Scenes from Tristan da Cunha - Landscapes
Issue date: 20th October 2025
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| Mint Stamps (65p, £1.00, £2.00, £2.50) and First Day Cover | Shop > |
On Tristan da Cunha, the world's most remote inhabited island, you are never far from a striking view. Volcanic slopes rise steeply above the Settlement, the South Atlantic stretches to the horizon, and the Potato Patches, the islanders' lifeline of cultivated ground, spread across the plain and its green foothills. These landscapes are more than scenery: they are a record of endurance, of how the community has adapted to their environment and drawn sustenance from it for more than two centuries.
The new "Landscapes" stamp issue captures this relationship between land, sea and people. The set comprises four stamps: three highlighting iconic views from the Potato Patches, and one panoramic aerial of the Settlement framed by cliffs and Queen Mary's Peak. Together, they celebrate not just the island's beauty but the way islanders live within it.
Description of the Stamps
65p - View from Redbody Hill
This stamp captures the sweeping view from Redbody Hill towards the ocean, looking across the fields towards the Coolers on the left and Bill's Hill on the right. Scattered among the plots are small seed huts used by islanders during planting and harvesting, and a camping hut where island families spend weekends and holidays. The scene reflects the working rhythm of the Potato Patches, a landscape shaped by hand and where every patch has a long family history.
£1.00 - Evening Light over the Wash
This view looks inland towards a section of mountain slopes known as The Wash and Dick's Hill, with Johnny Patch in the middle distance. In the foreground stands a camping hut, surrounded by grazing cattle. The warm evening light softens the cliffs' rugged contours; a reminder of how small human presence remains amid Tristan's monumental landscape.
£2.00 - Old Pieces and Hillpiece
Depicted here is the area known as Old Pieces, with the prominent Hillpiece rising behind. Seed huts and several camping huts dot the green expanse, where generations of islanders have planted and tended potatoes, the community's staple crop. The hand-placed stonework, neat field lines, and enduring structures remind us of the islanders' stewardship of this land and their deep connection to it.
£2.50 - Settlement and the 1961 Volcano
This aerial view shows Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan's only village, nestled between the South Atlantic and the sheer volcanic cliffs. To the left lies the cone formed by the 1961 eruption; to the right, the Hillpiece and the lower slopes of Queen Mary's Peak, partly veiled in cloud. Together, they frame a community that has endured disaster and isolation, yet continues to thrive in one of the world's most extraordinary settings.
FDC - Road to the Potato Patches
The First Day Cover image looks along the road to the Potato Patches at Robert's Stone, with the Hillpiece and mountain rising in the distance. It is a familiar view for every islander, a route that links home, work, and holidays, embodying the close relationship the community has with its stunning surroundings.
Technical Specifications
| Photography: | Julia Gunther (65p, £1, £2 & FDC) and Nick Schönfeld (£2.50) | ||
| Design: | Bee Design | Stamp size: | 50 x 28mm |
| Printer: | Cartor | Perforation: | 14½ x 14&fract14; per 2cms |
| Process: | Stochastic Lithography | Layout: | 10 |
| Production Co-ordination: | Creative Direction (Worldwide) Ltd | ||