Planning to visit Barbados? Here's some information on the Scotland District and St. Lucy ( its northernmost parish). It's extracted from the Third Edition of The Adventure Guide To Barbados by Harry S. Pariser. Copyright 1995, Hunter Publishing. All rights reserved.
Containing the entire parish of St. Andrew and comprising portions of St. Peter, St. Joseph, and St. John, the Scotland District was named after its UK lookalike. Take your time while exploring and savour this, the only area to offer much in the way of forest glades, streams, hills, ravines, and gorges. The Scotland District was formed after the sea ate away at the island's coral cap, exposing the soft underbelly of sandstones and clays known locally as Joe's River Mud. During the rainy season, the streams transform into raging torrents carrying along with them everything in their wake. Landslides occur along with the collapse of bridges and losses of patches of vegetation. In 1901 nearly 100 homes and estate buildings were destroyed when 400 acres of land slid downwards towards the sea. Again, in 1938, 50 acres of hillside land shifted position, forcing abandonment of 100 houses in Rock Hall Village. The soil's instability can be traced to such activities as overgrazing, cultivation of steep slopes, and deforestation. These problems have a multiplying effect; each serves to intensify the effects of the other. Heavy flooding, in turn, adds to the problem when sand and silt clogs the streams; oil seepages and salt in the land also serve as barriers to cultivation. Aloes and cotton are grown in the district which extends for 22 sq. miles and covers about 1/7th of the island's land area.
St. Lucy
Entering this semicircular parish, which caps the top of the island, rough and ragged scenery is presented at every turn. Its small and classic chattel houses--the best of which can be seen in the villages of Greenridge and Connell Town near Archer's Bay--are gradually being supplanted by bland stone bungalows. The parish's thin soil lowland with small hills and caves cliffs bear the brunt of the Atlantic storms.
One of the best ways to tour this parish--with its fine coastline speckled with dramatic viewpoints--is on foot. The lush countryside--with its black and white cattle grazing contentedly and fine fields of green and growing cane--is simply a pleasure to experience.
ST. LUCY'S CHURCH: Constructed after the 1831 hurricane, this church, with its sweet lime hedges and palladium windows, stands near Alleyndale greathouse. To get here from River Bay take the road heading towards the center of the parish.
ARCHER'S BAY: This popular local spot is one of the island's most beautiful locations, one that is home to hordes of chirping birds and butterflies which flit and hover over wildflowers. Above the bay, there's a large grassy area--populated by cud chewing cows and lackadaisical lazy goats, and sheltered by giant casuarinas which blow in the light sea breeze. A path leads from the cliff down to the rock strewn bay where jade water clashes against the eroded bluffs. Two stout, gigantic stone columns guard the entrance to the beach on the R. The Archer's Bay bus terminates at a mini mart where you can get last minute provisions. A track from nearby Crab Bay through sugarcane fields leads to Duppies, a premier surfing spot. Cluff's millwall can be viewed off in the distance.
ANIMAL FLOWER CAVE: Carpeted with "sea flowers" and adorned with rock formations, this set of sea caves--located at the island's northernmost center--is justly famed for its yellow sea anemones. These short, cylindrical marine animals feed with the tentacles attached to their tops; these contain nematocysts, stinging cells that paralyze prey. The tentacles move their captured prey to their mouth where they sink down their gullet. Fertilization occurs underwater. (It is not known whether they experience orgasm). Down in the cave, you can see a small number of small purple anemones; although their numbers vary with the conditions, they are diminished in number these days. The cave itself is quite an intriguing place: it has formations which resemble a turtle, hand, and a lizard, and the view through the cave and out to sea is splendid and worth the visit in and of itself.
Up aboveground, the cafe has namecards galore, thousands of them covering the walls and ceilings, tacked up with glue and then varnished on. It also has a collection of hanging banners including "Yorkshire," Barbados Rum," and "Cornish Pastries." The Wards serve drinks and sandwiches. Although currently barren, the surrounding land once produced cane under the name of Animal Flower Plantation. These days a perpetual domino game goes on in the nearby shed selling corals from which a huckster also vends her goods. Out towards the sea, there are a colony of wooden signposts pointing the way to such destinations as Germany, the US, and Venezuela with the distance indicated in kilometers. Out on the rocky bluffs, waves crash against the sharply convoluted coral cliffs--sending salty sprays flying into the air with poetic violence. Check out the seaward view from the parking lot.
