The Body Pond Valley
Level: Moderate Cross Country
Duration: 40 min (Bendals to Swetes)
Distance: 5 Km approx.
This trail links the village of Bendals, about five kilometers to the south of St John's to the village of Swetes on Fig Tree Drive. It is a very nice alternative way to or back from St John's if you have a mountain bike and dont want to ride in the traffic of the main road – and fancy a bit of adventure. This road/track goes through some very secluded bush areas - not really adviseable for lone female riders. There is a plan to redevelop the watershed area (the track follows a wide vallley, once dammed at various intervals, that collects most of the rain fall in south western Antigua), and to create a nature reserve with a number of trails around the ponds. So far, there has been little achieved aside from a few very lonely billboards and tagged trees, but good things take time to mature in the tropics and this idea is certainly good.
Body Pond Valley and Mc Nish Mountain from Buckleys
The trail description starts from Bendals Village; additional information for those riding from Falmouth is at the end.
Leaving St John's, follow the signs to Bendals. The road there takes a slightlty more inland route than the main road to Jolly Harbour, but has little traffic. When arriving at Bendals, stick to the road you are on. Do not turn left or right,until you start riding up a small hill at the southern end of the village, at the top of which the tarmac stops.
This is where the fun beggins. Ignore the first dirt track to the left, and take the second turn off, also to the left. You will see on the way, a poster describing the scope of the watershed rehabilitation program, with a map of little relevance at this stage. If rather then turning left you continue straight here, you will find other tracks going up towards Mc Nish mountain (but not to the top of it), to an other hill dam (Hamilton Dam) and to the village of Sawcolt, further along Fig Tree drive.
Leaving St John's, follow the signs to Bendals. The road there takes a slightlty more inland route than the main road to Jolly Harbour, but has little traffic. When arriving at Bendals, stick to the road you are on. Do not turn left or right,until you start riding up a small hill at the southern end of the village, at the top of which the tarmac stops.
This is where the fun beggins. Ignore the first dirt track to the left, and take the second turn off, also to the left. You will see on the way, a poster describing the scope of the watershed rehabilitation program, with a map of little relevance at this stage. If rather then turning left you continue straight here, you will find other tracks going up towards Mc Nish mountain (but not to the top of it), to an other hill dam (Hamilton Dam) and to the village of Sawcolt, further along Fig Tree drive.
From this turn off, the track is more or less level, with big ruts and potholes filling with water after the rains; it follows a power line. After a couple of kilometers you will see a cute brightly painted lonesome little hut up on the hill side on the right. Keep going as the track grows narrower and follows the south west side of the valley, occasionaly going up and down small hills on the valley side.
You will eventually reach the nature reserve car park (!!), that is if the flimsy cardboard sign still identifies it, and the nature reserve itself. It is very unlikely that you will see anyone else around here. The once concreted track will take you by the ponds and dams, with a few steep climbs and drops. Be careful, there is a large 2 meter deep sinkhole right in the middle of the track! You will meander along the hillside, and the trail will soon becomes car driveable again with a few tracks branching off towards farmed fields in the valley.
Stick to the main track, and a few more hundred meters will bring you to the first houses and Fig Tree drive. Turn to the left on the main road and you will soon reach Swetes proper and the junction to the main Falmouth/ St John's road.
Coming the other way, that is from the village of Swetes, follow the first kilometer or so along Fig Tree drive. You will very soon see a cricket ground on the left, and a house painted bright blue on the right. There is no sign, but this is the turn off towards Bendals.
The main track will take you there, although going this way you might get confused by turn offs (to the right) used by farmers. You should follow a once concrete surfaced road, in very poor condition, with little or no sign of car traffic (thanks to the sink hole), following the south western side of the valley till you reach the ponds. A GPS might help.
A detailed map of west Antigua can be found here (warning: large file!)
Coming the other way, that is from the village of Swetes, follow the first kilometer or so along Fig Tree drive. You will very soon see a cricket ground on the left, and a house painted bright blue on the right. There is no sign, but this is the turn off towards Bendals.
The main track will take you there, although going this way you might get confused by turn offs (to the right) used by farmers. You should follow a once concrete surfaced road, in very poor condition, with little or no sign of car traffic (thanks to the sink hole), following the south western side of the valley till you reach the ponds. A GPS might help.
A detailed map of west Antigua can be found here (warning: large file!)
