The good, the bad, and the very ugly.
near Saint Augustine, Tunapuna/Piarco (Republic of Trinidad and Tobago)
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Trail photos
Itinerary description
Follow the trail back down and along St. John’s Road. From the junction at St. John’s Road and the Eastern Main Road at 10.64514° N and -61.39586° W turn left heading 109° along the Eastern Main Road through Tunapuna, Macoya, El Dorado, Tacarigua, and Five Rivers. Through El Dorado you’ll encounter Caura Royal Road at 10.64584° N and -61.37194° W. This road leads to the popular Caura River and the Caura Chest Hospital. Through Tacarigua you’ll go past the St. Mary’s Children’s Home at 10.64544° N and -61.63807° W and the St. Mary’s Anglican Church at 10.64489° N and -61.36778° W. Five Rivers Junction is the turning point of this trek and it is located at 10.63946° N and -61.34986° W. From here turn right heading 311° along the Priority Bus Route. This is primarily used by buses and mass transit vehicles running the East-West Corridor but it used to be an old train line. Turn left heading 195° onto Golden Grove Road at the junction located at 10.63475° N and -61.36774° W. It’s fairly straightforward to follow Golden Grove Road onto the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway. Keep right heading 165° at 10.64046° N and -61.36825° W and then left heading 208° at 10.64000° N and -61.36728° W. Turn right heading 288° at the junction located at 10.63588° N and -61.37108° W onto the highway. Follow this awful highway heading west and onto Watts Street at 10.63706° N and -61.39470° W toward the University of the West Indies campus at St. Augustine. I entered the campus at the South Gate at 10.63799° N and -61.39918° W and did the walking loop through the campus. I exited at the South Gate after the loop and turned right heading 278° along Watts Street. Then turn right heading 5° onto Evans Street at 10.63558° N and -61.40797° W. Continue heading 336° at the junction located at 10.64851° N and -61.40681° W to Curepe. Then turn right heading 25° along the Southern Main Road at 10.64990° N and -61.40963° W. Then turn right heading 111° onto the Eastern Main Road at 10.65002° N and -61.40960° W. Follow back to St. John’s Road and onto the starting point.
So there are very good sections of this trek, namely the leg up to the col along the forest trail. This leg of the trek through suburbia is “very bad” because of the dilapidated state of the sidewalks, irate drivers, and no shade from the intense sunshine. Along the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway is just plain ugly. The small segment through UWI is a lot better but has zero gradient. It should be done early morning or late evening because of the long lengths of time being exposed to direct sunshine.
Happy Trails.
Waypoints
Starting Point.
This is the starting point of of trek starts at the corner of St. John’s Trace and St. John’s Road in St. Augustine at 10.65559° N and -61.39457° W.
Mt. St. Benedict Monastery.
This way point sits out front of Mt. St. Benedict Monastery....
Usual Turning Point.
This way point sits at a rock outcropping that I would usually turn around at because the rest of the trail through the dense forest onto Mt. Tabor is overgrown.
St. John's Road Junction.
This way point marks the intersection between St. John's Road and the Eastern Main Road...
St Mary's Anglican Church.
This way point sits in front of the St Mary's Anglican Church.
Five Rivers Junction.
This way point sits at the Five Rivers Junction just opposite the Arouca Police Station.
Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.
This way point sits at the corner of the Eastbound lane of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway and Golden Grove Road.
The University of the West Indies.
This way point sits at the South Gate entrance to the University of the West Indies at St. Augustine.
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Information
Easy to follow
Scenery
Moderate
The first leg of the trek through the forest is simply amazing... Lots of birds and great scenery.... The last legs, with the exception of the loop through the University is just plain awful...