Thousands of people descended on Spice Valley yesterday to take part in Bermuda National Trust's annual Palm Sunday walk.

Organisers estimated that more than 2,000 people turned out for the five-mile stroll around Warwick, taking in some of the parish's historic attractions and less well-known areas.

Dorcas Roberts, Trust conservation officer, told The Royal Gazette: "The number of people there was phenomenal. I just couldn't believe it. It was perfect weather and the day could not have gone better."

The Trust has organised the free walk for decades as a "thank you" to its supporters on the Island. The route changes each year and offers participants the chance to wander across private land and Trust-owned property normally hidden from view.

This year's event, which began at 2 p.m. at Spice Valley Middle School, took in old buildings including Fruitlands, Elm Lodge and Tivoli plus Higgs Nature Reserve, Warwick Pond and Warwick Rubber Tree, a former graveyard for slaves.

Trust president Bill Holmes said: "Once again we have been incredibly lucky with the weather. There is a die-hard group that will come every year but when we get a day like this we get so many more.

"People get to some see National Trust properties but the goal for us was to open up parts of Bermuda that people wouldn't see on a normal daily basis.

"We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the people who every year open up their homes to us, people who will let a couple of thousand people walk across their property."

Mrs. Roberts, who organised the walk, said the Trust had numerous conservation projects going on in the area which walkers got to view firsthand. She added: "I want to thank all the volunteers as without them this could never happen."