To see the Railway Trail from a new perspective, join Myles Darrell for a bike ride on Sunday.
He will lead the way to Dockyard from Waterville, the Bermuda National Trust’s headquarters in Paget, as part of an initiative launched last month by Greenrock.
As head of natural heritage at the trust, and with a deep love for people, Mr Darrell was a fitting partner in its efforts to encourage the community to “experience the immense value of our natural environment”.
“That's the thing for me. It's meeting more Bermudians and hearing what makes them tick and get excited, and what they think is important to preserve, and what culture and heritage means to them,” he said.
“We kind of have formed our culture around the natural environment, and we impact the natural environment and so I want to see people and learn how it is that we can work together to preserve and protect what's so important to me.”
As such, he was thrilled when Eugene Dean, the chairman of the board of Greenrock, invited him to share “a little bit of knowledge about some of our spaces”.
Sunday’s ride is expected to take about four hours. Stops along the way will make it a relatively easy journey.
Mr Darrell said: “It is a slow ride and it's reasonable for people of all ages. The other good thing is that you don't have to join us all the way to Royal Naval Dockyard – you could stop at any point and turn back. And we will be staying mostly on the Railway Trail, so it is a very safe environment.”
He anticipates that pitstops with snacks and stories about the spaces will add to the enjoyment.
“There is no rush. Even though we could probably ride there in an hour and a half or less, we're going to take our time and enjoy the company of one another.”
At Rebecca Middleton Nature Reserve, Sherwin Nature Reserve and Gilbert Nature Reserve, Mr Darrell will talk about the conservation work that is ongoing.
“I'll share a little bit about the heritage of some of the spaces, not just the nature reserves, but things like tribe roads. And I’ll share a little bit about some of the places and people that have been part of our heritage, including some of the Railway Trail stops,” he said.
“Most of us remember the sad story of Rebecca Middleton. It really played such a strong role in our heritage so I’ll share a bit about the history of the space and its donation by the Cook family; a little bit about our community and how we felt and what transpired, and what we can do to kind of appropriately remember people like Rebecca Middleton.”
Sherwin Nature Reserve also has a sad backstory as the site of the tragic stabbing death of teenager Malcolm Outerbridge. However, it is home to some of Bermuda's “unique and special” native and endemic species.
“[They are] only found here in Bermuda. We're not seeing this anywhere else and I think that often people forget that. Especially when you’re thinking about unique endemic species like our cedar and our olive wood and palmetto – and even down to our snails and various other creatures – we need to understand that this isn't something you're going to get to see anywhere else and by engaging in processes like this, we can all become better ambassadors of our island,” he said.
“So there'll be an opportunity to learn about native and endemic species, flora and fauna, all together, and also what it is the trust is doing and why it's so important to have these spaces available to the public.”
An added benefit is the healing that comes from being in nature, something fewer and fewer people seem to find the time to do, Mr Darrell said.
“I think what people realise is that, when you do get out there there's something special going on all the time. We can all be engaged in a National Geographic moment – those things aren't happening in the office, and they're not happening while you're staring at the screen. You have to get out and be part of it. And so we're hoping that it motivates families, particularly, to come and share with loved ones and realise that it's a great way to come together.”
• Myles Darrell’s Railway Trail ride with Greenrock will leave from Waterville at 9am on Sunday for Dockyard. Participation is free for Greenrock members; $25 for non-members. For more information visit greenrock.org or call 747-7625.