Cabrits National Park and Fort Shirley

Cabrits occupies a twin-peaked headland at the north end of Prince Rupert Bay, formerly an island before the swamp behind it silted up, and on it stands Fort Shirley, a large British garrison of the late eighteenth century that has been progressively cleared from the forest and restored since the 1980s. In 1802 soldiers of the West India Regiment mutinied here, and the outcome contributed to their being granted free status. Trails run over both peaks.

What you actually see

• Fort Shirley - the restored British garrison buildings on the headland.
• The 1802 mutiny - the West India Regiment revolt and what followed from it.
• The twin peaks - trails over both summits with views along the coast.
• Prince Rupert Bay - the anchorage the fort was built to command.

When to go

December to April is drier and better for the trails. Cruise ships dock at the adjacent berth and fill the site on those days. Mornings are cooler for walking.

Honest expectations

Cruise days make the fort crowded and the trails busy. Much of the complex is still ruin under forest rather than restored. The upper trails are steep and hot.

Nearby

Portsmouth is south, and Toucari Bay is northwest.