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Grand Etang Lake and Forest
Reserve
We started the day
at the Interpretation Centre at Grand Etang. We had been told to take a bag of
fruit and lay it out on the fence and a troop of Mona Monkeys would come to
feast. We had also been told that if we looked as though we were going to steal
the fruit they would give us a good slap. Looking forward to this I asked my
Captain to do his "Monkey Whispering" as he had been so successful with the
tortoises in Guadeloupe, but despite his "Wooooooooooo
Woooooooooooooooaaaaing" nothing happened. I
think they are deaf and I had no help whatsoever from my compatriot.
So we went to sit by Lake Etang for a
picnic.
Grand Etang Lake,
The picnic supervisor and our little hire car.
The most popular area in Grenada for hiking and trekking
is undoubtedly the rainforest around the Grand Etang Forest Reserve, high up in
the mountains of the island's interior. Grand Etang's varied elevations and
terrains maintain several different ecological subsystems, culminating in the
elfin woodlands high up the slopes of the reserve's central mountains. The focal
point of the forest reserve is Grand Etang Lake, which fills the crater of one
of the island's extinct volcanoes. The rainforest around the lake holds a
stupendously rich diversity of flora and fauna. Colourful tropical birds, tiny
frogs and lizards, and rare orchids punctuate the dense rainforest vegetation,
and the trails meander around the area's stunning waterfalls as well as the
azure waters of Grand Etang Lake.
Grand Etang's flora
includes towering mahogany and giant gommier trees as well as a multitude of
ferns, tropical flowers, and other indigenous plants. The lush vegetation
provides shelter for a wide variety of animals, particularly for the island's
many species of birds. The broad-winged hawk (known here as the gree-gree),
Lesser Antillean swift, Antillean euphonia, purple-throated carib, Antillean
crested hummingbird (known as the little doctor bird), and the Lesser Antillean
tanager (known as the soursop) are all common sights. In addition, the Grand
Etang is populated by plenty of frogs and lizards, as well as playing host to
opossums, armadillos, mongooses, and the mona
monkey.
Hikes at Grand Etang range
from easy 15-minute jaunts to rigorous expeditions of several hours. The trails
are quite good, and the Forest Reserve provides excellent guides (both written
and human). The reserve's hikes include:
Honeymoon
Falls
The Morne LaBaye Trail
This brief and easy walk takes about fifteen
minutes.
The Ridge and Lake Circle Trail
The Lake Circle Trail takes about half an hour, winds
down to and around the perimeter of Grand Etang Lake. In addition
to outstanding views of the lake itself this trail wends down through trees
bedecked with hibiscus and the island's many varieties of wild orchids, which
grow on the trees for support.
Mt. Qua Qua Trail
One of the central mountains of Grenada's interior range, Mt. Qua Qua
rises to a height of over 2,370 ft. The trail to and along its ridge passes by
Grand Etang Lake and then rises up to the higher altitudes, cooler temperatures
and elfin mountain forests of the upper slopes. Hiking the trail takes about an
hour and a half, with frequently steep and sometimes slippery sections that
require some caution. One of the primary attractions of this walk, in addition
to the panoramic prospects available from its occasional clearings, is that it
provides a comprehensive introduction to the varied plant and animal life of
both the rainforest and mountain ecosystems of Grand
Etang.
Lower two of the Seven Sisters
Seven Sisters Trail
So named because it passes by seven of Grand Etang's beautiful mountain
waterfalls, which are nestled in the profuse emerald vegetation of the
rainforest. The trail takes about three hours, even for experienced hikers, but
for those who are up to it the Seven Sisters is well worth the effort. Starting
in an area of banana and nutmeg cultivation, the trail quickly plunges into some
of the most attractive virgin forest on the island. As this hike can be
difficult a guide is recommended.
Fedon's Mountain & Concord Falls
Advanced hikers and trekkers (not us) should not forego the opportunity to
take these two more substantial hikes, which link to the Mt. Qua Qua Trail in
Grand Etang. The Concord Falls trail branches off
from the Mt. Qua Qua Trail after about an hour, leading down through rainforest
canopy, over hilltops and gurgling brooks, to bring you to the triple cascades
of the Concord Falls. The lowest of the three is a very popular swimming area,
camping spot, and tourist attraction, with modern facilities surrounding its
generous swimming area. The upper falls, about twenty minutes' hike up the
river, are definitely worth the short walk, as they are much less visited and
even more beautiful. The 40 ft/12 m cascade plunges down through the thick
vegetation to an inviting pool that offers a much more tranquil swim than you
will find at the lower falls. The third and uppermost of the three cascades of
Concord Falls lies considerably higher up the mountain and requires about two
hours further hiking.
Branching off from the
Concord Falls Trail before it reaches the cascades is the short but demanding
path leading up to the cave-like recess of Fedon's Camp. The camp was the
strategic base of Julien Fedon, a Grenadian of French origins who led a slave
uprising against the British in 1765. This well-maintained but arduous trail
takes you deep into the very heart of the Grand Etang rainforest, through shady
groves mahogany, teak, and many of Grenada's other tree species. Giant ferns and
birdlife abound here, including the green-throated carib and the yellow-billed
cuckoo.
A guide is recommended for
both the Fedon's Mountain and the Concord Falls treks.
Levera National Park
The 450-acre Levera National Park is Grenada's most
scenic and spectacular coastal area. Its picture-perfect
beach is popular at weekends, and its lagoon is one of the most
important wildlife habitats on the island. Consisting of an extensive mangrove
swamp, the lagoon is a haven for an abundance of bird species,
including herons, black-necked stilts and common snipes. Levera's marine
areas have outstanding coral reefs and sea grass beds that shelter lobsters,
beautiful reef fishes. The beaches are also a hatchery for sea turtles, which
are protected from May to September (own blog).
Lake Antoine National Landmark
This shallow crater lake, like Grand Etang, is host to a wide
variety of wildlife. The lake's perimeter trail, a beautiful walk in itself, is
another of Grenada's excellent attractions for birdwatchers. Among the species
frequently sighted are the snail kite, the fulvous whistling-duck, large-billed
seed-finch, gray kingbird and limpkin.
ALL IN ALL WE ARE AWED
AT THE BEAUTY WE HAVE FOUND HERE IN
GRENADA
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