Walking through the gully feels like stepping into a jungle. Towering bearded fig trees — the very trees that gave Barbados its name (the Portuguese word 'Os Barbudos' means 'the bearded ones', describing the hanging roots of these fig trees) — spread their roots across the ground. Ferns, orchids, and tropical fruit trees fill every space.
Green monkeys were brought to Barbados from West Africa several hundred years ago. Today there is a thriving wild population, and Welchman Hall Gully is one of the best places on the island to spot them leaping between the trees. They are small, with olive-green fur and inquisitive golden faces.
The gully is managed as a nature reserve by the Barbados National Trust. Visitors walk along a winding path through the ravine, passing different sections planted with spices, palms, and fruit trees. At certain times of day, if you are quiet, you might hear the rustling of a monkey above you before you ever see it.