I visited Fort Barrington Antigua twice, along with the nearby beach, Deep Bay. Checking out this fort was one of the first things we did after landing in Antigua, to kill time until we could check into our resort. Right next to old ruins is the beautiful beach, Deep bay and the views once you reach the top of the fort, especially at sunset, is just amazing. Hiking to the top of this attraction is one of the best things to do in Antigua as a tourist. In this article I’m going to tell you a little bit about the history of the fort and my experience hiking it.
This is just one activity in this amazing island of Antigua. For a full breakdown of everything, you can read my Antigua and Barbuda travel guide.
Fort Barrington History
Fort Barrington is located on the west coast of Antigua near St. John and is a little glimpse at the country’s colonial history. The fort was built in the 1700s and served as a guard to the entrance to St John’s Harbour. Because of how elevated it is, it allowed soldiers to spot enemy ships easily and better protect the island from invasions.
It was named after Admiral Samuel Barrington, a British naval officer. The way the fort is set up was very cool. It includes some broken down stone walls, a powder magazine, cannons and a few very very dark rooms.
Today, Fort Barrington is a very popular tourist and historical site. Visitors like myself can hike a short but steep trail to reach it. At the top you’re presented with a sweeping view of the coastline, Deep Bay on the right and a Lagoon further inland that I have no idea what it’s called.
Getting to Fort Barrington
I recommend renting a car when in Antigua and most places you visit, for that extra freedom and adventure travel experience. Just put fort Barrington into google maps and drive and follow the directions. It’s really easy to find. At about 99% of the way to the fort, you’ll come upon some Hills have eyes looking winding dirt roads that might confuse you. If you see a swampy looking, green, lagoon on the left, you’re meters away. Now it’s just to park you car just behind the bridge crossing the lagoon.
Hiking Fort Barrington
Looking at Fort Barrington from way below where our car was parked, made it seem like a long and very steep hike. But, I love a challenge. So, on we went to hike up to the fort. At the beginning of the hike there is a bridge to cross that goes over the big lagoon. Nice fishing spot by the way if anyone’s feeling adventurous. Sadly I didn’t have any fishing gear at this point.
When you walk past the bridge, there will be two paths you can take. To the left will take you to Deep Bay beach and the path to the right will begin the hike up to Fort Barrington. If you’re hiking Fort Barrington, remember to check out Deep Bay as well, you definitely won’t want to miss out on this hidden little beach.
As you can see from the image above, there is a really clear cut path to the beach and a more daunting path on the right leading up to the fort. The trail just past this intersection is basically flat ground that gradually increases incline as you walk further towards the bushes and the mountain, which eventually starts a steep incline.
You need to walk around to the left side of the fort, it might be blocked by shrubs and thorny plants, so be careful. When you walk around the left side, there’ll be a clear corridor that’s pitch black and some rooms. This eventually leads to a staircase up to to absolute top of the fort.
Alright, so that’s my journey hiking Fort Barrington in Antigua. I definitely recommend doing the hike even though it might seem hard. The views alone is worth the effort. Push yourself always.
Finally we were at the top of Fort Barrington.
If you liked this article I shared, then look at my comprehensive Antigua and Barbuda itinerary. Here I go through an already planned day by day travel guide for you to follow.
