Home ⎜Travelogues ⎜Ruins ⎜Bannerman Island
Bannerman Island (also known as Pollepel Island) is located in the Hudson River, situated directly between New Windsor and Beacon, New York. It is accessible from the end of April through October by boat companies, and by local outdoor outfitters via kayak. Tours depart from Newburgh via passenger boat (on Sundays at 11am), Beacon via kayak or passenger boat (Saturdays and Sundays at 12:30pm), 
Cold Spring via kayak, and Cornwall via kayak. If you choose the kayaking route, I’d highly recommend stopping by or contacting Mountain Tops Outfitters in Beacon, New York. They have everything you need and are incredibly nice people. Boat tours take place rain or shine, are $35/pp and $30/child, and include a 72-step climb from the boat dock to the castle. While most tours of the island are guided, the third Sunday of every month between (April and October) is reserved for self-guided tours where you can bring a lunch and picnic, listen to
live music provided by locals, and spend the day soaking in the mystery and beauty of this gem of an island. The Third Sunday Tours are $35/pp and $30/child. For reservations, call (845) 834-4200. 
The island is six acres and, in fact, you could probably spend the whole day here and not see everything worth seeing. This is an incredible excursion and the kayak is a great workout! There are two sets of ruins, one being the castle and the other, a smaller castle along with its various outbuildings atop a hill, surrounded by delightful gardens that are maintained by volunteers. The original owner of the island, Francis Bannerman VI immigrated from Scotland in the 1850’s and began a military surplus business near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He purchase the island in 1900, and used the castle to store military munitions. After he died in 1918, the island was the victim of its own munitions in 1920 when 200 tons of shells and powder exploded in the castle. The island was bought by New York State in 1967, but in 1969 another fire destroyed more of the 
castle. Today it is owned by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation, and maintained by the Bannerman Island Land Trust Co. It is truly a step back in time and an easy place for your imagination to run wild on this beguiling isle. Though both routes are enjoyable, if you’d like the island to yourself or your group, having taken boat and kayak to the island, I’d suggest going the kayak route.
The Rambling Wanderer 