Many local legends surround the cave, including one of highway man McMurdo who patrolled this far flung corner of the north during the 1500s. Naturally, the cave was likely used by smugglers in the past. “On this particular occasion on which Donald Mackay was employed by them, the Smoo Burn was in high flood, and on pushing off from the anchorage inside the second chamber of the cave, Mackay observed that the two gaugcrs were literally terrified, as he rowed them into the spray of the waterfall inside it.”. For many centuries the cave was believed to be the residence of none other than Satan himself, so it was no surprise when locals found bodies dumped in the cave system, but these were simply men who’d crossed the local laird not paladins struck down by the lord of darkness. Lairg Tourism; Lairg Hotels; Lairg Bed and Breakfast; Lairg Vacation Packages; Flights to Lairg; Lairg Restaurants; Things to Do in Lairg; Lairg Travel Forum I really need to plan some more trips to Scotland. This dramatic and spectacular sea cave is set into the limestone cliffs in Sutherland. The name Smoo is believed to have come from the Norse “smjugg” or “smuga”, which means “hiding place”. The stream plunges 25m, hitting rocks as it … Still a great stop off, superb views from The first two chambers can be explored by foot. A Square-headed rivet and iron slag “strongly suggested” that boats were hauled up to the beach to repair. Another tale tells of a Donald MacKay in the 1700s (though I am unsure if it is the same MacKay who sent his dog to look for the Devil in Smoo Cave). Reviews given are unbiased and honest, all views are still my own I will only recommend products and companies that I truly believe in. Fascinating. While Smoo Cave is ripe for myth and superstition - some believe it to be a gateway to the nether world - detailed archaeological studies have been carried out to increase understanding of who may have lived here. It is believed to have been a Stone Age home more than 5,000 years ago with Norse settlers later gathering here to repair boats and fish for herring. My passion for travel led me to start up this blog, partly to record my adventures and partly to inspire others to travel. Norse settlements have been found in Caithness, including Dunnet Bay, around 46 miles away with only a burial site recorded nearby. The peaty waters of the Allt Smoo flow off the moors, tranquil until they vanish into the darkness of a gaping sink hole. The entrance is 50ft high and 130ft wide, making a gaping hole in the limestone cliffs. Smoo Cave: Smoo cave - See 1,119 traveler reviews, 1,056 candid photos, and great deals for Durness, UK, at Tripadvisor. Smoo Cave is on the A838, as well as being on the North Coast 500 route. The bus that runs between Durness and Lairg stops near the car park. Smoo Cave is unusual in having been formed by the action of both fresh water and the sea. Smoo Cave, at Durness in Sutherland, is the largest coastline cave in the British Isles and has provided shelter for thousands of years. In the early 1700s, the Smoo Cave was the setting for a murderous trap. With a moody, restless dusk falling, I descend into the jagged, fern-bearded mouth of Smoo Cave, a Tolkienesque venue by name and nature: you expect to be asked a riddle to gain entrance, or stumble across a mossy pile of treasure in the gloom. Cloud rolls over the mountain Beinn Spionnaidh near Durness in the remote northern Highlands of Scotland. To get to the cave from Inverness, catch the bus to Durness. Smoo cave is part of the Durness Group, and so was formed in the Early Ordovician dolomites. The cave was formed along the boundary between two types of rock, the Sangomore Formation and the Sailmhor Formation. With beautiful scenery and lots of legends, Smoo Cave is a captivating place to visit. I always feel like i’ve learnt something new whenever I read one of of your articles. The main chamber is the result of erosion from the sea whereas the inner chambers are made from the freshwater passages, where rainwater dissolved the carbonate dolomites. Another claim is that two excise men seeking out illicit whisky distilling in the mid 1700s were drowned by a local man, Donald Mackay, who was bribed by the government agents to help in the search for an illicit still rumoured to be in the cave. The second chamber is much smaller than the main chamber, but still very impressive. “A water kelpie or an evil spirit of aquatic propensities could not have chosen a fitter abode and to say the truth I believe at our first entrance and all our feelings were afloat at the marvelling of the scene the unexpected splashing of a seal would have routed the whole dozen of us. The journey takes 5 hours and goes via Ullapool. Archaeologist Tony Pollard, who led the excavation in the early 1990s and is now Director of the Centre for Battlefield Archaeology at Glasgow University, earlier said the cave may have been used as a temporary stop over by Norse mariners on their voyages from Scandinavia and the Northern Isles to the Western Isles, Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is both a freshwater and sea cave, which has been formed along two geological lines of weakness. There are steps leading down to the cave that can be accessed all year. MacKay was supposedly a strong swimmer and so rowed the boat close to the waterfall in the cave, purposefully causing the boat to capsize. The deeper the archaeologists went, the older the remains with butchered bones and small flakes of quartz discovered in the midden’s base. The animal lover said: “This festival is in my opinion abhorrent. Visited ghe cave as a party of 6 with 2 younger children. Walkways steep so would be difficult for … Any dead bodies are disposed of in the local dunes where archaeologists accept bungs to write them up as Pictish or Viking burial sites. 