Barbados National Trust

ARBIB NATURE AND HERITAGE TRAIL

Let us take a journey along the Arbib nature trail with our guides, Connie and Shernelle, who will take us through 3 ½ hours of hiking. You will also meet their acting representative Gale. Enjoy your trip !

The trip started at Speighstown and ventured into our first stop directly opposite us. The St. Peter’s Parish Church.This church was built in 1629 of a wooden structure and then later in 1825 it was changed to a wall structure. Tragically, in 1980, fire ravaged the church completely destroying it while sending the church’s bell hurling to the ground. Soon after the church was rebuilt as it stands now and the bell kept as a souvenir erected on the lawn where it had fallen. In the church’s yard the famous "Love Vine" could be seen growing on the "Sweet Lime’ tree. The lovely aroma of the "Plumera alba" also known to Barbados as "the white Frangipani" greeted us on our way out.

We were then shown what the houses and stores of that time looked like. They were constructed in such a way that they had three levels and were three story buildings. The bottom floor was used to conduct business or for selling purposes. The middle floor was the living quarters while the top floor was used as a storing facility. Examples of these buildings can be found along "Church Street" which was where our journey next took us. Along this street we were introduced to the "Persia Americana" or the pear tree. We then saw what is known as the "breadfruit" tree. "Captain William Blight" brought in this tree in 1793. We where then taken to the "Around de Town" Here we saw the Barbadian rum shop, village shop and the stand pipe which was used as a place to communicate or as we would have said back then’ gossip.

We proceeded along "Bowling Alley" where we saw lime trees whose fruit is used to make a beverage and is used for the marinating of fish and other meats. We were led along the "water course" where we first saw the castor oil tree and pumpkin vine whose vegetable is a delicacy. The early Amerindian settlers used "Mother in Laws Tongue "or "bow string hemp" in the making of their bows’ for hunting.. We were then taken to "Whim Village" and the Corlitta or "pink flower" along with the "flamboyant tree" also known as "Madagascar" pointed out to us as we came to our first rest spot.

TO BE CONTINUED....