Cockpit Country: Historic Hike from Troy to Windsor

When most people think of Jamaica, they picture white sand beaches but 50% of the island is rugged and mountainous. Jamaica’s largest mountain range is the Cockpit Country which is three times the size of the Blue & John Crow Mountains, spanning 780km2 and five parishes. Cockpit Country got its name from its unusual karst landscape, where steep-sided limestone hills and deep valleys create a terrain that looks like the cockpits of old ships, or an upturned egg carton if you will. Before this hike, the closest I’d come to visiting the Cockpit Country was to Accompong, a Maroon village located on its outskirts. Why? The Cockpit Country is one of the most inhospitable places in the world. However, when an invitation came to hike the forgotten Troy to Windsor trail which traverses the Cockpit Country, I accepted. Here’s how this adventure went.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle6 Comments

Catherine’s Peak: St. Andrew’s Highest Point

Catherine’s Peak, located in the Jamaican Blue Mountains, is the highest point in the parish of St. Andrew. This peak is named after Catherine Long, the wife of Sir Henry Moore who served as the Governor of Jamaica in the mid-1700s, as she is believed to be the first white woman to climb the 5,050-foot-high peak in 1760. Catherine’s Peak is an easy trail– perfect for beginner hikers, and starts at Newcastle, the JDF military base nestled in the Blue Mountains. Here’s everything you need to know about hiking to Catherine’s Peak.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle5 Comments

Bent, Not Broken: Hurricane Melissa

I write this article with a heavy heart. My beautiful Jamaica suffered a hurricane on October 28 with maximum sustained winds of 185mph (298kmh), the most intense Atlantic hurricane to ever make landfall in history. The confirmed death toll in Jamaica so far from Hurricane Melissa is 32, and we fear it may climb as search and rescue operations continue, and connectivity is restored. Thousands of people have lost everything– their homes, furniture, clothes, cars, everything. Five hospitals have been severely damaged, as well as dozens of schools, businesses, churches, roads and other vital infrastructure. The current estimated damage is US$7 billion, one-third of Jamaica’s GDP.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle29 Comments

Live the Sweet Life at Pure Chocolate Jamaica

Did you know that Jamaica produces some of the world’s best chocolate? According to the International Cocoa Organization, Jamaica is one of only eight countries globally to exclusively produce fine flavour cocoa beans which makes the best chocolate. For centuries, Jamaica mainly exported its cocoa beans and very little chocolate was produced here. However, there are now half-a-dozen local chocolatiers and Jamaican chocolate brands changing the game, one of which is the award-winning Pure Chocolate Jamaica brand in Island Village Mall, Ocho Rios. Every weekend, this chocolate factory opens its doors to chocolate lovers from across the globe, allowing them to participate in a two-hour interactive workshop. I finally made it to Pure Chocolate Jamaica’s workshop last month, so here’s my recap of the tour and how to plan a visit.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle13 Comments

A Visit to the Old Pera Windmill & Beach

Old Pera, a small village in St. Thomas, Jamaica’s easternmost parish, is home to a historic windmill and beach by the same name. Built around 1780, this windmill is a remnant of the sugar estates which once dotted Jamaica. The Pera Estate dates back to 1682 and was originally owned by Sir Thomas Lynch, an English lawyer who had three stints as Governor of Jamaica before his death in 1684. The estate was eventually subdivided into two: New Pera and Old Pera, both of which are sleepy rural villages today. Here’s what’s left of them.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle8 Comments

A Visit to the Stokes Hall Great House in St. Thomas

The Stokes Hall Great House in St. Thomas first piqued my interest three years ago when I researched and visited the Colbeck Castle in Old Harbour, St. Catherine. Both great houses bear some similarity, but Stokes Hall is smaller in size and was built thirty years later. Stokes Hall was constructed in the early 1700s by Luke Stokes, a former Governor of the island of Nevis who came to Jamaica shortly after the British captured the island from the Spanish. Today let’s explore what’s left of the great house.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle9 Comments

Stony Gut: Birthplace of Jamaica’s National Hero

Walking through Stony Gut is like walking on Jamaican holy ground. Stony Gut, a tiny village located in St. Thomas, was the birthplace of the Rt. Excellent Paul Bogle, a Jamaican National Hero who led an uprising in 1865 that revolutionized the quality of life of Black people in Jamaica. There isn’t a lot to see there, but the site holds sentimental value. Here’s the history of Stony Gut and what to expect at this National Heritage Site.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle16 Comments
Girl lying on bench in forest

Welcoming A New Decade: 10 Lessons Learnt In My 20s

It’s my 30th birthday! It may be an unpopular opinion but I’m actually excited for this milestone because I view ageing as a blessing, including all the quirks and more importantly, the lessons which come with it. I’ve been blessed to learn and grow so much in my 20s. Also, this blog has played an integral role in my growth and development as I started it at age 21! It saw me through loss, breakups and grief, but also through successes like graduations, home ownership and now as a happy newlywed wife. My twenties were filled with ups and downs but I’m leaving them better than I started. Cheers to 30, and here are the most important lessons I learnt in my 20s.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle37 Comments

Here’s How To Join A Baby Sea Turtle Release In Oracabessa, Jamaica

Oracabessa, a Jamaican coastal town and Ian Fleming’s favourite getaway, has become a focal point in Caribbean sea turtle conservation. Through the efforts of the Oracabessa Bay Sea Turtle Project, the survival rate of hawksbill sea turtle nests has increased from 37% in 2005 to an impressive 80% today by providing protection from predators and human interference. Each year, between 12,000 to 20,000 hatchlings are released into the Caribbean Sea, contributing to the recovery of this critically endangered species. I finally had the rare opportunity to join a baby sea turtle release earlier this month, so here’s how to enjoy a similar experience and support the work of the Oracabessa Bay Sea Turtle Project.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle10 Comments

Heineken River: A St. Thomas Hidden Gem

Once nicknamed the “Forgotten Parish”, St. Thomas has been receiving more attention these days for its rivers, new housing schemes, Paul Bogle Highway and the recently opened Morant Bay Urban Centre. Heineken River, also known as Heineken Hole, is a delightful swimming spot tucked away in the hills of Ramble, St. Thomas, and deserves the attention it has been receiving recently. I assume this river was named Heineken because of the river bed’s green colour which is similar to that of a Heineken beer bottle, but I could be wrong. Here’s how I stumbled upon Heineken River earlier this month, plus everything you need to know to plan a visit.

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Rochelle | Adventuresfromelle10 Comments