Scenic journey through St. Ann, Jamaica

Descending the steep gradients of Mount Diablo offers a stunning view of the picturesque Moneague Vale in St. Ann. The scenic route from Spanish Town, winding through the Rio Cobre gorge and the slopes of Mount Diablo, highlights both the natural beauty and environmental challenges of the area. There are also historic landmarks like the Moneague Tavern and the former Moneague Hotel, now a training college for school teachers.Published Saturday, May 31, 1975 Jamaica PlacesThe grand Old Moneague Hotel now Teacher’s Training CollegeBy Alex D. HawkesAs one comes down the very steep, and sometimes dangerous, gradients from the lower reaches of Mount Diablo, upon rounding a particular turn on the highway, all of the breathtakingly pretty vale of Moneague is spread out in handsome panoply before one.This is one of my most favourite sights in all of Jamaica, just as this parish of St. Ann and so many places within it are also top on my list of personal delights. Headlines Delivered to Your Inbox Sign up for The Gleaner’s morning and evening newsletters. Not too long ago, Mr. Campbell and I were travelling this way, along the very scenic route extending from Spanish Town up the impressive gorge of the Rio Cobre then up and down the precipitous slopes of Mount Diablo, through Mount Rosser, and past the wondrous road, which twists and turns up to Holymount, the summit of this range. We paused so that I could clamber, a bit awkwardly, over a loose stone fence, and then wander up a narrow, rough road, scarcely more than a trail, which extended unmarked on any map, of course, far up into the cool forest that cloaks much of this mountainous area.I found there a woodsman, a pleasant man of middle years, who was resting from his perspiring labours of cutting down trees and sliding them through the dense ferny undergrowth down to this rude road, where they could be picked up by the owner of this tract of property. He joined me in a cigarette, and we chatted about the differing sorts of trees that were worth cutting, and though this pleasant Jamaican was shy about giving me his name, it was a pleasure to find that he knew the names of everything in these sublime woods. We discussed the continuing drought, and my new friend assured me that in all of his years on this mountain, he had never seen so many of the wild dead through absence of rainfall and nocturnal dews. So it is not just in Kingston. We continued on the Moneague passing to the entrance to the singularly attractive old Moneague Tavern, a private residence (The Penn), which was well known to me by a picture.Moneague HotelAbove this wide highway, one can see in transit a considerable series of sizeable structures. The Jamaican Government Training College for primary school teacherswhich is indeed well worthy of a visit. The original structure here was for many years the highly popular Moneague Hotel, which was in operation as late as 1955, attracting visitors from many parts of the island, and even from abroad, for its cool nights, here at some 1,400 feet elevation, plus . The old hotel was constructed in the 1890s and friends who put up here in years past have told me that it was amongst their favourite sports in the entire island, with exceptionally pleasant food and service and an unusually relaxing ambience.The grounds of this school, where blocks of new modernised classrooms and dormitories appear and are, indeed, being currently constructed and which seem so totally out of place in this picturesque setting are of more than casual interest. For here are some magnificent towering palm trees, several large trees of other species, and enough birds - from raucous parrots to pugnacious doctor birds - to keep the ornithologically inclined happily occupied, seated on a rustic bench in the shade, for a considerable time.From a couple of points here one can see all the way to Moneague Lake, which seems not to be affected by the drought, as are the forests on Mount Diablo, and perhaps after all, its underground exit is indeed closed by some sort of blockage, as has been suggested.For feedback: contact the Editorial Department at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.