Hundreds enjoy Colin Hudson Great Train Hike

A few hundred persons took on what is easily the greatest physical and mental challenge on offer in Barbados when the 2020 edition of the Colin Hudson Great Train Hike took place last Sunday. Moving off from Bridgetown in the early hours of Sunday morning and going all the way to Belleplaine, the grueling 26-mile trek takes the participants across every kind of terrain Barbados has to offer.

Passing through the parishes of St. Michael, St. George, St. Philip, St. John, St. Joseph before finally ending in St. Andrew, those who are lucky enough to finish are treated to beautiful views of picturesque beaches, cliff-tops, open plains and undulating hills.

Speaking to The Barbados Advocate at the end of the First Citizens International Bank-sponsored hike, Barbados Hiking Association President Sandra Archer explained that the event has been going each year since 2003. With hundreds heading out on the third Sunday in February after being conceptualised by former hiker leader of the Barbados National Trust Sunday hikes, Colin Hudson, Archer told the story of how the annual hike has moved from strength to strength. “He thought up the idea of having a hike along the

original train line route. Unfortunately the next year in 2004 and we then decided to name it the Colin Hudson Great Train Hike and move it from June to February to commemorate the anniversary of his death so it is held every third Sunday in February,” she said.

With persons stretched out across the course over most of the day, Archer said that it was almost impossible to get a accurate number of participants as there were several start times. “It is a bit difficult to gauge because people start at so many different times, but we probably have about 300 or 350 people starting. We can’t exactly say how many people are finishing. People are starting at different times but officially we start at 6 am and we had over one hundred people starting then and then some other bigger groups at different times,” she said.

With the event looking as though it would be losing steam no time soon, Archer said that there were no plans to end it. “It’s a challenge and people like the idea of the Train Line hike and they look forward to it every year. They just like the challenge of Bridgetown to Belleplaine.” she said.