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More natural wonders of Tobago |
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Franklyn Water Wheel and Nature Park: Genesis Nature Park & Art Gallery: Located at Goodwood, half-way up the Windward Road between Scarborough and Roxborough, is the Genesis Nature Park. This small reserve and art gallery are converted from the garden and living room of local artist, Michael Spencer, who local paintings and sculptures are for sale. Resident wildlife includes a capuchin monkey, boa constrictors, turkey, turtle, agouti and a parrot. |
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Goat Island:
This privately owned island,
located between Speyside and Little Tobago, provides luxury holiday
accommodation and is closed to the public. Goat Island was once owned by Ian
Fleming, the author of the James Bond books. Hillsborough Dam: The source of the island's drinking water, Hillsborough Dam is only accessible by permission from the Water & Sewerage Authority (Tel: 639-9093) and a fee is charged to enter. The reservoir is set in a rich forested area and is a good location for birding (herons and waterfowl). |
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Kimme Museum: Professor Luise Kimme is a German sculptor who has lived near the village of Bethel since 1979. Her unique 3-metre-high Caribbean sculptures of dancers and folklore characters, carved out of solid oak and cedar wood, are worth a visit. The studio and workshop is only open from 9am to 2pm on Sundays, although visits at other times can be arranged. Kimme website |
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| This fabulous collection, housed in such an unusual setting, was a highlight for Chris and me and we spent a pleasant few hours with Luise and several other guests admiring her work and discussing life. | ||||
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L'Anse Fourmi: If you continue east on the road past Bloody Bay, you will come to the village of L'Anse Fourmi. A track leads from this village to Charlotteville but is seldom used and has fallen into serious disrepair. |
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Louis d'Or Nurseries:Just a short distance from the Argyle Falls, this nursery offers a colourful and attractive collection of flowering tropical shrubs and fruit trees.Main Ridge Forest Reserve:The Main Ridge is the mountainous volcanic spine of Tobago. It extends for about two thirds of the length of the island, from the north east tip. It is the oldest forest reserve in the western hemisphere and was proclaimed a Forest Reserve in perpetuity by an Act of Parliament in 1776, shortly after the island fell under British rule. Most of the forest remains totally natural, although major hurricanes in 1790, 1847, 1963 and 1974 damaged much of the forest area. The forested mountains rise to a maximum height of about 580 metres.A guided tour into the rainforest is an absolute must - we once again met up with Harris who gave us an extremely informative tour through the rainforest, where I filmed the White tipped Sabre wing hummingbird (from a distance) and he showed us how to eat termites to stave off hunger if lost for too long in the jungle. The drive between Roxborough and Bloody Bay is well worthwhile even if you don't stop to take a rainforest tour. The best marked and most easily identified trail in the reserve is Gilpin Trace. It is accessed off the Roxborough/Bloody Bay road and the entrance is clearly indicated by a sign on the main road. The trail starts in the mountains and leads downhill past a small waterfall to Bloody Bay. It is quite a long hike and it is a good idea to arrange to be picked up in Bloody Bay village. Mason Falls:A 50-foot waterfall on the outskirts of Mason Hall in the centre of the island.Plymouth:One of Tobago's larger settlements, Plymouth features the Courland Monument.This striking sculpture commemorates the 17th-century settlers from Courland (now part of Latvia). Descendents of these early settlers still retain links with the island through regular meetings. |
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The ruins of Fort James stand on the headland behind the village. The village is also noted for the Mystery Tombstone on the grave of Betty Stivens and her baby which has puzzled people for generations. The ambiguous inscription states "She was a mother without knowing it, and a wife without letting her husband know it, except by her kind indulgences to him."Rainbow Nature Resort:A short distance from Goldsborough Bay, this is a converted cocoa house, now operating as a restaurant with accommodation. Rainbow Falls are a 10-minute walk away and you will be provided with boots to walk in and out of the pretty stream with kingfishers and lizards for company.Richmond Great House:A quiet and charming plantation house dating from 1766, now attractively restored as a guesthouse and restaurant. The house features 20th century furniture and an extensive collection of African textiles and carvings. Guided tours TT$20.Roxborough:The largest village on the Windward side of the island, after Scarborough. Access to the Argyle Waterfall is on the left as you enter the village. Shortly after, you may choose to take the left turn and travel over the spectacular Tobago Forest Reserve to the northern Caribbean coast.Alternatively, continue up the Windward Road to lovely Speyside and Charlotteville. |
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Scarborough: A small, hilly, hot and dusty town with various shops, a central market, mall and cinema. Loud music and busy roads define Scarborough. Nearly half the population of Tobago live in this small town. Visitors expecting serious retail therapy will be disappointed. Scarborough Mall in the heart of Lower Scarborough, opposite the docks, is where you will find the banks, post office, library, pharmacies and bus station. Scarborough Market is right next door and specialises in fish, fruit, vegetables and local foods. In the same area are the 17-acre Botanical Gardens - a quiet oasis in the bustle of the town - where you can relax amongst the brilliant colours of the flamboyant trees, silk cotton trees and avenues of royal palms. The Court House in Upper Scarborough was built in 1825 but is now used as the meeting place of the Tobago House of Assembly which handles Tobago's local government. |
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Speyside:A small fishing village known for its fantastic diving. Ten years ago the road from Roxborough to Speyside (and onward to Charlotteville) was little more than a dirt road. The pace of life in this area has remained attractively slow (even by the standards of Tobago). A local institution is Jemma's Tree House - a restaurant incongruously positioned in a seafront almond tree. The restaurant provides wonderful views of Goat Island and is a great place to break the journey up the Windward coast.Tobago Today is an on line newspaper covering topical events on Tobago My thanks both on this and other pages go to Stephen Wooler, who owns and maintains the website www.mytobago.info . His site is well worth visiting and he has a visitors forum where you can find out all sorts of interesting information. For a detailed look at the hidden sugar mill ruins to be found on Tobago click here |
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Adventure Guide to Trinidad&Tobago
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A
Birders Guide to
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Accommodation ~ Activities ~ Beaches ~ Calendar ~ Diving ~ Ecology ~ Exploring ~ Fun Facts |
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