'Mount Liamuiga' is a
stratovolcano which forms the western part of the island of
Saint Kitts. The peak is the highest point on the island of Saint Kitts, in the federation of
Saint Kitts and Nevis, and in the entire British
Leeward Islands, as well as one of the tallest peaks in the eastern
Caribbean archipelago. The peak is topped by a wide
summit crater, which contained a shallow
crater lake until
1959. As of
2006, the crater lake had re-formed.
[1] The last verified eruptions from the volcano were about 1,800 years ago, while reports of possible eruptions in
1692 and
1843 are considered uncertain.
Mount Liamuiga was formerly named 'Mount Misery'. The renaming took place on the date of St. Kitts' independence,
September 19,
1983. However, many older citizens still refer to it as Mount Misery. The name ''Liamuiga'' is derived from the
Kalinago name for the entire island of St. Kitts, which means, "fertile land."
The mountainsides are covered in farmland and small villages up to the height, after which lush tropical
rainforests drape the slopes until
cloud forest takes over at . Many tours and guided hikes are organized to the peak's summit and surrounding rainforests, usually starting from Belmont Estate in the village of St. Paul's. From the summit, the views are outstanding, including the entire island and the beautiful
Caribbean Sea, as well as the neighbouring islands of
Saba,
Statia,
St. Barths,
St. Martin,
Antigua, and
Nevis.
References
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★
University of the West Indies - Seismic Research Unit: St. Kitts Volcanism (extensive info, photos, and geological maps)
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Climbing a St. Kitts Volcano Morton R. Braun
1. Trek to top of `Mount Misery' is a picnic – even in the rain Roberta Avery
External links
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Peakware: Mount Liamuiga