Since discovering Liwa back in 2010, I have had a longing to spend as much time there as possible and in December 2015, my dream came true and we now live in the Liwa area.
The name means different things to different people; for some it is the area of high dunes punctuated with long sabkhas that is south of the E95 “Crescent Road”, but for me, Liwa starts as soon as the large “barkhan” (crescent shaped) dunes so typical of the area start appearing, and that happens around the Tropic of Cancer.
We live in a fantastic area for outdoor sports, with good road connections, fantastic landscapes… and hardly any people at all! Unless of course you happen on one of the many organised challenge events which take place during the wintertime.
January sees the ADCO Liwa Cycling Challenge – one of the largest cycle races in the UAE, which offers racing for all ages and abilities. There is a 40km race for beginners, whereas the elite and master classes compete over 100kms of Liwa roads. I remember being rather surprised when I discovered that there was an undulating four lane highway right through the middle of the Liwa Oasis and it is this road and its many hills which provide a tough challenge for the riders.
Fatbiking takes cycling to a whole new level and the Liwa area offers the chance to cycle over some of the most sublime dunes in the world. Some readers may remember a couple of years back that two of OutdoorUAE’s experts, Ian Ganderton and Mike Nott were part of a team which cycled from West to East across the crescent, a distance of 138kms which took them less than one and a half days. I was lucky enough to lead their support team, carrying food and water as we shadowed them over some rather technical tracks and if anyone wishes to attempt this challenging ride then I will be more than pleased to support you!
If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground then there are many beautiful areas to walk or run; park up by the side of the road and stay close to one of the many sandtracks which criss-cross the area – but don’t forget your GPS and a fully charged mobile phone.
Speaking of GPS, February sees the Liwa Challenge – an exercise in endurance, navigation and self-sufficiency. Competitors, many international, opt to walk either a 100 or 200km course across the inhospitable terrain of the Empty Quarter; surely this must be the ultimate Liwa Challenge!
The best kind of Liwa Challenge for me is one involving offroading and in April each year the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes to the sand. Now in its 26th year, it is the first round in the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship and the second round of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup and provides an excellent chance for spectators to see some of the top international names in the sport.
However before that, the Desert Diva’s very own Dark Skies Challenge will take place, with assistance from Oasis Offroad, near to Arada. Teams of four amateur drivers will make their way 100kms north east, aiming to navigate from point to point in the shortest possible distance. A remote overnight camp – where the sky should be dark enough to see many thousands of stars – is followed by a potentially easy 50km drive out to Ghayathi the next morning. There is no prize for the fastest, nor the shortest distance, but we do have some sponsors who have kindly donated prizes for our photo competitions – including OutdoorUAE!
Cut off date for registration is 9th February, so there still may be time to enter!
Words by: Marina Bruce
Photos by: Marina Bruce and Murray Kinnaird
