First published: 15/06/23.

Clyde 0

The Scotland District Of Barbados

The Scotland District of Barbados (On tentative list)

The Scotland District of Barbados by Clyde

I visited this tWHS in January 2023 by rental car which at least at the moment is necessary to cover as much ground as possible by getting to different viewpoints and to try to explore the area on foot (when at all possible).

When in Barbados the Scotland District is only sparsely signposted at St. Andrew's Parish thanks to the local Lions Club. Since this tWHS is mainly about the site's unique geological characteristics, unless you're a geologist, you might be better off trying to grasp its importance from a couple of viewpoints. The Scotland District is based at the top of an underwater mountain range which stretches all the way from Trinidad in the south to Puerto Rico further north in the Caribbean chain, and is the only location in the range which is above water. What you can actually see from a viewpoint is a protruding half bowl relatively close to the sea, with the only highlands of Barbados.

The Scotland District has rock formations from around 30-50 million years ago which have been created by tectonic movement and erosion. They are composed mainly of clay, chalk and volcanic ash and run through the parishes of St. John, St. Joseph and St. Andrew. Due to its land composition, the Scotland District is more prone to landslides than any other part of Barbados (so do keep this in mind if you happen to visit after a very rainy day). This is one of the reasons why it is not largely used for agriculture like other parts of Barbados.

The easiest viewpoints are found around the highest "peak" in Barbados, Mount Hillaby, at only 340 metres, with lots of pot holes, bumps and plenty of sneaky green monkeys especially in the overgrown areas, and from the great panoramic spot of Scotland View Bar at Indian Grounds, quite popular with locals in the weekend (but it might require a heads-up during weekdays or you risk finding the owner having a siesta!). The best place for a pleasant hike is at the Walkers Reserve (officially closed on Sundays), which is also a quiet spot for a dip at Walkers Beach, although I'm not sure you'll be able to grasp much about this tWHS from here.

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