Basseterre, St Kitts – I made up a driving tour through St Kitts history. The tour skirts the northern perimeter of island, taking in the most interesting historical sights. The first stop is the ruins of the Wingfield Estate, a sugar plantation dating to 1625. Some of the structures are partially restored, with signs explaining how enslaved people toiled to pro-duce sugar, molasses and rum. Nowadays, the small-batch Old Road Rum Co offers tours and tastings on this spot (reservations recommended). Nearby, the estate’s residential building Romney Manor now houses Cabrielle Batik, a cooperative where craftswomen give demonstrations of their art practice and purvey their work.
Further south, the mighty Brimstone Hill Fortress perches high above the coastline. This British fortification – constructed by enslaved people in the 1690s – consists of citadels, bastions, and barracks all open for exploration. The island and ocean views are spectacular all around.
My lunch stop was Belle Mont Farm, offering views of Saba and Sint Eustatius in the distance.
I ended my driving tour of St Kitts history at Bellevue Village, home of the picturesque Black Rocks. Mt Liamuiga is the now-dormant volcano that looms over this end of the island (which I summited earlier this week!).
