsite to rest in their warm refugio.
The next morning Chris tells me he might get a separate flight from Buenos Aires to Madrid and then cycle back home through Spain whilst I catch up with my family. I break down. I’m drained, emotionally, mentally, physically. We’ve been snapping at each other for days now, both of us running on low energy. We’re both equally starting to wonder what will happen when this journey ends. I desperately want to get to Ushuaia so I can have a rest but equally I’ve no idea how it will feel to be home, in one place. I don’t want this journey to end on a low! It’s been such an incredible journey in so many ways.
Tomorrow we’ll head for Punta Arenas, it looks like we might get a three day weather window with some strong winds but hopefully in our favour. From Punta Arenas we have to take a short ferry over to Porvenir on Tierra del Fuego and from there the final 270 miles to Ushuaia!
