MOUNTAINS EAST FALKLAND
Main mountain ranges on the East Falklands are the Wickham Heights which is part of a fold that extends roughly in a curve across the top half of East Falklands from San Carlos to Stanley. They are a rugged chain of mountains, the spine of the East Falklands north of Lafonia. They have many stone runs, some running for 5km, and the Malo and San Carlos rivers are sourced here.
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- The chain of mountains really begins on the west coast of East Falklands at San Carlos with the Sussex Mountains and
Rodeo Mountain. They continue rising to the east to No Man's Land and the Wickham Heights.
- The Sussex Mountains lie on the south east edge of San Carlos Water and north shore of Grantham Sound. They are the beginning or an extension of the Wickham Heights, which stretches across East Falklands. During the 1982 Falklands War British troops had to cross the Sussex Mountains to get to Goose Green.
- Mount Usborne at 705metres (2,313ft) only slightly holds the distinction of being the Falkland's highest mountain, being 5m higher than Mount Adam on the West. As with Mount Adam there are remains of glacial corries. Mount Usborne is named after Alexander Burns Usborne, a naval officer and master's assistant on H. M. S Beagle during 1831-1835 and Darwin's visits to the Falklands.
- Mount Wickham is the highest and main summit of the Wickham Heights. Rocky Mountain is next to Mount Wickham in the chain running east, followed by Smoko Mountain (possibly named as place where a stop for smoke or morning snack might have been taken by shepherds). Pleasant Peak is just south of these mountains then on to Mount Challenger, Mount Kent, Two Sisters, Mount Harriet, Tumbldown, Mount William and Sapper Hill running west and south to Stanley and Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge which bear to the north side of Stanley. These mountains became so familiar during the 1982 conflict.
- Mount Simon, White's Mountain, Jack's Mountain 648m (2125ft) and Big Mountain is a block of mountains just north of the Wickham Heights which terminates in the Malo Hills to their north-east.
- Pleasant Peak is just two miles north of RAF Mount Pleasant and was where in 1982 a British Army Gazelle helicopter was the victim of friendly fire with the loss of 4 lives.
- Mount Challenger is south of Mount Kent and west Tumbledown, Two Sisters and Stanley. During the 1982 conflict it was the scene of some action and some of it is still mined. The Murrell River rises on Mount Challenger.
- Mount Kent is just north of Mount Challenger, and like Challenger saw action in the 1982 conflict, leaving it mined.
- Mount Low 265m (871ft) lies north of Stanley, overlooking Port William to the south and Berkley Sound to the north.
- Mount Longdon is west of Wireless ridge and overlooks Stanley to the north-west. On 11th & 12th June 1982 it was the site of a decisive battle between Argentine and British (3 Para) forces that led to occupation of key ground and British victory to free Stanley.
- Wireless Ridge a hill opposite and north west of Stanley was strategic to the recovery of Stanley during the 1982 conflict and an engagement between Argentine and British troops on the night of 13/14th June took place there. A total of 28 soldiers died and 136 were wounded during the battle.
- Two Sisters and Two Sisters Ridge lies to the west of Stanley between Mount Kent and Mount Harriet. On the night of 11/ 12 June 1982 British Royal Marines forced Argentine troops from Two Sisters Ridge. A total of 28 soldiers died and 77 were wounded in the advance.
- Mount Harriet lies to the east of Two Sisters, west of Stanley. On the night of 11/ 12 June 1982 600 Royal Marines and Welsh Guards drove 400 Argentine troops from the slopes of Mount Harriet. 20 soldiers died and 76 were wounded.
- Tumbledown is a high point just west and close to Stanley. On 13/14 June 1982 500 Argentine marines were forced off the heights of Mount Tumbledown by 900 British troops. Forty soldiers died and over 150 were wounded in the encounter. This action helped lead to the surrender of Stanley by the Argentines.
- Mount William is part of the mountain range just to the south-west of and close to Stanley, between Tumbledown and Sapper Hill. During the 1982 conflict British Gurkhas drove an Argenine battalion from Mount William..
- Sapper Hill rises to 138m (453ft) and lies just south of Stanley and is named after a company of sappers who were based at Moody Brook barracks. Because of its close proximity to Stanley Sapper Hill was strategically very important during the 1982 conflict. It was held by an Argentine marine battalion, heavily mined, and the final obstacle before British troops retook Stanley.
- Mount Estancia
- Mount Vernet and Long Island Mountain
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Can you add/ correct any information or supply any photographs, past or present?
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Photographic credits: Header Robert Maddocks |
    
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