La Sikwi

La Sikwi, which is Kwéyòl for the mill, sits in a valley above Anse La Raye on what was a sugar and later a lime and cocoa estate, and its centrepiece is a water wheel made in Glasgow in 1876 that drove the crushing machinery, restored and turning again after decades of dereliction. Around it are the mill buildings, a small theatre built into the estate, and gardens planted with cocoa, spice and fruit that the guides walk you through. It is small, family-run and quiet, and the combination of working Victorian ironwork and a Caribbean valley is a strange and effective one.

What you actually see

• The 1876 water wheel - made in Glasgow and restored to turning.
• The mill machinery - the crushing gear the wheel drove.
• The estate gardens - cocoa, spice and fruit through the valley.
• The small theatre - built into the estate buildings.

When to go

December to April is the drier season. Tours run by arrangement and hours are informal, so calling ahead is sensible. It takes about two hours including the garden walk.

Honest expectations

Hours are informal and the site has closed for periods; confirm before driving up. It is small and takes two hours. The road in is narrow. Interpretation depends entirely on the guide available that day. Like every estate here, the sugar era rested on enslaved labour, which is mentioned rather than examined.

Nearby

Anse La Raye is at the bottom of the valley; Marigot Bay is north.