7 Dave Rodney/Gleaner Writer IT WAS many years ago since I drove to Portland via Newcastle, traversing Holywell National Park, remote forests in the Blue and John Crow Mountains, quaint welcoming communities, dramatically eye-popping vistas, rippling highland streams and hidden waterfalls. I revisited this route last week and I knew challenges were possible as this is a road less travelled. But this once in a lifetime rewarding experience for the seven travel specialists in our party far outweighed the hassles. As it turned out, the trip was an unforgettable magic moment in time. We set out from The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston after breakfast and stopped for an excellent coffee class and a tasting of 100 per cent Blue Mountain coffee at Craighton, a coffee farm and tour in Irish Town. Our very articulate guide Jerome pointed out that for coffee to be designated “Blue Mountain” from that area, it must be grown at over 2000 ft above sea level. The coffee farm expedition was enlightening and afterwards we made a stop for lunch at the nearby Café Blue and adjoining restaurant, Crystal Edge. There, from a verandah perched atop a lush hill, nearly everyone plunged head first into the mouthwatering, full bodied stew peas and beef pumpkin soup, washed down with a homemade ginger-pineapple mountain mist. We didn’t tarry there for long, only stopping to take photos at the Newcastle military base. Andy, the host for our next stop in Greenwich was already waiting for us. Greenwich is a small residential community near the Jamaica Defence Force base that is reputed to be one of the wealthiest cocoons of unabashed opulence on island. Andy met us at an agreed point and we were led by golf cart to Misty Manor, the palatial country home of Kingston businessman Kenny Benjamin. The abode is an enclave of elegance where the dining room is embroidered by ancestral cut stones from Ghana. If the home and its four regally furnished bedrooms looked like a front cover from Architectural Digest or Beautiful Homes magazines, then the jaw-dropping vistas from the bedrooms and the balconies felt like the stairway to heaven, as described by popular soul group the O’Jays in their smash single by the same name. The border of St. Andrew and Portland is nearby. After a whistle stop at Holywell National Park , basking in the splendour of low clouds and a cool mist caressing bright tropical blooms and coniferous pine trees. Holywell is Jamaica’s only national park and the sprawling landmark covers portions of the Blue and John Crow Mountains with over 100,000 acres of hiking and cycling trails, birdwatching, camping, gazebos named after plants and birds, river and waterfall adventure and cottages available for overnight and weekend rentals Time evaporates quickly when you’re above 3000 ft. in the clouds. We wanted to make the most of daylight hours and further exploration of the surrounding countryside so we continued the journey with few stops. We passed through quaint hillside districts where the air is fresh, clean and invigorating, a wellness infusion for the lungs. We drive through Cascade, Green Hills, Spring Hill, Wakefield, Birnamwood, Cedar Valley, Rose Hill and several other villages. No rush hour traffic up in the Blue Mountains, and as we study the tapestry of the terrain, we conclude that the Blue Mountains are actually green in colour. Impeccably dressed school children in their uniforms skipping home waved as our bus meandered through narrow roads. Gurgling rivers rippling over rocks and sand beds in ravines below. Dramatically colourful butterflies and hummingbirds flutter around glowing blooms. Waterfalls play hide and seek in the hills, some making themselves seen only after a heavy downpour of rain. One waterfall, Johnson Spring was impressive for its single drop spray, and I later learned that it has been a backdrop for Jamaican television commercials over the years, including a standout by Cable & Wireless written and produced by Natalie Thompson/ Cinecom Productions depicting a farmer with goats tipping his hat to a driver passing by. As I lifted my eyes unto the hills, I could not help wondering if human footprints had ever disturbed the foliage below. Could this be where Nanny bounced off British bullets with her bottom? All too soon we were in rapid descent towards the coast. I marvelled at the majesty of the Buff Bay River hugging the roadside as it thundered towards the Caribbean Sea. When we passed on the main street in Buff Bay, I could clearly see the street where my grandfather lived for many years, West Norman Lane, and I remembered his many summertime warnings about staying away from that same river near his backyard. I commented to our friends that our journey appeared to take us through several micro climates, from hot Papine to cool Irish Town, to misty, foggy mountains to soft, refreshing Portland rain. My friend Nadine Molloy who is from that same route, Spring Hill in Portland had graciously made arrangements for us to take a dip in a river whirlpool in the area. Unfortunately, we ran out of time. Our last stop before checking into our Port Antonio hotel, GeeJam, was by a roadside fruit vendor near Port Antonio where I bought elusive custard apples, finding them for the first time on this trip, plus mangoes of many varieties, sweet yellow and red plums, tamarind, naseberries and star apples. One vendor peeled pineapple and Mamey fruit for us while we waited. As brawta, a charming female vendor there gave me a few nutmegs covered in mace. Our overseas travel specialists on the journey were blown away, breathless, by another ravishing side of Jamaican that none of them had previously seen. I reminded them of an old, seductive area campaign: Portland is where a part of you remains forever. Please note that local groups wishing to make this trip can do it on their own or through a travel agency who can assist in planning the details. The ride from Kingston to Port Antonio should take about three hours. Those wishing to take the route should check on road and weather conditions prior to departure. Dave Rodney is an award-winning travel writer, author and marketing specialist based in the New York area. diademata@aol.com The road less travelled – Papine to Port Antonio via Newcastle An old public works pay station in Cedar Valley, now used as a rest stop on the Blue Mountain Bicycle Tour. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS A barely visible lone church near Cascade, Religious Society of Friends, one of the first Quaker churches established in Jamaica. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS Sometimes waterfalls play hide and seek in the mountains, depending on rainfall. This one is in Cascade/ Green Hills THE WEEKLY GLEANER | MAY 15 - JUNE 14, 2025 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS
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