Explore Barbecue Bottom with the panorama below. Just click on it with your mouse and move left or right, up or down. The + and - buttons on the controller (at the bottom left) let you zoom in and out.
Many trails exist in Cockpit Country, but they are generally single-track and follow the contours: they were not developed with ecotourism in mind and, though suitable for small groups, do not have any splendid vistas or major focal points for casual tourism. The Burnt Hill Road is the exception: built in the late 19th century when there was a plan to build a railway from Manchester through Trelawny to the busy port of Falmouth, it follows a major geological fault through Cockpit Country and there is a spectacularly deep ravine on the east side known as Barbecue Bottom (see map). This Road is motorable but traffic is extremely light, amounting to a couple of vehicles per day. It is wide enough to accommodate fairly large groups and has spectacular views of the cockpit karst landscape as well as providing excellent bird watching possibilities, particularly because the steep drop allows birds such as Yellow-billed Parrots to be viewed in flight from above, instead of being dark silhouettes against the sky. The open terrain means that the area is cool and less humid than core Cockpit Country.
Vision
The purpose of this project is to conserve Cockpit Country by a) building capacity in the Local Forest Management Committee b) by diversifying sources of income for the local community and c) by enabling local and overseas visitors to experience, participate in and learn about Cockpit Country's geology, biota and culture. While there are a number of options in the area under consideration, it is suggested that the key component will be the 5 km section of the Burnt Hill Road from Campbells to Barbecue Bottom. The advantages of this component are that it is clearly a spectacular hike, is already used by some intrepid tourists (especially bird watchers) and is suitable for large or small groups. A further advantage is that the entire route and all infrastructure will be on GoJ land.
Methodology
Major components are:
Inventory of tourism-related assets: this would include the Burnt Hill Road itself together with the Barbecue Bottom landscape; biota and associated research data; the Hyde forest reserve (possibilities for hiking and camping); the loop trail from Clarks Town via Campbells, Stonehenge, Kinloss,Gibraltar; cultural assets such as the 1843 post-Emancipation, 'Swanswick Town' which now forms the centre of Clarks Town; the Long Pond sugar estate and various dependent Great Houses; linkages to other tourism products, especially nearby Duanvale and to STEA's Cockpit Country Adventure Tours, based in Albert Town.
Market research to discover which segments of the tourism market should be targeted; possibilities include the cruise ship market (easy access from Falmouth), resort guests from north coast hotels, local (i.e. Jamaican) tourism, back-packers/hikers and schools / tertiary education institutes.
Carrying Capacity study for each option.
Recreational Design, based on market research and the Carrying Capacity study.
Identify training needs and implement this training.
Business Plan.
Marketing Plan.
Interpretation and Signage Design. It is anticipated that large signs will be installed at each site / road junction and that smaller signs will be located every 200 metres or so to highlight particular plant, animal or cultural assets found in the area.
Production of Interpretation material.
Installation of Signage.
Infrastructure Design: it is proposed that the 'main base' for this project be a converted, forty-foot container located on the edge of Hyde Forest Reserve immediately adjacent to the Campbells community on the site of a now-disappeared Foresters' Hut. This container could be divided in two: one for tourism-related activities and the other for Forestry Department storage of, for example, confiscated lumber. It is also proposed that an Interpretation Centre with toilet facilities be located at the Barbecue Bottom overlook point, which is also on FD land; this would be constructed of natural materials and the toilets would be of the composting type. A simple water catchment would be designed into the infrastructure and sanitary wipes would be available for the dry season. It is further proposed that this area be used for forest restoration by visitors, who would pay to plant native trees to offset their carbon footprint.
Construction of infrastructure.
Analysis of Equipment Needs. Because some visitors may not have the time or inclination to hike a total of ten km, and because of the distance between points of major interest, it is anticipated that bicycles will be offered as an option.
Design and Implement a Monitoring Plan.
Community Outreach to ensure that the wider Clarks Town community and Burnt Hill Road users are aware of and sensitised to the development.
