Nestled at an elevation of over 3,200 ft, the journey from Guava Ridge to Mavis Bank unveils breathtaking landscapes within a short distance. The town, adorned with Caribbean pines and eucalyptus trees as part of a government reafforestation initiative, offers stunning views of the Yallahs River valley and the Grand Ridge of the Blue Mountain. Scattered along precipitous slopes above the Fall River, Mavis Bank's main street is a lively mix of shops, taverns, and an impromptu garage for trucks.

PUBLISHED THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1972

Jamaica places: Mavis Bank noted for  coffee, friendly people

By Alex D. Hawkes

FROM Guava Ridge, at an elevation of somewhat more than 3,200 ft, the road descends rather quickly, within a distance of only a couple of miles, almost a thousand feet, to Mavis Bank.  This is an unusually handsome country, many of the towering hills rising on all sides being carpeted on their summits and upper slopes with Caribbean pines and eucalyptus trees, as part of the government’s reafforestation programme.

From time to time, one is afforded stupendous views across the awesome broad Yallahs River valley, to several of the towering packs of the Grand Ridge of the Blue Mountain.  The community, a rather busy small one, is scattered all along the precipitous slopes of hills above the Fall River and several small streams which empty into it on its way down to Yallahs.  The main street of Mavis Bank twists down the hillside, and consists of a series of shops and taverns and a seemingly continuous impromptu garage for ailing trucks on the paving right in the midst of everything.

The town seems to have acquired its name from the imposing prominence called Mavis Bank to the median and lower slopes of which, it clings, as seen in one of the accompanying photographs.  This makes for an unusually picturesque site, and this coupled with the generally cool climate, has induced a number of people in Kingston to build country homes in the vicinity, to which some businessmen commute on a regular daily basis.

The region hereabouts is one of intensive agricultural development, with coffee, the famed authentic Blue Mountain variety which is so difficult to obtain in Jamaica, being brought into the community from many adjacent parts.  There is a large coffee factory here, and when it is in operation, the fragrance of the beans pervades the air for some distance around.

CITRUS TREES also abound, some good plantings of cocoa can be seen, pimento trees grace some of the hillsides, and an exceptional number of very large guinep and mango trees occur.  A knitwear factory has been established, and not far from town we find Clinton McGann’s poultry farm, which is, I believe, the island’s largest producer of eggs.

This is certainly a lovely, scenic part of Jamaica.  And one thing I have noticed when travelling to and through Mavis Bank is that the people of the district are notably friendly, conspicuously so, with almost everyone having a greeting and a smile for one. Jamaica Tourist Board, please note.

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