Lovers’ Leap in ruins after Hurricane Beryl battering
YARDLEY CHASE, St Elizabeth — Historic visitor attraction Lovers’ Leap, perched on the edge of a 1,700-foot cliff in the remote farming village of Yardley Chase, at the south-eastern tip of the Santa Cruz Mountains, was ripped to pieces during the passage of Hurricane Beryl last Wednesday.
When the Jamaica Observer visited the attraction on Friday, two structures that remained with the least damage were the sculptures of the two enslaved lovers and the famous lighthouse.
The attraction is coloured by a centuries-old tale of the enslaved lovers. Legend has it that the couple leapt to their deaths from the cliff’s edge rather than be separated.
Lovers’ Leap Bar and Restaurant, its balcony, and grounds were ripped apart, with the building’s roof now gone.
Although damaged, the facility still commands a spectacular view of the St Elizabeth and south Manchester coastline.
