Queen Mary's Peak
Queen Mary's Peak is the summit of the island of Tristan da Cunha, in the South Atlantic Ocean. The top of it is 2,062 metres (6,765 feet) above sea level. It is named after Mary of Teck, the Queen consort of King George V. It is the highest point of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
 Satellite photo of Tristan da Cunha | |
| Elevation | 2,062 m (6,765 ft) |
|---|---|
| Prominence | 2,062 m (6,765 ft) |
| Listing | Ultra |
| Location | |
| Location | Tristan da Cunha |
| Geology | |
| Type | Shield volcano |
| Age of rock | 148 ± 8 ka[1] |
| Last eruption | October 1961–March 1962 |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | About 1 January 1817[2] |
The mountain is the peak of the large shield volcano which forms the island. The crater at the top is 300 metres (1,000 feet) wide, with a heart-shaped lake. This lake is normally frozen during the winter, and the upper slopes of the volcano are covered in snow.[3]
The only recorded historical eruption occurred in 1961 from a small crater on the north shore of the island. The island community had to be evacuated.
Queen Mary's Peak was used by sailors on the route from Europe to the Indian Ocean and beyond as a navigational aid. In the 17th century the East India Company instructed captains to sail via Tristan.[3]
Climbing the peak
The first known attempt to go up to the peak was in 1793 by the French naturalist Louis-Marie Aubert du Petit-Thouars. He could not get to the top. However, he collected hundreds of plants. Today, Queen Mary's Peak makes a wonderful but steep climbing route. Climbing it can take 5 to 10 hours, depending on the ability of the walker. Visitors are required to use a local guide if they want to go to The Peak.[3]
References
- ↑ Dunkley, Peter N. (2002). Volcanic Hazard Assessment of Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic (PDF). British Geological Survey.
- ↑ Carmichael, Dugald (1817), "Some Account of the Island of Tristan da Cunha and of its Natural Productions", The Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 12 (2): 483–513, doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1817.tb00241.x
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Tristan Peak". Tristan da Cunha Government and the Tristan da Cunha Association. 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2013.