Woodland Nature Reserves
Location: Point Shares Road, Pembroke. Open free from dawn to dusk.
Tucked away on Point Shares Road, Butterfield Nature Reserve is a small but fascinating woodland gem, offering visitors a glimpse of Bermuda’s unique upland palmetto forest. This steeply sloping 2.5-acre reserve protects an intact remnant of a habitat that once covered much more of the island.
As you explore the reserve, look for the distinctive scars left on some of the palmettos from historic sap-tapping. In earlier times, palmetto sap was collected and fermented to create bibby, a potent traditional drink that formed part of Bermuda’s cultural heritage.
The entrance, marked by moss-covered steps and a brass plaque, welcomes visitors into this quiet and historic natural retreat – a perfect place to appreciate Bermuda’s native landscapes and the stories they hold.
The first section of this nature reserve was given to the Trust in 1981 by Mr and Mrs Dudley Butterfield. In 1984, the day after a bulldozer appeared to excavate the adjoining half-acre lot, Mr Butterfield purchased it and added it to the Butterfield Reserve. In 2000 and 2003, the Butterfields donated a further 1.5 acres, making the entire reserve just over 2.5 acres.
More recently donated sections include a tennis court with a small changing house, two banana patches and a wild garden containing unusual exotic palms and Heliconia.
Location: Springfield, 29 Somerset Road, Sandys. Open free from dawn to dusk.
Tucked away just off the main road in Somerset Village, Gilbert Nature Reserve is a peaceful 5-acre woodland offering a quiet escape into nature. A network of walking paths connects the reserve to the Railway Trail, making it an ideal stop for walkers exploring the West End.
As you wander beneath the forest canopy, you’ll discover magnificent mature Bermuda cedars in the northeastern corner of the reserve, along with an impressive, centuries-old mulberry tree. The reserve is also an excellent place for birdwatching, where visitors can enjoy the sights and sounds of Bermuda’s native and migratory birdlife in a tranquil woodland setting.
Adjacent to the reserve is Springfield, one of Bermuda’s built-heritage treasures. The building complex was started in the 1740s and is an excellent example of old Bermudian architecture. The outbuildings include the island’s most photographed buttery.
Whether you’re looking for a leisurely stroll, a moment of quiet reflection, or an opportunity to connect with Bermuda’s natural heritage, Gilbert Nature Reserve is a hidden gem waiting to be explored.
Location: East Shore Road, Sandys. Open free from dawn to dusk.
Escape to the peaceful charm of this beautiful nature reserve on East Shore Road in Sandys, where the tranquillity of old Bermuda still thrives. Wander through a landscape of native woodland, home to a variety of endemic trees, including majestic Bermuda cedars and olivewoods.
The reserve is also an important nesting area for Bermuda bluebirds, making it a delightful destination for birdwatchers and anyone looking to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Whether you’re seeking a quiet stroll or a moment of relaxation, this hidden oasis offers an authentic taste of Bermuda’s natural beauty.
Gladys Morrell, Bermuda’s leading suffragist, gifted this two-acre site to the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, Sandys Chapter, in 1951. In 1973, the site was donated to the Bermuda National Trust in her memory. The following year, the Trust reforested the reserve with a diverse selection of native and endemic plants.
The new plantings initially flourished, but over time, invasive species began to overwhelm the native vegetation. Today, the Trust continues its ongoing efforts to control invasive species and protect the reserve’s native and endemic flora.
Location: Walsingham, Harrington Sound Road, Hamilton Parish. Open free from dawn to dusk.
Explore one of Bermuda’s most unique and untouched landscapes at Walsingham Nature Reserve. IW Hughes Nature Reserve is a 1.25-acre woodland sanctuary within the larger wilderness area famously known as “Tom Moore’s Jungle.” Winding trails lead visitors through a remarkable natural world of lush forest, dramatic pinnacle rock formations, and fascinating cave systems, offering an unforgettable adventure for those who enjoy exploring off the beaten path.
The terrain can be rugged and challenging in places and is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers, but the rewards are well worth the journey. The reserve forms part of Bermuda’s oldest geological landscape, where ancient, hardened karst rock and uneven terrain prevented quarrying and farming, allowing rare native habitats to remain largely undisturbed.
Today, Walsingham supports some of Bermuda’s most valuable natural treasures, including rare native and endemic plants, particularly a remarkable diversity of ferns found nowhere else in the world.
Access to the reserve is available from the road leading to Tom Moore’s Tavern off Harrington Sound Road in Hamilton Parish. Visitors are encouraged to wear sturdy footwear and take care while exploring this extraordinary natural wonderland.
