If you go down the hill at The Cooperage, the right-hand fork of the Gordon Town Road passes through the comparatively lively village of Gordon Town. Turn right at the bridge over the Gordon Town River, and a bumpy half-hour drive takes you to neatly arranged MAVIS BANK. Nestled in the Yallahs River valley, it's the last full-scale settlement on the route to Blue Mountain Peak. There's little to the tiny village itself; the main attraction is the government-owned JABLUM coffee factory (Mon-Fri 9.30-11.30am & 12.30-3.30pm; US$8; tours by appointment on 876/977-8015) on the west side. The factory is Jamaica's main Blue Mountain coffee-processing plant, and an engaging tour takes you through the whole process.

The main reason to visit Mavis Bank, however, is hiking up to Blue Mountain Peak. As only the sturdiest of Land Rovers can take the abominable road up to Penlyne Castle, where the peak trail starts, it's best to make arrangements in advance; contact Sun Venture, which will take care of everything, or call one of the lodges at the base of the trail, and arrange for a pickup, which costs J$1500 one-way per vehicle. You can stay at Forres Park (phone: 876/927-8275 or 5957, fax 978-6942, ; US$50-75), a delightful collection of self-contained wood cabins set around a large house that holds simple, comfortable rooms with private bathrooms. Meals are available on request (non-guests are also welcome).

From Mavis Bank, it's a fabulous drive up to Penlyne Castle, just over five miles northeast. On the way up, you'll turn left through HAGLEY GAP - a one-street village where you can buy provisions and get a hot meal - after which you'll traverse one of the least road-like roads in Jamaica, with huge gullies carved through the clay by coursing water and a constant scree of small boulders in your path. At some 4500 feet above sea level, PENLYNE CASTLE is a completely different world, where wind whistles through eucalyptus trees and mists billow over the mountainside only to evaporate in the sun. You're unlikely to meet anyone save the odd coffee-grower or scallion farmer. The only buildings of note are the two hiking hostels; of these, Whitfield Hall (phone: 876/926-6612 or 927-0986; bunks up to US$25, cabin US$50-75) is the most atmospheric, set in an old stone planters' house, with a grand piano, a log fire, low ceilings and a pre-war kitchen. You sleep in bunks or in a self-contained cottage.

A few hundred yards down the road is the more comfortable Wildflower Lodge (phone: 876/929-5394; bunk up to US$25, private rooms US$25-50, cottage US$50-75), a modern two-storey house set in gorgeous flowered gardens. Bedding choices include private double rooms with bathrooms as well as bunk beds and a self-contained cottage; there's also a gift-shop, cavernous kitchen and dining room. Another option, on the hillside just below Wildflower, is the simple, friendly guesthouse run by local Rasta Jah B (phone: 876/773-6638), where bunk beds cost US$12 and meals are available. Whichever lodge you choose, it's a good idea to arrange to have a hot meal ready for your return. Any of the lodges will be able to provide a peak guide for around US$50.

The highest point on the island, Blue Mountain Peak (7402ft) seems daunting but isn't the fearful climb you might imagine - though it's hardly a casual stroll, either. It's magnificent by day, thrilling by night. From Penlyne Castle, the climb to the peak is around eight miles and can take anything from three to six hours depending on your fitness level. Most people start at around 1am and catch sunrise at the peak (at around 5.15 to 6.15am, depending on the time of year). If you synchronize your walk with a full moon, you'll get beautiful natural floodlighting - but take a flashlight anyway. Regular signposts make the route easy to follow without the aid of a guide, but in this remote area it's sensible to go with someone who knows their way. Don't stray onto any of the tempting "short cuts" - it's illegal, you'll damage the sensitive environment, and you'll almost certainly get lost.

The Portland Gap ranger station, around a third of the way up, offers the opportunity to refill your water bottles. From here it's another three and a half miles to the peak. At around 7000ft, the plateau at Lazy Man's Peak is where many hikers call it a day, but it's worth struggling on for another twenty minutes, as a far more spectacular panorama awaits you at the peak. As the sun burns off the mist, you can make out Cinchona and, on a good day, Buff Bay and Port Antonio's Navy Island to the north and Kingston, Portmore and coastal St Thomas to the south.

Jamaica Travel Guide
Montego Bay, Kingston, Ocho Rios, Negril, Blue Mountains, Portland

Caribbean Travel Guide