Katouche Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Katouche Valley. (18.212048, -63.067718)
Open:	by reservation. [2021]
Fee:	Adults USD 150, View Fort Estate Guests free. [2021]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=2 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	View Fort Estate, P O Box 1398, View Fort, Anguilla, Tel: +1-264-584-8712, Tel: +1-264-584-8713.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Katouche Cave is named after Katouche Valley, where it is located. But according to legend it was originally named Latouche, after an invading French commander who was reportedly killed on the beach. The name was later transformed into Katouche, probably due to mispronunciation. The French invasion was on the 21-MAY-1745, when a fleet with seven ships landed 759 man. The British defenders counted only 97 men, but they had a better position with secured breast-works. They killed and wounded 100 French, who were discouraged and fled. However, this happened on Rendezvous Bay on the southern coast, and not on Katouche Bay.

Katouche Cave is a cave trekking tour, not just the walk through a level cave. It is located only a hundred meters from the road and closed by an iron bar gate. The cave is not really difficult, but it requires a little climbing, stooping and crawling. Participants are equipped with a headlamp, gloves, elbow and knee pads, and a bottle of water. The cave is warm and rather dry, so there is not much chance to get dirty. We have no idea why they do not provide helmets, but we strongly recommend to bring your own.

The cave is quite impressive for its wealth of fossils in the limestone walls. Sea urchins and various brachiopods and mussels can be seen too. Much younger are the bones of blunt-toothed giant hutias (Amblyrhiza inundata), a huge rat-like rodent which weighed up to 200kg. This gives R.O.U.S.es (Rodents Of Unusual Size) a new twist.

Those rodents are fortunately extinct, what you can see in the cave are bats, cave spiders, cockroaches and solider crab. All of them are actually no cave animals or troglobionts, they are cave visitors or guests.

Today the Katouche Valley is privately owned by Pure Anguilla which are located at View Fort Estate on Crocus Hill. This hotel is located on top of the hill, on the highest ground on Aguilla, some 60 m asl. They offer guided tours which must be booked at the hotel. Actually due to COVID-19 we had problems to verify this, and the website does not currently contain contact data like phone number or email.