Antigua Forts

We are anchored in English Harbour, Antigua. This used to be the base for the British Navy in these parts. There are dockyards named the Nelson Dockyards as Horatio Nelson was at one time the boss here. The area is surrounded by hillocks and hills and each was fortified by the British.

Heidi at Middle Ground Fort

From the beach we cycled right round the bay and past the dockyard before turning up hill to the ruins of the Middle Ground Fort and enjoying the view down to Fort Berkeley. A nice downhill trail followed and then we headed north. On the way we passed a T-Shirt shop and stopped off to get an offer. The owner was from Guyana and a little surprised that Neill had visited parts of his country that he had only read about. We enjoyed a philosophical discussion on economic and political empowerment, fixed a puncture and continued on our way.

A quick sprint eighty meters uphill took us to an unnamed viewpoint and a view across Falmouth Harbour. Back downhill and then another one hundred and fifty uphill took us through the middle of nowhere on tracks that were just bedrock or loose stones. Great that we have mountain bikes. At the top we reached the ruins of Great Fort George and enjoyed a panoramic view in all directions. Falmouth and English Harbours were laid out below us like a map.

English Harbour with Artemis center stage

Back down in to town, bought an orange from a fruit seller and then up to Shirley Heights where the Artillery had a lookout. This is now a national park so there were buses full of air conditioned tourists. We bought two ice cold beers and sat looking down on to Artemis and talking to three American sailors.

Then it was all downhill, a long swim in the bay and a shower. It’s a tough life.

Route is at gpsies. Pictures at Google.

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