Bermuda - Touring Warwick Parish
Continued from Touring Southampton Parish
Warwick Camp, Stop 4, was built just after the end of the Civil War. It was supposed to guard the beaches against an enemy landing. That, of course, never happened. During World War I it was used as a training ground and rifle range. Pearl White shot a movie here in the 1920s. Today, it’s a quiet place where you can relax and enjoy the view.
Stop 5, Christ Church, is a little out
of your way but, if you like old
churches, it’s worth a visit. Built in
1719, it’s the oldest Presbyterian
church in the British Commonwealth. From Camp Hill Road,
turn east on South Road, go to Tribe Road 7 and make a
right. Walk a half-mile or so to Middle Road then catch a bus
to the Belmont Hotel; the church is just across the road.
If you decided to give Christ Church a miss, from Warwick
Camp you can return to South Road, and from there to the
beaches. Stop 6, Jobson’s Cove, is just 100 yards or so farther
east. The cove is one of the most appealing spots on the
island. Though secluded and often deserted
during the winter, it can become a little
crowded at other times, and it doesn’t take
many people to achieve that. If you visit
when it’s uncrowded, you’ll be able to leave
the world behind. The rocky cliffs hem in
the tiny beach and, even though you’re only
yards away from civilization, you’ll experience
a feeling of total isolation, even loneliness.
It’s a great spot for swimming or
snorkeling. Visit the cove late at night, say
midnight, and don’t be surprised if you find
people skinny-dipping!
From Jobson’s Cove, you can stay on the
beach and walk east along the shoreline to
Stop 7, Warwick Long Bay. More than a
half-mile long, the pink-tinged sandy beach at Warwick Long
Bay is, as the name implies, the longest and straightest continuous
stretch of beach on Bermuda. In the early mornings,
when there’s a soft sea mist, you won’t be able to see the end
of it. Warwick Long Bay is protected from the big breakers by
the inner reef and the sea is almost always calm. It is popular
and sometimes crowded, but never uncomfortably so.
There’s plenty of room for all. The beach itself is backed by
steep, rocky cliffs and sandy hills covered with seagrass and
scrub. It’s a combination, along with a huge rock that sticks
up out of the ocean some 100 yards offshore, that offers photographers
unique and interesting opportunities.
Stop 8 on your tour isAstwood Park. To reach it
you can either continue your
walk eastward along the
beach – it’s about a mile – or
return to the road and take
the bus. Astwood Park is a
pleasant public area with
flowers, shrubs, a number of
picnic tables and a couple of
beaches; just the place for a
rest or a swim.
Go to Touring Paget Parish
Know Before You Go!