Westmoreland: swamps and very much sugarcane...

Just before the little village Whitehouse we come into the last parish of our round-trip. Swamps and extensive with sugarcane mark Westmoreland. The eastern part of Westmoreland is hilly; the western part is almost flat. Savanna-La-Mar is the only reasonable big village in this parish (and capital of the parish), in which tourism is only slowly developing.

Whitehouse
Just before driving into Whitehouse you see on your left side Southsea Park. This project of Marbell Construction and Development Ltd. exists of a luxury villa park with splendid houses.
In the near future the park will be completed with cottages and a hotel. Southsea Park has its own beach, not too vast but nice and quiet.
Whitehouse is a large fishing village and a fine place to feel the provincial coastal life. The village is an important furnisher of fresh fish that is caught on the Pedro Banks, some 130 km out of the coast. So, you have to be here for lobster, kingfish, snapper, barracuda and tunny.

The road from Whitehouse to Bluefields is one concatenation of drowsy villages. Fishing is the living for most of the habitants of these villages and it is easy to ascertain, seeing the booths along the road where very much lobster is offered.
One of these villages is Aunchindown where the remnants of a castle out of the 19th century can be visited. It was built by the Scotchman Archibald Campbell who laid out a big spices-plantation around the castle.


Peter Tosh
Just before Bluefields you pass Belmont. You pass this in one single moment but on the right side of the road there is a sign with the text: "Peter Tosh Monument" .
The grave of Peter McIntosh is situated some 50 m. land inward hidden under the trees. The reggae star was born in Belmont and became world famous with Bob Marley and the Wailers and with his own solo career later on.
A Peter Tosh museum is under construction but, as so often, the project is running out of money and the built foundation becomes overgrown by trees and plants slowly. The mother of Tosh is still alive and lives in a house on the top of the hill. Still today she is very proud that the grave of her son is visited so often.

Bluefields is the next fishing village that we pass. It has a most charming beach (Bluefields Beach Park). It is not vast and rather narrow but the beach is running down into the sea only slowly and you can have a good swim there. There are several provisions that make a day off on the beach attractive.
The Shafston Great House was restored in 1990 and nowadays is a guest house. It was build probably around 1850 as a sugar plantation. Today Shafston offers tourist accomodation for every budget and it's worth a visit (see also places to stay).

'Sav'
The A2 follows the coastline till close to Ferris Cross. From here you can take the B8 direction Montego Bay, a beautiful route through the hills of the inland.
We follow the A2 for a short time and come in the capital of Westmoreland. Not many historical buildings are to see in Savanna-La-Mar (The local habitants call it 'Sav'). Two heavy hurricanes in 1912 and 1948 destroyed the main part of this coastal town. When you do your utmost here and there you can find something out of these times gone. Opposite the Court House stands a wrought iron fountain that was granted by a rich plantation owner.
The Court House itself was built in 1925 and the Savanna-La-Mar Parish Church owns an impressive organ. On the waterfront the remains of the Fort Savanna-La-Mar can be found. However, the fort never was completed. The market and the supermarket of Sav-La-Mar is a meeting place for everyone from the surroundings. In the many stands fruit, vegetables, sugarcane juice and jerk is offered.


In Savanna-La-Mar you can take the B9 direction Lucea. The road brings you, amongst other villages in Frome, a small village with an illustrious past.

And cane becomes sugar
A lot of commotion arose in the thirties when the Frome Sugar Factory was established here. Small farmers were afraid that their own small business was condemned and they revolted against this industry. Somewhat later the revolt spread all over the island and in this period Alexander Bustamante turned out to be a great trade-union leader. Apart from this Frome has a pretty church. The St. Barnabas Anglican Church is worth visiting.

The route from Sav-La-Mar leads right across the sugarcane fields. Sometimes it looks as though there is no end to this. You cross the Cabarita River where in the past the just gathered sugarcane was transported to the coast on rafts. Nowadays you can make a boat trip right across the plantations and the swamps.

Little London too is dependent to the sugar-industry. Should you have the impression that you meet many Indians here, which do fit in indeed. The greater part of the local population are descendants of the Indians who were fetched to Jamaica in the 19th century to take over the work from the manumitted slaves. There is not much to see in the town itself, it is a real working village where the people go to the plantations early in the morning and come back again in the evening.

Close to Negril again
A few kilometers further on the left side are the Negril Hills situated. These low hills can be found between the A2 and the coastline and are pretty untouched and rather few people live there. In the hills the remains of Whitehall Great House are situated. This plantation house burnt down in 1985. One of the biggest cotton trees is standing near the house. Not far from Whitehall Great House you find the Negril Hills Golf Club with one of the best golf links in the Caribbean area.
Finally you come back in Negril from where our round-trip through the Parishes of Jamaica began. The village Negril itself is situated in Westmoreland. However, the Normal Manley Blv. and the 7-miles beach run further into Hanover. More about this is described in the Negril section.