Is this the best one on the island?
By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor
Much is made of the views from Gros Piton, one of St. Lucia’s famous volcanic peaks. And rightfully so. Hike 2,619 feet to its summit and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts with a breathtaking panorama of the island’s patchwork below and the misty specter of neighboring islands on the horizon.
But there’s another equally awesome St Lucian view that doesn’t require a four-hour round-trip commitment or that you be in Olympic shape to complete it.
At Pigeon Island National Park, on the island’s north coast, all you need is 10 minutes and grippy-soled shoes to hike from the beach up to the ruins of Fort Rodney, a lookout built by the British back in 1778. From here you can see the sea spread out underneath you, the manmade causeway that links the island to the mainland bisecting its blue beauty.
You’ll marvel at the sweeping white-sand curve of Reduit Beach (St Lucia’s longest), and Martinique to the north. And if you can resist taking a selfie here, we suggest you check your pulse.
But as sweet as this view is, an even sweeter vista awaits those who cross the lemongrass-strewn saddle from Fort Rodney and make the journey to the top of Signal Hill. Admittedly, it’s a steeper and more rugged climb with little shade (bring water!), but the extra 20 minutes or so that it’ll add to your journey is worth it.
Once you crest the peak and take in the full glory of the sight – Atlantic waves crashing against a craggy coast; Fort Rodney silhouetted against a turquoise sky; the bay punctuated with yachts bobbing like bath toys in a giant’s tub – you’ll know what we mean.
And once you’ve made your descent and returned to the park’s beach, you’ll know that there’s no more fitting reward than an ice-cold Piton.