Fort George

Fort George stands at about a hundred and eighty metres on a spur above St James, built by the British in 1804 when invasion was expected, and it never fired a shot in anger. Cannon remain on the terraces, and a small signal station built in 1883 to a design by an exiled Ashanti prince stands at the top. The view runs over the whole of Port of Spain, the Gulf of Paria and, on clear days, across to the Venezuelan coast.

The main sights

• The view - Port of Spain, the Gulf of Paria and the Venezuelan coast on clear days.
• The cannon - guns still in place on the terraces.
• The signal station - an 1883 building designed by an exiled Ashanti prince.
• The hilltop position - a spur commanding the approaches to the harbour.

When to go

January to May is driest and clearest. Mornings give the best visibility before haze builds. The road up is steep and narrow.

Practical notes

The access road is steep, narrow and in poor condition in places. There are no facilities at the top. Haze often obscures the longer views.

Nearby

Port of Spain is below, and Chaguaramas is west.