CINCHONA BOTANICAL GARDENS
LENGTH OF DRIVE
- SH through Newcastle to Section to Silver Hill Gap (which is as far
as you can go with out 4WD): 50 Min.
LENGTH OF HIKE -
full circle from Silver Hill Gap to Cinchona via Clydesdale National Park
and back, including time to walk in the gardens: 6 hours
ELEVATION GAIN
- from Clydesdale: 1,300 feet.
The road between the Gap and Section is one of the few remaining Montane
forest areas left in Jamaica. Most days mists descend on the area like
clockwork by 11:AM making it especially lush.
On the Trail
The name Cinchona comes from the tree whose bark is a source of quinine, once a highly valued commodity for curing malaria. Cinchona was planted here as a commercial enterprise, but only a few of the trees remain. At the top of the gardens is the old Governor's house (built of mahogany and pine).
The old Governer General's retreat at Cinchona
At 4,500ft, the coolness allowed many European species such as Rhododendron and Cryptomeria to grow and the place became a fashionable retreat for the elite of Colonial Jamaica.
Azalea indica and Agapanthus in the Gardens
Surrounded by farms and natural bush, the exposed site of Cinchona provides panoramic views as far as the sea 30 miles away.
Viewing the South Coast
Damage from Gilbert and later storms cannot be ignored
The dominant tree now is the giant eucalyptus, of which there are twelve species. There are also Norfolk Island and massonia pines, podacarpus, and huge rhododendrons.
Bamboo walk with sphagnum moss as a flooring
Cymbidium hybrids growing as groundcover
This hike, plus many others with varying degrees of difficulty, all originate from Strawberry Hill and are organised by Lynda Lee.
Lynda Lee, Strawberry Hill's Hiker
