Вулкан Монтань-Пеле Volcano Montagne Pele

Rating 10110

Before getting to the Mont Pele volcano, I contemplated it regularly for a couple of months, because it can be seen in sunny weather from almost anywhere on the island of Martinique. It was noticeable that the top is almost always in the clouds. And so it turned out for us. The entire ascent to the crater was foggy, then at times the sun broke through. Because of this, there are fewer successful photos than we would like.

The starting point is at an altitude of about 600 m. The ascent goes at times (mostly? ) along a ridge 10-15 m wide. Mostly just stones. The views are not on the sea, but on the plateau.

Along this path we reached the crater. This volcano has a peculiar shape - a very wide crater overgrown with vegetation, and already from this large crater (not in the center but from the edge) the top of the mountain rises. This peak is also not pointed, but more like a small crater.

What am I talking about all this. Most tourists reach a large crater, walk along its crest for some distance, and return.
Not seeing the most interesting. Fortunately, our small international group had a guide (friend, local) who knew every trail here, well, almost every one, as it turned out.

We descended into the crater and entered the magical world. A special landscape that occurs in cool, very humid places. A couple of photos somehow convey this beauty.

Next we went. We went up, down, sometimes climbed a little. Sometimes (when the clouds cleared a little) they saw the sea below and the whole island.

For the sake of such a photo, you can take a chance - a natural chair made of stone, the back is the end of a cliff that goes vertically to the sea itself.

So gradually we reached the top (implicitly expressed, there is a sign there for fidelity) and somewhere not far from it we made a halt. The temperature at the very top is 15-18 degrees. Need a jacket. I put it on only while sitting on a halt, but I still need it, you never know.
After a halt, a surprise soon came - our wonderful guide, so sadly, puzzled us - if you go the right way, over the stones, then you need to return and go for a very long time. But if you walk 50 meters incorrectly, along the green, it will be very fast, and we will see new places.

I must say that before descending into the crater, we were strictly instructed - to go only along the path or over the stones. Do not enter the green under any circumstances. Many holes, dips, masked by lush vegetation. At best, you can twist your leg, at worst, fall into a hole. For example, this one, not yet overgrown.

We decided to go along the green, a short way, but with precautions. First, from pebble to pebble on two legs.

And then on four bones. With three you lean on the solid, with the fourth you check the strength of the next point of support. Unforgettable impressions. Cold sweat and all. But they got out unscathed. : ))))

The following is just a photo, in chronological order.
True, they convey no more than 20% of that beauty. All this took about 4 hours.

P. S. I did not write on time for a number of reasons. I consider this little trip a gift of fate. To be more precise, fate gave an opportunity, and I was not too lazy and was not afraid to use it (applicable to all my Guadelupan-Martinican experience). I still sometimes remember this unforgettable ascent.