NORTH POINT: As you head S from the cave area, the abandoned ruin you pass is what remains of North Point Resort. Once a top resort during the 60s, it contains the remains of what was once the island's sole Olympic size swimming pool. If you walk down across the coral encrusted plain, littered with patches of cacti, to the sea and then across you can still reach the beach. What appears to be a coral block fortification surrounds the sand, continually pummeled by hyperactive waves. Proceeding back from there, the buildings have the look and feel of a bombed out war zone. Another interesting site right next door is a set of dried-up ponds which were formerly used as salt processing ponds until the 1940s. Sea water would be pumped into the ponds, and, after its evaporation, the salt would be collected. From the North Point walk to the W following a path which passes a series pointed promontories alternating with coves.
THE SPOUT: Although it can be viewed from the North Point, this attraction is located at Ladder Bay near River Bay. Here, the sea spurts geyser like through the coral hammer-headed promontory in gusts as high as 100 ft.
RIVER BAY: This bleak but scenic park is a famous and favorite spot for Barbadian picnics. Its name stems from a small stream flowing to the sea here. Cut into chalk and limestone, the bay features spectacular wind-blown coastal scenery. Wind rushes through casuarinas and the rambunctious Atlantic crashes into The Point, a jagged outcrop. Changing facilities and picnic tables are found here. From River Bay, a mile-and-a-half track leads to Little Bay and Waits Bay.
LITTLE BAY TO BOSCOBEL: This is one of the most spectacular stretches of coast on the island if not in the Caribbean. To get here, either drive or take a Pie Corner bus to the end. At Little Bay, waves pummel into an outlying coral outcrop and spray comes flying into the air; the overflow comes trotting into a wide trough in which you can either lay back and let it roll on top of you or move towards the front to meet the surf head on. Climb up on top of the doughnut shaped arch for a magnificant view. Continuing onwards along the coast to the R, you pass a series of intentations along a bleak, windswept coral-encrusted plain until you come to another major bay. Then you reach a track sheltered by casuarina trees serving as a windbreak for the palm tree grove to the rear.
Soon you will come to a magnificent view of Pico Teneriffe across the way. Rising to the S side of Cove Bay (Gay's Cove), it appears higher than its few hundred feet. On misty days, it is said to resemble a sorrowful and anxious Madonna gazing seaward in search of her wandering fishermen. This location, Paul's Point, is touted widely as the island's most attractive location. Decide for yourself. Gay's Cove Beach below--which can be reached by a goat track--consists of rounded stones. Continue along the side, following the pink splotches of paint that mark the way until you reach Boscobel, a nondescript jumble of houses along the road. From above the village, it is possible to walk on to Morgan Lewis Beach. However, the path is convoluted and can be difficult to find without guidance. Descending to the village, the local rum shop is straight up the road at to top of the hill on the R. Note the collection of beer can caps which have been pounded into the tarmac by passing vehicles. If taking a bus, this is a good place to wait because minibuses generally turn around up here.
GOAT HOUSE BAY: Located near the Rockfield corner 1800 feet E of St. Clement's Village, this beautiful scenic spot lies smack in the middle of an unspoiled stretch reaching from River Bay to the twin bays of Chandler and Laycock.
For more information on the rest of Barbados, you may purchase The Adventure Guide to Barbados ($15.95; IBSN 1-55650-707-0) which is available at your local bookstore. (Request them to order it from Hunter or from Ingram if it is not in stock).
Copies of The Adventure Guide To Barbados may also be ordered directly from Harry S. Pariser (1327 9th Av., No. 1, San Francisco, CA 94122) at the above address for US$20 (check or money order); copies are shipped via priority mail. Please mark ╥BOOK ORDER╙ on the envelope.
Other books by Harry S. Pariser include the The Adventure Guide to the Dominican Republic, (Second Edition) $14.95; The Adventure Guide to Costa Rica, (Third Edition: Feb. 1996) $15.95 ("best-balanced, most comprehensive guide"--Lan Sluder, Tico Times); The Adventure Guide to the Virgin Islands (Third Edition) $14.95; The Adventure Guide to Puerto Rico, (Second Edition) $14.95; and Jamaica: A Visitor's Guide $15.95 (Third Edition: November 1995).
All are available from Hunter Publishing, 300 Raritan Parkway, Edison, NJ 08818. Call (908-225-1900) or fax (908-417-0482). Also distributed nationwide by Ingram. For more information contact Harry S. Pariser at (415) 665-4829 or send e-mail to salsa@slip.net
