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Parish · Western Parishes
Sandys
Sandys, at the far west of Bermuda: the Royal Naval Dockyard and the National Museum, the cruise port, Somerset Village and the Somerset Bridge.
In the photo: The Somerset Bridge and the bay in Sandys.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The parish
Get to know Sandys
Sandys is the parish at the far west of Bermuda, made up of the islands of Somerset, Watford, Boaz and Ireland, joined by bridges, and the western tip of the main island. The name honors Sir Edwin Sandys, one of the shareholders of the company that colonized the archipelago. Most visitors who arrive by ship disembark there.
At the northern tip, on Ireland Island, is the Royal Naval Dockyard, the former base of the British Navy in the Western Atlantic, built from 1809 with the labor of enslaved people and, later, of convicts brought from Great Britain. It operated until 1995. Inside the fortress called the Keep, the National Museum of Bermuda occupies the Commissioner's House and the old storehouses, with galleries on shipwrecks, maritime history and the islands’ social history. The stone warehouses and the clock tower have become shops, restaurants and the departure point for boat tours.
Cruise ships dock at the Dockyard piers, and the blue-line ferry connects the port to the city of Hamilton. To the south, Somerset Village is a quiet settlement on Mangrove Bay, with waterfront houses and fishing piers.
On the link between Somerset and the main island is the Somerset Bridge, a wooden drawbridge whose opening in the middle serves only to let sailboat masts pass. Nearby, Fort Scaur, from the 19th century, overlooks the Great Sound, and Somerset Long Bay and Hog Bay Park offer beach and trails. In summer, the Cup Match, a cricket match between the Somerset club and the St. George’s club, is one of the island’s biggest holidays.
When to go
April to October is cruise-ship season at the Dockyard and beach season in Somerset, with the warmest sea from June to October; hurricane season runs from June to November. The Cup Match takes place in late July or early August. From November to March there is less activity, fewer ferries and milder air—good for the museum and the trails.
Getting there
Cruise ships dock at the Royal Naval Dockyard. From Hamilton, the blue-line ferry goes directly to the Dockyard, and the green-line ferry stops at Watford Bridge and Cavello Bay; public buses run along the main road to the Dockyard. In summer, a ferry links the Dockyard to St. George’s. L.F. Wade International Airport is at the opposite end of the island, about 35 km away; you can reach the Dockyard by taxi.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Sandys
What to do at the Royal Naval Dockyard?
Visit the National Museum of Bermuda inside the old fortress, including the Commissioner's House and the ramparts; walk among the stone warehouses and the clock tower; and take boat trips to the reef or to the beaches. Horseshoe Bay and Somerset are a few minutes away by bus or taxi.
How to get from the Dockyard to the city of Hamilton?
The blue-line ferry is the fastest route, with departures throughout the day and a crossing across the Great Sound. The public bus follows the road, with stops along the way, and takes longer. Taxis wait at the piers on cruise-ship days.
What is the Somerset Bridge?
It is a small wooden drawbridge that links Somerset Island to the main island. In the middle, a plank opens just enough to let sailboat masts pass. The first bridge on the site dates to the 17th century; the current one keeps the same form and remains in use.
Is Somerset a good base for people arriving by ship?
Those who stay on the ship are already at the Dockyard, at the far west. For travelers who want to sleep ashore in the west, Somerset Village and the surrounding bays are quiet and have some accommodations. For getting around the whole island, the city of Hamilton is more central.
What is the Cup Match?
It is a two-day cricket match between the Somerset club, in the west, and the St. George’s club, in the east, played in late July or early August over two public holidays. The venue alternates between the two clubs, and the festivities around the match are one of Bermuda’s greatest traditions.