The Craighton Estate Great House Tour was one of the many activities promoted as part of the Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee celebrations. The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival is an event that occurs annually. Many coffee lovers gather to celebrate and enjoy the world's best coffee.
My family and I saw the tour being advertised and figured it would be a pleasant Sunday afternoon pursuit. So we made the reservation and journeyed to the estate!
However, before we dive into our adventure I'll share some facts below on Craighton Estate.
ABOUT CRAIGHTON ESTATE & PLANTATION
Located 2600 feet above sea level
The Craighton Estate is 200 years old
It is one of Jamaica's National Historical Treasures
The Craighton house was built in the year 1805
It is a Georgian style house
The estate is owned by the Ueshema Coffee Company based in Japan
Majority of the Craighton Estate coffee is exported to Japan & only sold on the property
The coffee is manually harvested by locals living in the surrounding communities, the majority of which are females
JOURNEY TO THE ESTATE
Craighton Estate is located in Irish Town, St. Andrew. It is a thirty to thirty-five-minute drive from Kingston ( Papine). While driving to Irish Town you will pass a few popular sites such as Cafe Blue and Strawberry Hill Hotel.
The drive up to Irish Town is always a stimulating one. The air is nice and crisp and sections of Kingston can be viewed throughout the journey. The roads are generally narrow and windy in some parts. The estate is tagged in google maps so you can bank on finding this location with that additional help. #thanksGoogle!
On approaching the location you will see a large Craighton Estate sign and a slope leading up to the property.
GREAT HOUSE & PLANTATION TOUR
To start the tour, we were greeted by our guide, Jerome. We were shown around the great house and enlightened about its history. The Georgian-style house hosted dignitaries, clergymen, and, Jamaica's governors. In the house, you will see antique furniture, old paintings, vintage bed linen, and dated bathrooms to mirror the plantation's history.
After the house tour, we then went on to the coffee plantation tour where we were educated about Jamaica's coffee and how it is grown and processed.
The journey through the plantation felt therapeutic as we were surrounded by luscious vegetation mixed with fresh air from the mountains. The walk was more like a mini-hike as we were going uphill. There were stepping stones and a mixture of wooden and metal handrails that lined the path making the terrain manageable for everyone. Our guide lead the way while he spoke about Jamaica's coffee culture and he stopped at intervals to show us the different types of coffee plants.
A wooden gazebo marked the end of the hike. We sat down to a panoramic view of the city of Kingston and we could also glimpse a view of Newcastle. The gazebo was a good rest stop before we made our way back to the great house.
Of note-On arriving at the estate, there was a light drizzle that came down a little heavier. This didn't stop the tour as our guide Jerome gave us umbrellas and we trodded along. The weather does go from sunny to rainy then sunny again throughout the day. We went at midday as that was the best time slot for us on this particular day.
After the hike, we returned to the great house where we sat by the balcony and enjoyed a fresh cup of Blue Mountain Coffee with some delicious Jamaican rum cake. There was an assortment of cake, coffee, milk, and sugar available to us while we gained more knowledge about the chronicles of coffee and how it made its way to our island, Jamaica.
Overall the tour naturally takes about an hour or more depending on the time or the weather for the day.
The Craighton Estate Great House and Coffee Plantation Tour was a refreshing experience. The tour was very educational and our guide was knowledgeable about all aspects of the property, plantation, and the history of Jamaica's Blue Mountain Coffee.
This tour is great for family, friends, school tours, and large or small groups of any kind. This tour generally attracts visitors from across the world as well as our locals who have an interest in learning about the production of one of the best coffee beans in the world.
Tour Information :
Cost : JM$2350 for residents | US$25 for non-residents
Phone # : 876-292-3773
Email - bedalton@gmail.com
Videos and more pictures of the Great House and Coffee Plantation tour are posted on all social media platforms. For in-depth viewing of the great house and coffee plantation follow on IG & Tiktok @shani.pani.