On our first day in Bermuda we boarded a ferry into Hamilton once the package excursion folks had headed out. When we got into Hamilton we looked at a map and decided to walk to Fort Hamilton - of course we got lost and walked twice as long as we should have but we got there eventually. :-)
Located in the outskirts of Hamilton City, Fort Hamilton is a picturesque site overlooking the lush gardens and the harbor. It was built in 1870s to protect the Hamilton Harbor and form a line of defense for the western Royal Naval Dockyard.
Today it offers spectacular views over the rooftops of Hamilton, especially when cruise ships are in port. The upper levels and battlements have been landscaped with lawns, which would make a fine place for a summer picnic. You enter through an wooden bridge (for free). There are plenty of canons and ramparts inside although these large cannons that stand guard over Hamilton port never had to be fired to defend enemy attacks.
Long tunnels in the depths where originally dug as the protected routes through which the ammunitions were replenished. They also lead to 30-foot wide deep moat surrounding the fort. This used to be a dry moat once and acted as the first line of protection against manned assault.
But now the moat has been converted into a splendid tropical gardens with varieties of giant bamboo and fern. We never did figure out how to get down into this area instead admiring the gardens from above.
After losing its significance as a fort even before it was fully constructed, it became a garbage dumping ground. George Ogden, the local Park Superintendent turned it into a wonderful site with lush gardens all around.
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