Barclays Park

Barclays Park sits on the east coast road above Cattlewash, a strip of casuarina and lawn given to Barbados in 1966 with picnic tables, a snack bar and the Atlantic coast running away in both directions below it. The east coast is wild compared with the sheltered west, with heavy surf and long empty beaches. It is the standard stop on the drive up the coast road. The park was given to Barbados by Barclays Bank to mark independence in 1966, which is where the name comes from.

What you actually see

• The Atlantic coast - heavy surf and empty beaches running both ways.
• The casuarina park - the shade and lawn above the shore.
• The coast road - the route the park sits on.
• The Cattlewash beach - the long stretch of sand below.

When to go

December to May is the dry season. The east coast surf is heavy year round. Weekends bring local families.

Honest expectations

Swimming on the east coast is dangerous because of the undertow and should not be attempted. Facilities are a snack bar and tables. It is a stop rather than a destination.

Nearby

Bathsheba is south, and Cherry Tree Hill is west.