The reserve is named after Idwal Hughes, whose family donated the land to the National Trust in 1982.
Location: Ord Road, Paget. Open free from dawn to dusk.
Discover these two charming woodland reserves nestled along one of Bermuda’s most scenic sections of the Railway Trail, between Harmony Hall on South Road and S-Hill in Paget. Together, they form part of Bermuda’s “Emerald Necklace” – a network of connected green spaces that provide important habitat for wildlife and peaceful places for visitors to enjoy nature.
Although small in size, covering a combined area of approximately three-quarters of an acre, the reserves offer a tranquil woodland experience with mature trees, a variety of naturalised species, and an open understory that invites exploration.
Perfect for a quiet stroll or a moment of reflection, these hidden gems showcase the beauty and importance of Bermuda’s protected green spaces.
The first lot was donated by Adrianna Goodfellow, who, with her sister Shirley Mulder, also gave the Ship’s Inn property at Darrell’s Wharf to the Trust.
The second lot was donated by Mr and Mrs Walter Cook in 2006 and named in memory of Rebecca Middleton, a Canadian teenager who was brutally murdered in Bermuda in 1996. Coincidentally, Mrs Cook’s maiden name is Middleton. Her family once owned much of the area, as evidenced by the nearby Middleton Lane.
Location: Scaur Lane, off Somerset Road, Sandys. Open free from dawn to dusk.
Scaur Lodge Nature Reserve offers a peaceful blend of woodland, farmland, and coastal scenery in one of Bermuda’s most picturesque settings. Located on the west side of Somerset Road near Fort Scaur, this 6-acre reserve provides visitors with a chance to explore a quieter side of the island’s natural landscape.
A walking trail from Scaur Lane on the northern side of the property leads through the reserve to a seating area with beautiful views across Ely’s Harbour – an ideal spot to pause and take in the scenery. Continuing south, the reserve extends toward a small beach on Scaur Hill Drive, offering a delightful connection between woodland and coastline.
With its tranquil trails, scenic viewpoints, and varied habitats, Scaur Lodge Nature Reserve is a hidden retreat perfect for those looking to enjoy Bermuda’s natural beauty at a slower pace.
The reserve was donated in 1976 by the C.S. Mott family.
Location: Harbour Road, Warwick NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Donated by Lady Ona O’Neill Chaplin in 1989 this 0.56-acre reserve comprises a woodland area and a strip of waterfront. The property features Bermuda Palmetto and the shrub St. Andrew’s Cross and commands magnificent views of Granaway Deep.
Location: Harbour Road, Warwick NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Donated by one of the Trust’s founding members, Dr David Wingate, this six-acre reserve is a significant tract of woodland, at presently consisting largely of Allspice forest. It also features arable land, pasture, walking trails and an orchard. Additional features of the reserve are a quarry and a remarkably well-preserved ancient lime kiln.
Location: South Road, Southampton NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
This 5.13 acre nature reserve was purchased by the Bermuda National Trust in 2009. The mature woodland is now permanently protected, for everyone, forever. Its acquisition was truly a rare opportunity not only due to the property’s location and outstanding amenity value but also because of its habitat value owing to the maturity and composition of the trees and the unfragmented nature and size of the woodland.
Location: 45 Middle Road, Warwick NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
The 12-acre Tivoli property comprises valley and upland hillside habitat. It is made up of three distinct elements: the house (leased to a nursery school), the lower wetland (now the Higgs Reserve) and the hillside woodland known as Tivoli North Nature Reserve. Left to the Trust by Gloria Higgs in 1984, the estate’s hillside had been a dairy farm, and grazing had denuded the property of mature vegetation.
The Trust embarked on a major reforestation project, replanting it mainly with the endemic Bermuda Cedar and Palmetto. But 25 years later invasives such as the Brazil Pepper had gained the upper hand, dominating the slower-growing Cedars and Palmettos. Another woodland management programme was instituted, with funding from the UK’s Overseas Territories Environment Fund. This time the project was targeted at removing invasives to enable the native trees to become pre-eminent.
Location: Fractious Street, Hamilton Parish NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
A steep and lushly wooded hillside, presently dominated by non-native trees such as Fiddlewood, Allspice and Chinese Fan Palm, this half-acre parcel of land was a gift from Mrs. Bernard Wilkinson in memory of her husband, Henry Bernard Logier Wilkinson. She conveyed it to the Trust in 1982. Her reasons really sum up the motivation for most gifts of open space to the Trust: “For the principal purpose of promoting the well-being of bird life and as a sanctuary for birds and other wildlife, and to preserve the natural features”.