Christianna

A small community near the highest reaches of Manchester Parish, Christiana is a quiet town with one main drag and a single guest house. The most popular attraction in town is Christiana Bottom, a gorge located within walking distance from the center of the small village. Gourie State Park (contact Trevor Anderson for guiding services, tel. 876/964-5088, cell tel. 876/771-4222 or 876/292-4631, trevormanderson@hotmail.com, US$20 per person) is a recreational area on government land managed by Jamaica's Forestry Department, located between Christiana and Colleyville, about two miles past Christiana. Immediately after passing Bryce United Church, take the first left turn and then the first right until reaching the unmanned Forestry Department station and picnic area. Gourie Cave, the highlight of the park, is not actually inside the park but rather about a quarter mile down the hill to the left of the park entrance. By the cave entrance there's a picnic and camping area with a hut and tables and benches. There is one main trail through the park that leads to the community of Ticky Ticky, with excellent views along the way of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Spur Tree Hill, and the historic Bethany Moravian Church.

Gourie Cave was a hideout for runaway slaves. The cave follows the channels of an underground river about three to four feet deep, depending on how much rain has fallen. If you go north from the entrance and upstream against the current, you end up on the other side of Colleyville Mountain. A different route leads downstream along the underground river, deep into the earth where there are several caverns along the way. If you're going to be exploring in the cave, you should monitor the weather and be aware of any fronts on the horizon. It's not wise to venture into the cave alone. Contact Trevor Anderson for his guide services.

In Christiana Bottom, there's a Blue Hole fed from underground streams with two waterfalls dumping into the pool. There's another waterfall at William Hole farther downstream. To get to Christiana Bottom coming from Mandeville, turn right immediately after the NCB bank on Moravia Road, then take the first left around a blind corner, and then the first right, which leads to Christiana Bottom. Continue past the first left that leads to Tyme Town and park at the entrance to the second left, a wide path that leads down to the river. Ask for Mr. Jones for a guided tour (US$20) of Blue Hole and William Hole and his farm, where he grows ginger, yam, potato, pineapple, bananas, and sugarcane.