Action Bequia announces the reopening of the Princess Margaret Trail

Action Bequia has announced the reopening of uninterrupted pedestrian access all the way from Fort Hamilton to the far end of Lower Bay due to a rebuild of a key section off the Princess Point headland.

In 2014, the creation of a hiking trail starting from the end of the beach in front of Bequia Plantation Hotel and extending around the headland towards Princess Margaret Beach was Action Bequia’s lead project. Unfortunately, the original offshore section of this trail was badly damaged by subsequent storms and as a result a new route adjacent to the cliff was established which functioned effectively for several years.

The original offshore section of the hiking trail which was badly damaged by subsequent storms

However, in 2022, due to rock falls from parts of the cliff, the need to distance from these dangerous cliffside sections and re-establish the offshore route became apparent. It is that task that has now been completed. The number of piers used has been doubled compared with the original offshore structure and the technique used to secure those piers to the seabed has been significantly improved. The result is a construction which should be several times more robust than the original and one which should provide service for years to come.

Action Bequia thanked Kingstown based company Offshore Welding and Salvage (OSWSSVG.COM), led by Striker McKenzie, for the design and superb construction job they did in June through August of this summer. They also thanked Cathy Sachs of Dive Bequia (for investigations into the underwater environment) and Neil Sanders (for experience based technical design inputs).

The huge historical popularity of the trail amongst locals and visitors illustrated what a valuable asset to Bequia it is. The work, costing EC$269,956 was paid from Action Bequia’s own resources without any special appeal.

The Action Bequia Board acknowledges that all their infrastructure efforts are owned by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and effectively, the people of Bequia.

However, the organisation will continue to maintain all of the trails that they have organised the building of.

Action Bequia is a non-profit organisation that began in 2011 with an aim to help maintain and improve Bequia as a place to live in, work and visit – helping to create local jobs, employment and social cohesion. Visit www.actionbequia.org to learn more or donate.