Trip of the week: memories of war in the Falkland Islands
For a British tourist of a certain age, a visit to the battle sites is ‘spine-tingling’

With a landmass almost as big as Northern Ireland’s and a population of just 3,500, the Falkland Islands have an “otherworldly” natural beauty that has attracted a growing number of visitors. But this spring, some Britons have another reason to go, said Marcel Theroux in The Daily Telegraph. It is the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War, which began on 2 April 1982 and ended six weeks later, on 14 June. From 4 May, hundreds of veterans are due to fly to the islands to attend remembrance ceremonies in the capital, Stanley.
The war still “looms large in every aspect of Falklands life”. It can be “very sobering” to hear first-hand from islanders about their memories of the fighting; and for a British tourist of a certain age, a visit to the battle sites is “spine-tingling”. You come across once-familiar names (Mount Harriet, Tumbledown, Goose Green), as well as rusting chunks of matériel (“burned out helicopters, old Argentine field kitchens, downed fighter planes”) that make the conflict seem “eerily recent”.
But for islanders, the war had some positive effects. The Foreign Office largely neglected them until 1982, and life was poor and tough for most. Since then, there have been “huge material improvements”, with new fishing rights and a growth in tourism, largely from cruise ships.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Founded in 1845, Stanley retains its quaint Victorian heart, but has expanded greatly in recent years. It has acquired some “reliably good” restaurants (the local toothfish is “delicious”), a great microbrewery and a “fantastic” artisanal gin distillery, Darwin’s Botanicals. And transport links within the islands are much improved.
Go to revel in their limitless space and quiet, their “intense southern hemisphere sunshine”, and their astonishing sub-Antarctic wildlife, which includes elephant seals, sea lions and six types of penguin.
Specialist tour operators include Journey Latin America (journeylatinamerica.co.uk) and Rainbow Tours (rainbowtours.co.uk).
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What's the best time of year to buy a house?
The Explainer There are pros and cons to each season
-
Africa's largest dam is making diplomatic waves
Under the Radar Ethiopians view using the Nile as a 'sovereign right' but the vast hydroelectric project has 'fuelled nationalist fervour' in Egypt and Sudan
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
-
Book reviews: 'Baldwin: A Love Story' and 'The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces'
Feature A loving James Baldwin biography and the drug crimes of two special ops veterans
-
Rigatoni with 'no-vodka sauce' recipe
The Week Recommends Comfort food meets a clever alcohol-free twist on a classic
-
6 blooming homes for gardeners
Feature Featuring a greenhouse in Illinois and 13 raised garden beds in New Mexico
-
The Roses: Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch star in black comedy reboot
The Week Recommends 'Acidly enjoyable' remake of the 1980s classic features a warring couple and toxic love
-
Film reviews: The Roses, Splitsville, and Twinless
Feature A happy union devolves into domestic warfare, a couple's open marriage reaps chaos, and an unlikely friendship takes surprising turns
-
Music reviews: Laufey, Deftones, and Earl Sweatshirt
Feature "A Matter of Time," "Private Music," and "Live Laugh Love"
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogs
The Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?