Choroni walking tour

 Choroni walking tour  

There is a small river running through the village with a ford for cars and a footbridge for pedestrians who don't want to get their feet wet. But I noticed all the locals splashed through the ford as it is hot and they dry out quickly and it avoids the ten steps up and down to cross the bridge.

Just behind the river mouth, there is a start of a smooth, concrete path, easily missed as it is just an alleyway between two fishermen's huts. It is 120 steps to reach the lookout, although they don't mention that there are several gradients which they could have replaced with a few steps and a flat section. We had views of the town surrounded by jungle...

...and a view back to the town beach, and just out of view below the cliffs is where the river empties into the sea. 

Looking the other way are the steep cliffs of the headland.

The viewpoint has a flat, open area with a cross in the centre.

To one side is a well worn but rough path that continues along a ridge and climbs up higher.

Here there is a memorial and a beacon for ships. Seen from one side, it seems nothing special...

...but viewed from the other side, it is clearly designed as a ship, complete with an anchor, portholes and a bridge. Fro the aft of the boat, the steel tower rises with its beacon on top. In the fore of the boat is a plaque stating that it is a memorial to the fishermen of the area. 

But this isn't the top either and another path stretches off into the distance along the ridge. In the centre of the photo is Tim in a red T-shirt, way out in front. This path was narrower and steeper, and in places, it was a scramble across rough rocks and with steep or vertical drops to either side, it is only for the brave and foolhardy. And when scrambling, you must be careful where you put your hands to steady yourself as the rocks are rough but the plants have sharp edges or spines that tear and clothes and pierce the skin drawing blood.

But the views from the top are great across the Caribbean and down to Gran Playa, the beach where we had walked to the day before. The waves seemed to be less intense than the day before and the beach was deserted. Regretably, there isn't a way down to the beach, so we had to return the way we had come. 

We walked through the centre of town to find some refreshments and a chance to sit down and rest for a while. Then we headed off to find a bridge across the other river through the town. We threaded our way through back streets and alleyways to find another beach on the other side of town. The whole coast line is dotted with beaches, some which are only accessible by boat. 

This little cove was a delight, only accessible by foot along narrow paths. It was spotlessly clean and deserted of swimmers and sunbathers. But not of human presence. The area was being upgraded.

A path across a headland was being created to link it to the next bay and a secluded beach. In the opposite direction, a path was being drilled out of the cliff by workers hanging over the side suspended by ropes. By next season, there will be a delightful coastal walk linking several bays which our local guide was delighted to be able to add to the list of things to do here but we were just a year ahead of events.

We walked back and around the landward side of the headland to see the beach which would link the town and the new paths being cut into the cliffs. This area had not yet received any beautification and there was rubbish washed up on the high tide mark. Also the coastal link between the beach and the town centre had not yet been built and we had to take our shoes off and wade across the river to get back to the town centre.

A sea monster at one of the pousadas overlooking the town beach.