I visited the Scotland District in August 2022. Well, what we WH travellers know as the Scotland District at least. To most people in and from Barbados, the Scotland District is unknown. Show it on a map, show a picture, and they will recognise it as Mount Hillaby, the highest point in Barbados. When you just drive through this sparsely-populated part of Barbados, there is nothing that catches the eye. Most people will tick this TWHS off on the way to more popular tourist destinations and other TWHS locations, such as St. Nicholas’ Abbey. Having read the previous review of the Scotland District TWHS, I was not particularly excited to go out of my way and visit. 

However, all things changed when I visited Harrison’s Cave, which is located in the center of the island about 30 minutes driving from Bridgetown. This cave is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Barbados and rightfully so. The entrance fee is very steep, a whopping 57 USD, or 114 Barbadian dollars. One inside the cave, however, the visitor learns about the interesting geology of Barbados. While all Caribbean islands are volcanic or continental in nature, Barbados is actually the highest peak of a sub-marine mountain range streching the full Caribbean. As such, it is the only Caribbean island that is tectonic. 

Harrison’s Cave is by far the best way to appreciate Barbados’ geological uniqueness and the train ride through the cave system is complemented by very informational videos. All in all, I do understand this site’s OUV, it just takes a little bit of effort (and money) to appreciate it. 

A visit to the cave is best combined with a visit to some of the locations of the Industrial Heritage TWHS. Together, this makes for a very interesting and diverse day trip from Bridgetown or the resorts and hotels on the beach. The cave should always be within 45 minutes driving from any location in Barbados, as it is located very centrally. When you are near the cave, also make sure to pay attention to the gullies, such as the Welchman Hall Gully, which are small ravines that are home to tropical trees and wild monkeys.