Lago Fagnano is the great lake of Tierra del Fuego, about a hundred kilometres long and shared between Argentina and Chile, and it lies in a deep valley that splits the island from east to west, between the Fuegian Andes and the lower hills to the north. It was named for Giuseppe Fagnano, an Italian priest who worked as a missionary in the region in the nineteenth century, though the Selk'nam people who lived here before had their own name for it. The water is cold, dark and often whipped to white by the wind, and its shores are covered with thick forest of southern beech.
The road along its northern shore is Ruta 3, the same highway that runs from Buenos Aires to the far south. Here it is paved, with long, gentle bends, and it climbs and falls through the forest, offering glimpses of water and snow-capped peaks. Traffic is light, with occasional trucks, and the road is a pleasure to ride, though weather can change quickly, with squalls of rain, sleet or even snow in any month. The best period is December to February, with long daylight, but warm clothing is essential at all times. Wind off the water can be strong.
Tolhuin, a small town of about three thousand people, lies a short distance away, and it is the main stopping place on the route. It has fuel, shops and cafes, and it is famous for a bakery that draws travellers from all directions, with fresh pastries and bread that make a good break from the road. Ushuaia, the large town to the south, is the place for more serious supplies and repairs, so fill up before you leave.
The forest around the lake is made up of lenga and ñire trees, which turn red and gold in autumn, and the undergrowth is thick with moss and ferns. Beavers, introduced from Canada in 1946 to start a fur industry, have spread across the island and altered many streams, and you may see their dams and flooded meadows from the road. Condors and Andean geese appear along the shore. Pull in at one of the viewpoints, where the lake stretches away between the mountains, and enjoy the quiet.