Travel tips

Bathsheba, the name evokes images of a mystical place and in Barbados it is a special place. Bathsheba on the east coast of Barbados has dramatic beauty with wide sand beaches on a rugged coast with striking rock formations. As beautiful as Bathsheba is, the journey to this quaint seaside village is equally enchanting.

Driving to Bathsheba from Bridgetown takes one across Barbados going from the south coast to the east coast. Going to Bathsheba can be described as a trek as the narrow roads, old style wooden arrow-shaped signposts and striking beauty of the countryside force you to reduce your speed and soak in the visual sights. It is a drive along narrow roads through small villages and towns, many of whom are set in the midst of sugarcane fields. In a sense this drive exposes you to the “true Barbados”, away from the frenetic pace of city life and the blandishments of commercial tourism. It is a drive through villages where people stop to say good morning or wave to a passing stranger. It is a drive through areas where people sit outside village bars or superettes and exchange the latest news. To a lost stranger, people willingly give directions and may even offer to ride part of the way. A trip to this mystical place carries you past churches that by their very design speak of many years of ministering to a spiritual flock. If you stop and wander the grounds of these churches a sense of peace seems to immediately envelope you.

Barbados is often thought of as a flat island but the drive across makes you realize that there are significant hills which create striking contrasts. As you proceed the vegetation changes, in some parts assuming a tropical rainforest appearance. The most striking contrast however is the immediate entrance to Bathsheba. The road climbs a hill and at the base is Bathsheba clustered around a bay with striking rock formations. Depending however on the time of year or time of day, at the brink of the hill you are met with a fog reminiscent of European cities. This fog is created by droplets driven by the wind from the tops of the long Atlantic rollers.

These same rollers crossing the Atlantic from Africa to crash on the Barbados shore create ideal conditions for surfing. And so it is to Bathsheba that local and international surfers flock. While there are many locations in Barbados for surfing, Bathsheba takes pride of place with the famed “Soup Bowl”. Named after the foamy surf, this is the site of many local and international surfing competitions. On almost every weekend, surfers can be seen practicing their maneuvers on the waves while spectators lounge on the beach.

Surfing is not the only activity that takes place at Bathsheba, indeed the invigorating salt air combined with the rock formations encourages you to explore the beach and the surrounding village. The constant breezes are ideal for kite flying while the trails off the beach lead you among the rocks and to cliff tops that provide dramatic views. Along the beach are grassy areas that are perfect for picnics and weekend camping and are fully used by locals. The wooden houses surrounding the beach seem to fit perfectly into and enhance the environment, encouraging you to wander through the village. Scattered throughout are restaurants and bars able to refresh a parched throat or provide a meal for a weary traveler. As you explore further you encounter Andromeda Gardens at one end of the village. Nestled on a cliff overlooking the east coast, Andromeda Botanic Gardens is run by the Barbados National Trust. It is spread over six acres of carefully landscaped grounds that are lavishly coloured with blooms, orchids, exotics and shrubs. At the other end of the village is the neighborhood known as Cattlewash. Here are found weekend vacation cottages sitting on a wide beach backed by dramatic cliffs and surrounded by vegetation that has been permanently shaped by the wind.

The waters at Bathsheba encourage you to enter and swim. There are shallow pools carved out of the inshore coral reef that are just a few feet from the shore. These pools are several feet deep and you can sit in them while the sea rolls in and swirls around you. Despite the free movement exhibited by the surfers, care should be exercised if swimming in Bathsheba. Swimming should only be done if in the company of someone who knows the area well as there are dangerous rip tides and strong undertows.

If you ever visit Barbados, take the trek to Bathsheba and invigorate your spirit with both the drive and the magic of the place.

Summary
Bathsheba, the name evokes images of a mystical place and in Barbados it is a special place. Bathsheba on the east coast of Barbados has dramatic beauty with wide sand beaches on a rugged coast with striking rock formations. As beautiful as Bathsheba is, the journey to this quaint seaside village is equally enchanting.

Author: brian ramsey

About the Author:

Brian Ramsey is the author of , Discovering the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, www.birdsoftt.com and operates the web site , Outdoors Trinidad. For a free subscription to his monthly magazine, which features outdoor activities in the Caribbean plus advice on recreational activities, visit his site, Caribbean Outdoor Life