Perhaps people don’t immediately equate Scotland’s terrain with caves. Consider lofty mountains, lovely glens, rocky coastlines, and gorgeous sandy beaches, but what about caves? The top 11 fascinating caverns for hikers to explore are listed below.
1. The Bone Caves, Inchnadamph, Sutherland
The geologists Peach and Horne discovered the famous limestone Bone Caves in 1889. Scientists discovered the remnants of species that once roamed the Highlands, including lemmings, lynxes, polar bears, and arctic foxes. It is thought that these creatures, as well as the people who pursued them, may have once found shelter in the caves.
2. St Ninian’s Cave, Whithorn, Galloway
Scotland’s first saint, St. Ninian, used St. Ninian’s Cave as a place of solace and prayer before founding his church in nearby Whithorn in 397 AD. The cave served as the location for the concluding moments of the cult classic The Wicker Man, starring Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee, which was shot there in the 1970s.
3. Smoo Cave, Durness, Sutherland
Smoo Cave is the largest of all the sea caves in Britain, with its first chamber alone measuring 60 by 40 meters and 15 meters in height. A wooden walkway leads to the second room, which is smaller but no less spectacular. Through a fissure in the ceiling, the Allt Smoo plunges 25 meters into the cave, creating a spectacular blow hole during choppy waves. Boat tours to further explore the cave are offered during the summer.
4. Massacre and Cathedral Caves, Isle of Eigg
These two caverns on the Isle of Eigg’s southern coast convey a gloomy tale. A group of Skye-based Macleods arrived on the island in 1577 seeking retribution for the most recent incident in their long-running conflict with the Macdonalds. The Macleods were unable to locate the entire people of Eigg during their three-day hiding in the Massacre cave.
They spotted a lookout, though, and were able to follow his tracks in the snow, which brought them to the cave as they were sailing away. 395 individuals who were trapped in the cave were killed by the smoke when the Macleods started a massive fire. Later, at Trumpan Church on Skye, other Macdonalds would extract an equally brutal and gory vengeance on the Macleods. Catholic services used to be held nearby in the enormous cathedral cave.
5. Mackinnon’s Cave, Isle of Mull
The longest sea cave in the Hebrides is MacKinnon’s Cave. The cave, which may be reached by a brief but strenuous hike, was previously considered one of Mull’s showplaces and was visited by Johnson and Boswell. The path spans uncomfortable, treacherous boulders and is only accessible below half tide, despite the beautiful seaside setting.
6. King’s Cave, Isle of Arran
One of the many places where Robert the Bruce is rumored to have had his infamous encounter with a spider is the storied King’s Cave. Christian and pre-Christian carvings can be seen in the cave. The enormous Black Cave beneath Bennan Head on the island of Arran, which is on a more difficult portion of the Arran Coastal Path, is well worth visiting.
7. Keil Caves, Southend, Kintyre peninsula
Roman pottery, which is unusual for Scotland, was discovered in the Keil Caves, which were inhabited for many centuries. These are located close to Columba’s landing spot at the southern tip of Kintyre; nearby are his rock-cut’steps’.
8. Traligill Caves, Inchnadamph
The largest cave system in Scotland is called the Traligill Cave System, and it is a favorite among expert and experienced cavers. There are three main entrances: the terrifying Uamh a Tartair, the first more welcoming Uamh An Uisge with a dizzying pothole above, and water that can be heard but not seen. It’s quite risky to explore the caves past Uamh an Uisge’s first chamber.
9. Crucifixion Cave, Davaar Island, Kintyre
Studying the tide tables carefully is necessary before crossing the tidal dunes to Davaar island, but the incredible Crucifixion Cave is well worth the effort. Fishermen who felt it must have been the result of a miracle in 1887 uncovered an interior painting depicting the crucifixion.
Alexander MacKinnon, a local art instructor, actually created the picture and claimed the inspiration for it came to him in a dream. He went back to the scene several times to touch up the painting, and restoration work is still being done today.
10. Prince Charlie’s Cave and the Spar Cave, Isle of Skye
Both of these caverns are located on Skye’s Elgol peninsula. The Spar Cave was once a great showplace with its beautiful flowstone interior but had a challenging tidal approach. Bonnie Prince Charlie spent his final night on Skye before escaping by boat once more in the first cave, which requires a little hunting out (it’s not the more obvious smaller tidal cave en route).
11. Fingal’s Cave, Staffa, off the Isle of Mull
Although being located on the small, inaccessible island of Staffa, many kilometers off the coast of Mull, Fingal’s Cave manages to be the most well-known of Scotland’s caves. With the sound of the waves filling this dramatic cave of volcanic dolerite columns, a boat voyage out here is undoubtedly an amazing experience.
It’s a truly remarkable spot. The cave has long drawn tourists and served as a significant stop on the Victorian “Grand Tour.” Mendelssohn drew inspiration from the cave for his Hebridean overture.