1:07. I’m Nat, the backpacker behind natpacker. Smoo Cave has to be included in any stay in north west Scotland. Thanks for your kind words Pip! Evidence of Norse activity also emerged during the 1990s when a team of Glasgow University archaeologists headed to Smoo Cave, which has three separate offshoots - Glassknapper’s Cave, Antler Cave and Wetweather cave. I’m always hearing of new places once I get home too. Scotland is the best! Smoo Cave: Smoo Cave - See 1,087 traveller reviews, 981 candid photos, and great deals for Durness, UK, at Tripadvisor. Still a great stop off, superb views from Smoo Cave in the far northern Highlands is arguably one of – if not the – most impressive natural wonders in Scotland. As the dog came back terrified it is certain that the devil can be found in the cave. The largest of its kind in Britain, Smoo Cave is one of Sutherland’s most impressive natural head scratchers. We spent about an hour, at the cave. It is both a freshwater and sea cave, which has been formed along two geological lines of … In 1992 an archaeological dig on a midden site - similar to a rubbish tip- concluded the cave was one of the of the most northerly habitation sites in the British mainland. Thought seawater rarely enters the cave anymore, due to the area undergoing an isostatic uplift. Smoo Cave: Fun day out - See 1,119 traveler reviews, 1,056 candid photos, and great deals for Durness, UK, at Tripadvisor. The third chamber can only be explored by boat, which requires you to book a Smoo Cave tour, which you can do here, or there is normally a board with details on. Free car park next to the cave. The entrance to the cave is found at the end of a 600-metre long tidal gorge which is called Gaeodha Smoo (Gaeodha is Gaelic for “cave”). Unfortunately, there was no guide available on that day, which would have added insight into the history of the cave. | Privacy Policy | HTML Sitemap | XML Sitemap, November 25th, 2020 (Published: August 27, 2020). Don’t forget to follow me on social media to keep up to date with my recent posts, adventures and thoughts. Sir Walter Scott visited Smoo Cave in 1814, who wrote about it in his diary and brought the cave to public attention. The residents of nearby Durness lured a clan of 18 marauders into the cave and slaughtered them to a man. The rain had been heavy so the water was rushing through the cave as we entered. 1:58. Smoo Cave is a geological wonder, and with a place like that you can bet there are myths tied to it. Three chambers of the caves can be explored, which go back 83 metres. Smoo caves are the result of erosion from the sea and an underground stream, making it unique in the UK. With lost of history and pretty sea views, Smoo Cave (click here for reviews) is well worth a visit. MacKay was employed by the officials and was meant to helo them search. It is thought they dated from Mesolithic Period, or the Stone Age, when the earliest human inhabitants arrived in the Highlands between 8,000BC and 4,000BC. A number of marine shells, including oysters and limpets and animal bones, including deer, suggest the diet of the day. More deaths occurred later in the century, when two Inland Revenue officers were drowned in the second chamber’s thunderous waterfall. ©JPIMedia Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Below you can see some of the content I share on my main social platforms. This is a cave that’s absolutely monumental in size, and the cave entrance has the privilege of being the largest sea cave entrance in Britain – something you’ll only really appreciate once you visit the place. Please assume that any link that you click is an affiliate link. As Smoo Cave is out in the highlands, it is not the easiest place to get to. We ascended the steps to the other side of the cave and took a walk along the top of the stunning cliffs. I’ve never heard of this place but I will put it on my bucket list. If you plan on visiting Smoo Cave, you can find nearby hostels on HostelWorld. Smoo cave is part of the Durness Group, and so was formed in the Early Ordovician dolomites. Sir Walter Scott agreed with this, describing the third chamber as exceedingly strange and a perfect place for dark beings from the netherworld to reside. Smoo Cave is situated at the head of a narrow inlet which runs inland 600m from the N coast of Durness. Once you have finished visiting the chambers, you can either go back to the car park the way you came or climb the path on the other side of Smoo Cave. Smoo Cave is a large combined sea cave and freshwater cave in Durness in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. Guided geological tours of Smoo Cave, part of which are undertaken by boat, are run over the summer months. This forms an impressive blowhole during storms. One such tale tells of the highwayman McMurdo, who threw his victims down the blowhole. Later Norse settlers possibly used the caves as shelter. If you like my blog and want to help to support my work, please go via these links if you are using the companies for your travels. Smoo cave has one of the largest entrances to a sea cave in Britain. Old stories state that the gateway to the faerie world is found inside this cave, guarded by spirits. The upper layers of the midden, which was packed with shells, dated to the Iron Age, around 3,000 years ago. Unfortunately, there was no guide available on that day, which would have added insight into the history of the cave. The cave was formed along the boundary between two types of rock, the Sangomore Formation and the Sailmhor Formation. This blowhole was the site of some villainous plots. It costs you no extra and just helps to keep me blogging. Hi! In this chamber, there is a waterfall of about 25m and some eerie rock formations. You can read about my visit to Smoo Cave in this post. I love Scotland so much! BBC Scotland. Required fields are marked *. This will be a very long day if you do this, and you will end up with only an hour at the cave. © 2021 Natpacker. Other stories tell that the cave was the scene for a number of murders during the 16th century, as highwaymen were found here. I love all the different legends and stories. An affiliate link will use a cookie to track any sales on the website that you are directed to. Would love to visit! 200 Voices: find out more about the people who have shaped Scotland, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). If you’re exploring the Scottish Highlands it is definitely not to be missed. The cave was formed within Early Ordovician Dolostones of the Durness Limestone Group. One Legend States That The Blow Hole Was Created By The Devil. Entrance of Smoo Cave, large combined sea and freshwater cave in Durness, Sutherland, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK. If you want to stay nearby, you can stay in Durness, or there are options closer. