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Fort Shirley Cabrits National Park |
Fort Shirley has been under reconstruction since the 1980s | |||
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Established in 1986 at Portsmouth, the island's second most important town. Cabrits Park is 1,313 acres, but much of it (1,053 acres) is underwater. Two forested hillsides contain the scattered buildings of the once-huge Fort Shirley complex, on which restoration began in 1982. Clearly marked paths meander the hillsides past the Commander's Quarters, Douglas Battery and other sites. Only the main buildings have yet been cleared; ficus roots still hold most of the buildings hostage. A small museum is housed in a former powder magazine. The highest point on the Cabrits headland is only 600 feet, so the trails are not difficult, though inclines in some spots may be steep for short stretches. Besides scenic coastal vistas, you're likely to see more of Dominica 's lizards and hummingbirds. The plant life is particularly interesting if you have the booklet Cabrits Plants and Their Uses, available from the Forestry Division office located in the Botanical Gardens in Roseau. |
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