Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and rockfish, so you can shop for dinner if you're staying at a nearby cottage with a
kitchen.
Devonshire has a number of unspoiled nature areas. The
arboretum
on Montpe-
lier Road is one of the most tranquil oases on Bermuda. This open space, created by
the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Parks, is home to a wide range of Ber-
mudian plant and tree life, especially conifers, palms, and other subtropical trees.
Along South Road, west of the junction with Collector's Hill, is the
Edmund Gib-
bons Nature Reserve.
This portion of marshland, owned by the National Trust,
provides living space for a number of birds and rare species of Bermuda flora.
Devonshire is one of the sleepy residential parishes, known for its hilly interior,
beautiful landscape, and fabulous estates bordering the sea. There's little sightseeing
here; all those stunning private estates aren't open to the public, so unless you get a
personal invitation, you're out of luck. But the parish is right in Bermuda's geographic
center, so it's an ideal place to base yourself if you'd like to explore both the West End
and the East End. There are two major drawbacks, though: With a few notable excep-
tions, the parish has very few places to stay and almost no dining choices.
Smith's Parish
Named for Sir Thomas Smith, this parish faces the open sea to the north and south.
To the east is Harrington Sound; to the west, bucolic Devonshire Parish.
The parish encompasses
Flatts Village,
one of the island's most charming parish
towns (take bus no. 10 or 11 from the City of Hamilton). It was a smugglers' port for
about 200 years and served as the center of power for a coterie of successful “planter
politicians” and landowners. Flatts Village's government was second in importance to
that of St. George, which was once Bermuda's capital. People gathered at the rickety
Flatts Bridge to “enjoy” such public entertainment as hangings; if the offense was
serious enough, victims were drawn and quartered here. From Flatts Village, you have
panoramic views of both the inlet and Harrington Sound. At the top of McGall's Hill
is St. Mark's Church, based on the same designs used for the Old Devonshire Parish
Church.
Most visitors view Smith's Parish as a day trip or a half-day trip, although the parish
does have places to stay, such as the Pink Beach Club and Cottages. Dining choices
are extremely limited, however, unless you stick to the hotels. Again, if you're seeking
lots of nighttime diversion, you'll have to go to another parish. Because the
Spittal
Pond Nature Reserve
is here, many nature lovers prefer Smith's to the more popu-
lated parishes. Basically, Smith's Parish is for the visitor who wants serenity and
tranquility but not at the celestial prices charged at the “cottages” of Sandys.
Hamilton Parish
Not to be confused with the City of Hamilton (which is in Pembroke Parish), Ham-
ilton Parish lies directly north of Harrington Sound, opening onto the Atlantic. It's
bordered on the east by St. George and on the southwest by Smith's Parish. Named
for the second marquis of Hamilton, the parish surrounds Harrington Sound, a salt-
water lake stretching some 10km (6
1
⁄
4
miles). On its eastern periphery, the parish
opens onto Castle Harbour.
The big attractions here are the
Bermuda Aquarium
and the
Crystal Caves.
Scuba diving and other watersports are also very popular in the area.
Around
Harrington Sound,
the sights differ greatly from those of nearby St.
George (see below). You'll find such activities as fishing, swimming, sunfish sailing,
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