Situated on a volcanic peninsula on the northwest coast of Dominica, 2 mi/3 km north of Portsmouth, the Cabrits National Park comprises two dry forest-covered peaks and, where they connect to the mainland, the island's largest swamp.
Visitors can easily spend all day in the park, which can only be explored on foot. Unlike some of the island's other nature areas, hiking in Cabrits won't leave you breathless—though the scenery is certainly breathtaking. It is particularly fun to discover garrison ruins and canons hidden in the forest undergrowth.
One of the most scenic vistas is from Fort Shirley, the main part of the 18th-century garrison that was constructed by the British. It's made up of several restored buildings and a small museum that includes displays about history and nature. The view of the sea and Portsmouth is fantastic.
Cabrits means "goats" in several Latin-based languages and refers to the animals that were left in this area by sailors so that they would have a source of meat when they returned.
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