Un vieil ami.

This very delightful trek can be started at the corner of St. John’s Trace and St. John’s Road at 10.65560° N and -61.39447° W. Proceed heading 355° along St. John’s Road. This is a rather steep ascent with no canopy cover. The road is narrow and accommodates two lanes of vehicular traffic as well as pedestrian traffic. Continue following St. John’s Road until St. Michael’s Village Road located 10.66104° N and -61.39208° W turn heading 252° to continue along St. John’s Road. The climb is a bit steeper but the views along this stretch of the walk make the journey worthwhile. You’re afforded great views of the Central plains with Mt. Tamana on the Central Range and on clear days the San Fernando Hill is visible. Some days you’re able to see along the southern coastline along the way to Point Fortin. Along the way you’ll encounter the Regional Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs. This is located at 10.66140° N and -61.39539° W. Continue along St. John’s Road heading 82° and then turn heading 30° at the junction located at 10.66246° N and -61.39520° W to get to Pax Guest House. The Guest House is run by the Monastery and it is located at 10.66270° N and -61.39544° W. From here you would turn heading 96° at the junction located at 10.66245° N and -61.39614° W to get to the Monastery. This is located at 10.66273° N and -61.39610° W. The Monastery is worth exploring or just spending a moment in quiet reflection. Upon leaving the monastery continue heading 287° at the junction located at 10.66251° N and -61.39697° W. This continues along St. John’s Road. The New Life Ministries Drug Rehabilitation Center is located along here at 10.66325° N and -61.39881° W. The “top of the mount” is located at St. Benet’s Hall at 10.66410° N and -61.39911° W. The actual trig marker for Mt. St. Benedict is located at 10.66415° N and -61.40052° W. I started the loop at 10.66410° N and -61.39909° W just north of St. Benet’s Hall. The trail is unmarked except for a green painted rail leading downhill followed by a flight of stairs at 10.66451° N and -61.39906° W. There is a bust of the Virgin Mary located at 10.66442° N and -61.39903° W with a bench in front of it. From here the trail is clearly marked. Follow the pipeline along. The trail proceeds along a suspended walkway built onto the side of the mountain at 10.66599° N and -61.39983° W. The view of the drop below and of the gorge is fantastic from along this walkway. Take care to avoid loose concrete slabs along the walkway path. Just past this bridge there is a very severe landslip at 10.66662° N and -61.39993° W with a very long and steep drop into the gorge below so exercise caution, especially if it rains. There is a spring that has been capped to provide water to the Monastery located at 10.66821° N and -61.39950° W. There is a fork in the trail located at 10.67276° N and -61.39910° W. Turning right leads to the Mt. Tabor ruins and beyond. Continuing left leads back down the mountain. The top of the col is located at 10.66998° N and -61.40189° W with a flat rock out crop that’s great for sitting and enjoying the views of the Maracas St. Joseph Valley below. My favourite picnic spot is located at 10.67070° N and -61.40116° W at an elevation of 467m. It’s a flat clearing in the pine trees. This section of the trail can be very treacherous if it’s raining so exercise caution. The angles of depression are quite steep all along this leg and the trail actually becomes a ravine after any amount of rainfall. At 10.66776° N and -61.40121° W there is a bench that sits at an elevation of 358m. You get quite a lot of very good views from there. It also affords a moment to catch your breath or just connect with nature. There is a fire watch tower located at 10.66678° N and -61.40085° W. The trail exits at the cell phone tower located at 10.66431° N and -61.40034° W...
I re-did this trail on September 1st, 2018 and I found most of it completely overgrown, in some cases as high as 7 feet. There was a few large trees that had recently fallen along sections of the upper trail leading to the col. Care should be taken around these...
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