new river estate

The New River-Coconut Walk Estate is a very cool place to explore. Two different sets of "ruins" to visit- the old windmill driven plantation and the modernized steam-driven (not sure if it was steam or oil). The estate goes from the beach to the main road. You should plan an hour or more to explore.

Worth a wander. This place was abandoned in the 1940s and it feels like they just upped and left overnight, so the buildings and machinery are all there, though the wild goats seem to be staking a claim!

Great place to plunk down and explore. Abandoned sugar mill, ruins and rusted mechanical parts, copper kettles and lime kiln. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is - the grounds could use some maintenance, and just having a bit of literature or education around what the parts do and how a sugar mill works would have been nice.Still, it was a great do-it-yourself exploration of the history of Nevis.

These ruins are intriguing. This sugar mill was quite an operation, with structures from the road down to the water. As many other people have noted, we had a great time wandering around exploring the ruins. We especially liked the machinery imported from Britain, the lime kiln, & the building down by the water. We also liked the donkeys that kept an eye on us as we neared the water.We have a couple tips. First, if you are driving yourself, talk with someone about the ruins before going. The site has a sign just off the road, but nothing at each building. We learned much by talking with Pat at the Oualie Beach Resort. Second, roadside markers do not exist. Look for the lime kiln tower close to the ocean to know you are in the neighborhood. There is a sign just inside the entrance from the road. The best way to see the estate is to park by a farm shed on the left past the sign, and then walk from there.

This was the last operating sugar cane plantation on Nevis. If you love the history of Nevis, and the fact that during the height of the sugar cane days this small speck in the West Indies was the centre of much of the wealth of the British Empire, then you really must come for a visit. Now, there is no visitors centre, so you are on your own. Be careful, as much of it is overgrown, and the old machinery could be dangerous. You can find what remains of the old plantation house, and if you are brave, can make your way through the bush and do some exploring. Further down the hill towards the ocean are a number of old out buildings which are worth having a look at; but be ready to hike this, so have plenty of water and snacks available. You could plan a ocean-side picnic, but do not expect a sandy white beach, as things are very rocky and rough here. In fact, I can still hear the sounds of the ocean crashing against the shore. You may also want to visit the nearby Eden Brown Estate. Ask a local for directions. The legend is that Eden was the daughter of a plantation owner who was engaged to be married. On the night before her wedding, her fiance and brother dueled, with the brother shooting the fiance. The fiance died, and the brother fled. Eden never saw her brother again, and is said to wander the ruins crying out for the two men she loved. Our family, who lived up the road from Eden Brown, personally think the ghost noises are just the omnipresent Nevis goats. Even though we now live in the South Pacific, our kids still love to hear this story. Enjoy!

We had a great time exploring these old sugar mill ruins on the windward side. Plenty to see and easy to find. There is no visitor center. Just drive up and start exploring on your own, with a mountainous backdrop and an ocean view on the other side, and a nice hike from the ruins down to the ocean. There is also an awesome old twisted tree there that is something one would expect to be depicted in a Washington Irving / Sleepy Hollow novel. Dilapidated ruins to climb and explore, we found tadpoles wading around in the algae covered cisterns, and a monstrous old steam engine - very cool. We continued to follow the roads in this area down to the ocean, driving as far as we could go or walking the remaining distance. Nothing but wild donkeys in sight. Nearby just north of here is supposed to be the Eden Brown Estate which is touted as being haunted, but unfortunately we couldn't find the whereabouts. Perhaps next time.One of the better sugar mill ruins to explore on the island with plenty to see.