Guest House

Forres Park Guest House provides the ideal base for exploring the Blue Mountains, being situated within an hour's drive of Kingston's international airport and yet at an elevation of 2,500 feet blessed by the mountain ambience of cool starry nights, bright sunny days and awe inspiring dawn views of the Peak itself.

Forres Park's two-story main house has the look of a Swiss mountain chalet in tropical mode, with four cabins nearby, all surrounded by shade-grown coffee. The coffee with its many shade trees, and flowering shrubs added by the late Mr.James Kirlew & Dr. & Mrs. Lyn, provide a range of bird habitats attractive to many species. The upper verandah offers such an array of birds at daybreak that it is sometimes difficult to depart for the nearby trails - all three hummingbird species can be seen - Vervain, Jamaica Mango and Streamertail - along with Orangequits, White-chinned Thrushes, Kingbirds, Flycatchers and numerous North American warblers in their winter quarters.

Hiking

The trails around the house climb up through coffee groves into natural forest. Some easy others less so, offering subtle changes in habitat reflected by changing bird species. Stripe-headed Tanagers and Jamaican Orioles frequent the shade-trees, and further up the hillside Ring-tailed pigeons appear.

By the time you return for a superb breakfast (fresh fruit off the farm and real Blue Mountain coffee!) you will probably have seen at least twenty species. Some will even join you for breakfast.

The network of trails around Forres Park can be used by hikers, some by bikers and some by four-wheel drive vehicles, offering a wide variety of mountain scenery, wildflowers, butterflies and birds.

Further a field, miles of roads and tracks offer access to even higher elevations, sometimes into the clouds themselves. Suitable vehicles and experienced drivers can be provided as needed.

Scenery

The Lyn's own another coffee farm, Abbey Green, which at 5,000 feet elevation is the highest in Jamaica, sitting right under Blue Mountain Peak. Coffee has been growing at Abbey Green for 200 years so it fits into the surrounding forest like an old shoe on its accustomed foot. For the birds, coffee and natural forest are all part of their environment and there is no better place to see birds, especially the shyer woodland spices such as the Chestnut-billed Cuckoo, Rufous-throated Solitaire and Crested Quail Dove - the calls of the Solitaire and Crested Quail Dove are essential parts of the uniqueness of Abbey Green. Here too you are likely to see the most exclusive of all Jamaican birds - the Jamaican blackbird (Wild Pine Sergeant) to give its colloquial name (it feeds exclusively on the insect population of bromeliads attached to large old forest trees - Wild Pines in local parlance.

The drive from Forres Park to Abbey Green passes through spectacular countryside for about an hour before arriving at a place of breathtaking beauty and the recent addition of a small lodge provides an opportunity for small parties to overnight there and be on hand for the spectacular sunrises and dawn chorus from the birds.

Tours and Birdwatching

Forres Park offers a number of activities and tours to it's Guests.

Hiking in the Blue Mountains is a special experience. There are Fauna and Flora that's found no where else in the world.

Birdwatchers may see familiar faces; many North American birds migrate to this part of Jamaica every winter.

Tours

* CINCHONA GARDENS,
* MAVIS BANK COFFEE FACTORY,
* THE SUPREME SUMMIT - BLUE MOUNTAIN PEAK and
* BICYCLE & BIRDWATCHING SPECIALIST
to mention a few.

Rooms feature private baths, & balconies with mountain views and are comfortably furnished.

SPA

Surrounded by the famous Blue Mountain Peak, nestled in the valley of Mavis Bank, Forres Park is home to one of Jamaica’s most earthy spa experiences. The combination of a panoramic Mountain View, cool temperatures, varying sounds of nature and a perfusion of indigenous plants and foliage, this mountain escape offers the best that nature has to offer.Select a Page
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