Sandys Parish

Sandys Parish is one of the island's real beauty spots. If you're looking for a place to just wander about and get lost on a summer day, this lovely parish is well worth your time. Fort Scaur and the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island are the major attractions. If you're pressed for time, skip the Gilbert Nature Reserve and St. James' Anglican Church.

To explore this tip of the fishhook that is Bermuda, it's best to take a ferry (the fare is $4. The trip from the City of Hamilton to Watford Bridge takes 45 minutes, and you can take your bike onboard free (there's a $4 charge for scooters and mopeds). Ferries originating in the City of Hamilton also stop at Cavello Bay, Somerset Bridge, Boaz Island, and the Royal Naval Dockyard. The Visitors Information Bureau is at the Royal Naval Dockyard (tel. 441/234-3824), across from the ferry terminal. From May to October, hours are Monday to Friday and Sunday 9am to 5pm (closed Sat).

The World's Smallest Drawbridge -- After leaving Fort Scaur, you can continue over the much-photographed 17th-century Somerset Bridge, the world's smallest drawbridge. During the rare moments when it's open for marine traffic, the space between the spans is a mere 56 centimeters (22 in.) at road level -- just large enough for the mast of a sailboat to pass through.

The Sounds of Silence (& Gregorian Chant) -- In crowded Bermuda, finding solitude and tranquillity grows increasingly more difficult. But we stumbled upon the 18-hectare (43-acre) Heydon Trust, Heydon Drive (tel. 441/234-1831), in Sandys Parish, open daily dawn to dusk. This setting, which is also a sanctuary for migratory birds, is Bermuda the way it used to be. The grounds are filled with flower gardens, citrus orchards, walkways, and even a tiny chapel dating from 1620. Chapel services are held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:30am. There is also a chant service Monday through Saturday at 3pm. Park benches are found throughout the preserve where you can sit and contemplate nature (or your navel).

Ireland Island & the Royal Naval Dockyard

The American War of Independence created a crisis for Britain's military planners: Ports along the U.S. Atlantic seaboard were closed to British warships for repairs and replenishments. And during the Napoleonic Wars with France, the need for a British-controlled stronghold in the mid-Atlantic became something approaching an obsession with Britain's military leaders. Beginning in 1809, foundations for a massive naval fortress evolved, based mostly on enforced labor from slaves (and later freed slaves), prisoners, and prisoners-of-war.

Today, the Royal Naval Dockyard is one of the premier attractions of Bermuda. Within the sprawling compound are a working men's prison (closed, for understandable reasons, to the casual visitor), a scattering of shops and restaurants, and the attractions listed below.