Shirley Heights

Shirley Heights is the ridge overlooking English Harbour from the east, named for General Sir Thomas Shirley, who served as Governor-General of the Leeward Islands in the 1780s. The heights were fortified by the British to defend the harbour from seaward attack, and the ruins of battery positions, a guardhouse, officers' quarters, and a magazine are spread across the hillside within Nelson's Dockyard National Park.

The view from the top takes in English Harbour, Falmouth Harbour, the surrounding green hills, and on clear days the islands of Guadeloupe and Montserrat to the south. The walking trail from the dockyard to the heights takes about 45 minutes and passes through dry scrub forest with birdlife. The ruins themselves are informally maintained and can be explored freely.

The site is open daily; the Sunday evening barbecue begins around 4pm and runs until late.

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A story
The Sunday evening barbecue at Shirley Heights has been running for decades and has become so famous it now draws more people than the dockyard itself. A steel band plays from 4pm, a reggae band takes over at 7pm, and hundreds of people — sailors, tourists, local families — eat grilled chicken and drink Cavalier rum while watching the sun go down over English Harbour. It has been called the best party in the Caribbean, which may be an exaggeration, but not by much.