The beauty of YS Falls knows no bounds. - photos by Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Up, up the rocky hills with trees hovering on either side of teh road, the air is fresh and lightly scented by fresh blooms while forest birds and animals sing their merry tunes. At the end of the journey in the hills of St. Elizabeth is the YS Falls. It's a taste of paradise.

YS is the shortest place name in Jamaica. The origin of the name has been debated for decades. One version states that it derives from the Gaelic word 'wyess' meaning, winding and twisting. The other is said to originate in 1684 when Lt. Col. Richard Scott and his partner John Yates named the farm 'YS' by combining the initials of both surnames.

Throughout the centuries, the property has passed through various owners. Currently, Mr. Simon Browne and other family members are the proud owners of the property. In 1882, the property went into bankruptcy and was held under the jurisdiction of the Encumbered Estate in London. In 1887, John Browne (great uncle of the present owner travelled to England to purchase a property in St. Ann. However, on arrival in London, the farm in St. Ann had been sold. In order not to make the trip in vain, he purchased YS farm from the list of Encumbered Estates.

In 1887, the farm was about 8,000 acres, but over the years parts of the property have been sold, leaving about 2,000 acres. The falls opened to the public in the late '80s. The YS River originates in the Cockpit Country and flows into the Black River, it is also subsidised by many springs. One of the springs on the property is the original source of water for the town of Black River.

At the location, a wooden building houses the office, ticket outlet, restrooms, gift shop and an eatery. To get to the falls, you have to take a 10-minute ride on the jitney (tractor with a carriage attached at the back). It's a bumpy ride, you are tossed from side to side like taking a ride on a roller coaster. On the way down, there is a stud farm with thoroughbred racehorses, also the home to Jamaica's 11-time champion thoroughbred sire, Exotic Traveller.

It is a scenic ride down, offering visitors a taste of the real rustic side of Jamaica. Several trees provide beautification and shade as you journey and between them you get a glimpse of the water gushing down stream. The sound of the river is accompanied by chirping birds and wind whispering through the trees.

The fun begins

Let loose the 'Tarzan' in you and take a swing from the rope to the pool.

Hop off the jitney, put on your swimsuit and get cracking. You have a number of choices: you can either kick back in the natural pool or take a hike up the 120-foot waterfall consisting of seven tiers that cascade into natural pools. Or, you can climb on a rope that hangs over one of the deeper sections of one of the pools then jump off making a big splash in the water.

But, if you are the more adventurous type and need an adrenaline rush, have a swing on the canopy from the top of the fall to the bottom. There is also river tubing but unfortunately this is not available from December through to April because the water pressure is low.

The property is closed to the public on Mondays, public holidays, in May (during Calabash) because it is the rainy season and is generally a slow period. And in October. Mr. Simon Browne notes that they close on public holidays because of the crowd and they cannot watch everyone. It is closed in October for repairs. He told Lifestyle that wooden buildings, pavement and steps that run along the fall are in keeping with the rainforest-like appearance sur-rounding the property. The number of visitors is monitored to ensure that the natural beauty of YS is not destroyed by the inquisitive.

After a full day of fun and toning up from climbing the falls, relax on wooden chairs outside the souvenir shop or unleash your inner child by taking a turn on the swings.

Be adventurous and ride on the canopy from the top of the fall to the end while absorbing the breathtaking view.

Take aride on the jitney, it may be a bumpy one but quite fun. - photos by Ian Allen/Staff Photographer