Shekerley Mountains

About

The Shekerley Mountains are a low mountain range in southwestern Antigua. The range contains all of the highest peaks in Antigua and Barbuda. There are several peaks that are higher than 100 metres (about 300 feet), including Boggy Peak, the tallest. The mountains are the centre of a cultural region known as Round South, and they extend across three parishes– Saint John, Saint Mary, and Saint Paul. The mountains are sparsely populated, with about one-thousand people living in the chain's various communities, most notably in John Hughes. The mountains contain many valleys, including Christian Valley, Orange Valley, and Dark Valley. Historically, many of the island's sugar estates were located in the mountains, although few slaves escaped to the region due to legends of a "boggy man", this being the origin of the name "Boggy Peak". While the origin of the name Shekerley is unknown, it is probably based on a proper name in common with much of the island's other geographic names. It used to be referred to in the possessive form "Shekerley's Mountains" on many maps from the island's early colonisation.

The mountains are located in the volcanic region of Antigua. The range stretches for 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) along the south coast of the island, from Johnsons Point in the west, to Falmouth Harbour in the east. The chain is a proposed conservation site, with some minor areas including the Wallings Forest being an Important Bird Area and national park. The Shekerley Mountains coincide with the Antiguan portion of the Leeward Islands moist forests, and this is the only part of the country with a tropical monsoon climate.