Hiking

The English Harbour area in Antigua provides the nature lovers great Hiking Trails. Most of the trails are clearly marked with white paint, but it is always good to have a back up plan and get a map in one of the local stores.

Most of the Hiking trails are not in the shade , so don’t forget your sunglasses, sunscreen and water to replenish. There are no snakes or dangerous animals, the most you will find are some goats tagging along.

Here are some of the Hiking Trails in the English Harbour National Park in Antigua:

1) Middle Ground Trail

This Hike is one of the most popular ones as it passes through a fort, a battery, and barracks that were built in 1800′s by the British soldiers. The trail head is at Fort Berkeley ( path behind the Copper and Lumber Store in the Nelson’s Dockyard). After going through some woods, the trail emerges onto a small mesa where Amerindian relics have been discovered. From here, it is a steep climb up and over rocks to One Gun Battery. Then, on to the barracks that housed soldiers and from there across the ridge line to Fort Cyler and then down to Pigeon Beach. Here you can take a refreshing swim and take the easiest way back: follow the road up the hill and it will lead you to English Harbour and the Dockyard.

2)Jones valley Trail

If you like a challenge, this Hike Trail is a must do!The trail head starts on the road to Galleon Beach on Freeman’s Bay. Following the stream bed and clambering over a few large boulders, you will come to the ruins of a large dam. From there, the trail splits with both paths meeting at the top. At the top, there is a well preserved cistern that collected water from the roof of the nearby barracks. To get back, you walk up to Shirley Heights and come back down the Look Out Trail

3)Look out Trail

From the lawn near the BBQ stand at Shirley Heights, follow the path down the hill as it passes by several scenic overlooks above Freeman’s Bay. It was built by Desmond Nicholson and once featured many exotic shrubs, plants. the goats and sheep, unfortunately, left nothing but poisonous and thorny inedible vegetation. It is , however, a great walk and a must do!

There are other hiking trails available that have been built and maintained by the Royal Navy Tot Club of Antigua and Barbuda. Each week, members from the Club gather for a few hours, wielding clippers, rakes, shovels,..to maintain the walks and repair damages caused by the goats. You can join in this effort by meeting the Club Members at the Galley Bar in Nelson’s Dockyard every Sunday at 10.00am.