Cabo Polonio is getting too smart and expensive these days: the backpackers have largely moved on to these low key resorts further north which offer all the delightful informality of Cabo at half the price. You would be wise to follow in their footsteps.

Barra de Valizas

If the backpackers are finding Cabo Polonio a little pricey these days, then this is getting there by the back door. This little town is awash with campsites and hostels. It is possible to hire a horse to ride to Cabo Polonio or it is a pleasant 2 hour walk – take time to explore the huge expanse of sand dunes on the way.

Punta del Diablo

This is probably the quintessential backpackers resort and has a great ramshackle charm. The streets are largely dirt and the buildings an odd mix of old and new, scruffy and stylish. However it has the beach bars (tick), the beach restaurants (tick), the laid back cafes (some serving ‘special’ brownies – double tick) and funky hostels.

On the beaches, there are some genuine fishing boats to be found and great walks on deserted sands into the Parque Nacional Santa Teresa. For sundowners, visit Cerro Stress at the top end of town which has a super deck overlooking the sea or Hola ‘Amor on the main strip is always popular for reasonably priced drinks and food. I can’t remember his name, or indeed if he even had one, but there is a small hovel selling all the essential cocktails opposite the little fishing boat beach: keep an eye out for his 2 for 1 specials and grab an Adirondak chair on the sand.

Parque Nacional Santa Teresa

This national park is not like any of the national parks I know, but it is definitely worth a visit! 3000 hectares in size, it stretches along the Atlantic Ocean with some heavenly deserted beaches – or at least they were in the off season when we were there. We spent 3 idyllic nights camped in the tall pine trees behind Playa Grande in perfect peace, breakfasting overlooking the silver mercury sea and taking long leisurely walks on the smooth sands. However, it does have 1,600 campsites which can accommodate 10,000 people which is a rather scary figure, so I would definitely avoid staying there in the holidays.

Its foundation was largely influenced by the Saint Teresa fortress which lies at its northern end. Started by the Portugese in 1762, within a year it had fallen to the Spanish who finished its construction. It was heavily restored in the 1920’s and is very impressive with its massive walls and watchtowers, washed a rich orange by the lichen growth that covers them. The interior has barracks, a chapel, kitchens, officers quarters, a powder house and even a little corral. Best of all, there  are superb views from its massively thick walls.

In 1939, the botanical gardens were laid out within the park, including a huge greenhouse and a shade pavilion. There are paths to water features and a lovely boardwalk to lookouts over the Laguna de Pena, home to capybara and a myriad of birdlife. The rose garden was in the middle of being planted when we were there – apparently the season really starts the last week in December, so whilst things were being tidied up around the edges, they still had a long way to go.

The animal reserve is also worth a visit, if only for the bizarre variety of the inhabitants, most of whom seemed to be very loosely caged. The peccaries were largely free range, as were the donkeys and sheep. There was a huge herd of capybaras which are rather like wombats on legs, free range peacocks and Mediterranean deer. The bird cages had an equally diverse range of birds from around the world, but most amusing of all were the guinea pigs: I think a clear case of indiscriminate breeding as there must have been well over a 100 of them in the pen, but they were quite amusing to watch.

As we left, a soldier was busily putting the finishing touches to a stone wall. It is really strange in that the army seems to run the park so there are soldiers everywhere. I am not sure whether feeding the chickens is a punishment duty or a reward for good behaviour, but you do come across the soldiers in the most unlikely of places: at the fortress, they were carefully white washing the old barracks.

Playa Grande is at the southern end of the park and Punta Del Diablo is only a 2 km walk along the beach to the south. At the other end, Playa Moza gets quite busy as there are cabanas and better facilities for camping. Entry to the park is free and our camping was free in the off season.

Immediately opposite the park entrance, a road leads to Laguna Negra, a large lagoon whose waters do indeed look rather black. It is a pleasant drive along its shore (we took the southern arm) and there is a great variety of birdlife. At the end of the road, there are huge flat rocks ideal for picnicking and it would be possible to wild camp there.

The short stretch on to the Brazilian border is very low key with an assortment of down at heel villages that even the tourists seem to have forgotten. At Le Coronilla we wandered amidst the ruins of a cliff top hotel whose ocean view pools must once have been quite popular. Another abandoned complex lay to its north: if you like bumbling round atmospheric ruined modern architecture, they could easily entertain you for an hour.

Chuy straddles the Uruguay Brazilian border, a typical busy border town where either currency is accepted. We bought our bread in Uruguay and our tomatoes in Brazil: only a stela-marked trench runs along the border and parallel roads crisscross at regular intervals.

We turned west to follow the southern side of the border through large expanses of wetlands where cattle grazed on lush grass in belly high waters and tall Butia palms gave an almost tropical feel. The nearby San Miguel Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1757 and its bijoux construction is very charming.

They managed to cram quite a lot in: entering its orange lichened walls by a little drawbridge the compact interior has the usual wall walks, barracks and even a cistern where fish swim in its deep green water. A little museum has a fine assortment of uniforms and there are great views out over the swampy land below. In the tangled trees outside the walls there are the remains of a small cemetery.

We had completed our drive up the Eastern coast of Uruguay and now headed far into the interior of the country in search of an estancia experience near Tacuarembo. Leaving Saint Miguel behind we followed swathes of flat savannah with many scattered palms, a land of languid grazing horse and cattle herds and even some rice cultivation.

By Treinte y Tres the palms had gone and the country was hillier, separated by soft river valleys and clumps of eucalyptus. It all looked a little too cleared but was easy on the eye and pleasant enough.

We camped one night at Melo in a local campground that was in full Saturday night swing with pounding music and parading teenagers. There is a zero alcohol /driving policy in Uruguay but that didn’t prevent frequent noisy laps of the park in souped up cars – it was like trying to sleep in the middle of a Formula 1 race,  albeit one with stereos. It was a far cry from the peace of Playa Grande in the Saint Teresa National Park and a lesson in avoiding any weekend public gatherings if you want a quiet night!