Barbados resorts are renowned for its relaxed atmosphere, year round sunshine and warm white sandy beaches. Yet Barbados is also full of history that is far different from the world, as we know it. Barbados is a country filled with friendly people and a relaxed environment, however, history will reveal otherwise. Records have shown that this country has experienced many periods of ruling, conflict and colonization from different groups.

History

Evidence will show that the first indigenous settlers were the Arawaks, who lived seemingly peacefully on the island for many years. They were recorded to be particularly good at practising agricultural techniques that included growing corn and cotton. They had designed and created advanced tools of their own to aid them with the agricultural farming and for fishing.

The Arawaks were believed to have been the settlers of Barbados until 1200 AD, when the seemingly violent and aggressive Carib groups had almost wiped out the Arawak settlers. The Spanish and Portuguese had then entered into the country, with the Spanish deciding not to settle in Barbados. The Portuguese colonized the island in the 16th century, with these settlers cam the name of Los Barbados meaning ‘bearded one’ on account of the fig trees that would grow on the island.

The English would not follow suit in the colonization until 1625, in which they claimed the land as their own in the name of King Kames I. Two years later settlers were brought in to the land, with the worlds third parliamentary democracy formed. 80 settlers and 10 slaves were brought to the island, with many of the settlers being rich and wealthy.

It was not long before the Dutch had introduced the sugar cane, and very quickly, the crop became the main sources of making money. This also included cotton and tobacco crops. The island became the place, which would dominate the sugar industry until around 1720. This was also the period in which slaves from West Africa were introduced to the island to work along on the crops and fields.

The end of slavery came about around 1834 whereby some had decided to continue working on the crops. However, 1838 saw their freedom become imminent, and many of the Bajan (Barbadian) people began taking on high roles and filled high ranking jobs on the island.

The quality of life reduced dramatically on the island during the period of the Great Depression. Jobs were lost and rioting had developed amongst the people in the streets, the sugar industry was thriving up until this point and the English had stepping to fund the island keeping it as it was. However it was evident that the people of Barbados wanted to take control of their island, and so independence was granted in 1966.

Today

Tourism became a lucrative business in the Barbados resorts, with its diverse history and many different cultural influences this has become one of the most popular destinations to visit. The island exhibits a rich British culture, with cricket being its main sport. The people are religious and resemble an Anglican culture, and surrounded by Georgian and Victorian housing.

The African slave had helped in building the foundation for the sugar plantations, with many of the African people having built some of the first chattel houses to move from one plantation to another. Other lasting impressions of the African culture are in their art, crafts, food and music of Barbados.

A Barbados hiking vacation takes you on a journey revealing the uniqueness of Barbados and Barbadians, by way of four scenic, revealing, and positively memorable hikes. The hikes and their accompanying stories highlight how Barbados came into existence, seemingly out of nothing from 1627, when the British settled and transformed a jungle that others rejected, to the jewel it is today. Even the island’s geological formation is a unique story of something “out of nothing”. Many visitors to the island look forward to meeting local village personalities, and learning about outstanding Barbadians of bygone days.

Hiking on a brown sugar coloured crunchy sandy east coast beach, one can explore the sandy shoreline, and may discover “sea coconuts”, “lucky seeds”, a washed up Portuguese Man of War, just to mention a few likely findings. Venturing inland, there are different walking surfaces, namely grassy uphill footpaths, and rugged sandy clay trails. One continues to climb to a height of 167m (547 feet), to reach the very breezy lookout point, that offers a wide sweeping panoramic view of fifteen per cent of the island.

Descending from this lookout point along more rugged footpaths, which give way to paved roads one enters a typical Barbadian village. A village of timber chattel houses, concrete houses, at least five small churches, in this small community, and of course not forgetting the rum shops, surprisingly only two serve this village. Visit a village resident who is an accomplished potter and is a descendant of potters going back 200 years.

These hills of the Scotland District, are a fusion of sand stone, clays, and alluvial muds. This part of the island actually looks like another country, compared to the other eighty five per cent of the land mass. In fact geologists refer to this Scotland District as Ancestral Barbados, and it is really the material of another country, that is three hundred miles south of Barbados. Out of this, apparently inconsequential material, Barbados was formed, rising like a sphinx out of the Atlantic Ocean, just two million years ago.

Learn about Manjak, its various uses as you visit what is left of this mine. Manjak is a type of hydrocarbon that was utilized as a fuel in the furnaces of the local trains, it was also exported to be used as a main ingredient in the manufacture of black paint, as well as in the production of the the earliest, but brittle, 33 1/3 vinyl music records.

On a Barbados hiking vacation one may visit a national park, the location of the ruins of a historic Great House, and by way of cart roads a wild life reserve. An outstanding, highlight, is a heritage site, a 355 year old Jacobian styled plantation great house, chock full of history, stories of greed and murder to name but a few. It’s a functioning sugar plantation, with a fully refurbished and working 19th century steam mill used for extracting sugar cane juice. Just last year 2008 this old plantation won an international award for its very fine rum, it’s outstanding stories continue.

In this area there are cozy country villages, a very scenic lookout point that offers a majestic view of the Scotland District. a two hundred year old sugar wind mill, which operates during the local sugar harvest season, effectively demonstrating how sugar cane juice was extracted using wind power. There is also an interesting goat farmer, who is a popular newspaper columnist, and a musician in a local music band, outstanding personality in his own right.

There are down hill trails for those who do not want to engage up hill terrain, as well as trails that are flat coastal, rugged and scenic. Barbados offers trails leading between sugar cane fields, and into gullies (also known as ravines) with rock formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and flow stone.

A hiking vacation on tropical Barbados, is rewarding in so many ways, healthy fresh air, and exercise, with vitamin D from the sunshine, a welcomed relaxing change of pace, as you discover a new land and it’s people. Being out in the natural environment, is relaxing, and has proven to be therapeutic for spirit soul and body. A healthy and rejuvenating way to spend a vacation.