Concepcion- the most perfect cinder cone volcano in Central America
Fortunately for us, the Santa Martha is the afternoon ferry. The morning ferry is only slightly more modern and only slightly larger and the gangplank we have to negotiate with our backpacks looks decidedly flimsy. People are packed in like sardines. Thank goodness it’s a calm day and a short crossing to the island of Ometepe. Ometepe is the largest and highest volcanic island in a freshwater lake (Lake Nicaragua) in the world and is formed from two volcanoes, Concepcion and Maderas. Ometepe means Two Mountains. I guess they’re not very imaginative round here. Concepcion’s last violent eruption was in 2010. Lake Nicaragua is also home to freshwater bullsharks, known to be aggressive in shallow water, so I’m hoping we don’t sink on the way across. Our friends from GAP join us on the boat and they are all a little apprehensive as this is where they will be doing a ‘home stay’. Our accommodation is at Finca Venecia and is adorable with log cabins right on the beach front. .
Passing on the highway on Ometepe
The island is beautiful, traditional with little sign of development. The farm has their own horses and so I opt for the trek, whilst others go for an island tour, bike ride or visit the thermal waters. Little do I realise that the trek is actually up the Concepcion volcano, although we cannot reach the crater. The route we take is beautiful, passing along the dirt trails through the village, where people still live a traditional life, everyone on foot or horseback, as it’s the easiest way to travel around here. Fields are being ploughed using horses to pull the plough; chickens, pigs, horses and cows are left to roam freely along the path. Up through the forest, our horses make light work of the steep slope and rutted gullies and lava boulders that are strewn in our way. Occasionally, we come head to head with an ox-drawn cart and have to back down to a suitable passing place, until, eventually we exit the forest to low bushes high up the volcano and tie up the horses to hike a little further so we can see the fantastic vista below us, with the lava river (no longer molten!) leading down towards the lake and the village.
As we make our way slowly back down, I can hear dogs going mad in the distance, but getting closer. Then I realise it’s not dogs, but howler monkeys, foretelling the impending thunderstorm. We push on a little harder, and hurry through the village, part trot, part canter as the first spots of rain start to fall. We are lucky that it is only after we have dismounted and relieved the horses of their tack that the torrential rain starts.
After the strenuous activity of the past few days, I’m ready for the massage and pedicure we have booked before the group dinner in the evening
As we make our way slowly back down, I can hear dogs going mad in the distance, but getting closer. Then I realise it’s not dogs, but howler monkeys, foretelling the impending thunderstorm. We push on a little harder, and hurry through the village, part trot, part canter as the first spots of rain start to fall. We are lucky that it is only after we have dismounted and relieved the horses of their tack that the torrential rain starts.
After the strenuous activity of the past few days, I’m ready for the massage and pedicure we have booked before the group dinner in the evening
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