Why this ride
An 81 km round trip from Kingston - roughly 2 h 29 in the saddle. On the way it passes Blue and John Crow Mountains and back through Blue and John Crow Mountains.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Kingston afternoon · Blue and John Crow Mountains
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 81 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 2 h 29
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Kingston
Kingston lies in a bowl between the Blue Mountains and a long sandbar called the Palisadoes, which curls out to shelter one of the finest natural harbours in the Caribbean. About a million people live in the city and its surrounds, and the first thing to remember is that Jamaica drives on the left, so if you arrive from Europe you are fine and if you arrive from anywhere else, take the first roundabout very carefully. Traffic in town is quick, honking is a language, and minibuses stop wherever somebody waves.
Read the complete Kingston write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Kingston is where the day begins. Next is Blue and John Crow Mountains.
2. Blue and John Crow Mountains
The Blue and John Crow Mountains rise behind Kingston to a ridge that is often wrapped in cloud, and the highest point, Blue Mountain Peak, stands at 2,256 metres, which makes it the tallest in Jamaica by a distance. The range was listed by UNESCO in 2015 for both its wildlife and its history, and the history is the unusual part. These slopes were a refuge for the Maroons, descendants of enslaved people who escaped the plantations and held the hills against British soldiers for generations, finally winning a treaty in the eighteenth century. Their communities still exist, and their tradition of independence is part of the landscape.
Read the complete Blue and John Crow Mountains write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Blue and John Crow Mountains comes up 18 km in. Next is Blue and John Crow Mountains.
3. Blue and John Crow Mountains
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Blue and John Crow Mountains write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
35 km in you reach Blue and John Crow Mountains. Next is back through Blue and John Crow Mountains.
4. back through Blue and John Crow Mountains
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Blue and John Crow Mountains write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Blue and John Crow Mountains, late in the day. Next is Kingston.
5. Kingston
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Kingston write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Kingston. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Kingston to Blue and John Crow Mountains
Kingston → Blue and John Crow Mountains is 35 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Blue and John Crow Mountains to Kingston
back through Blue and John Crow Mountains → Kingston is 35 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.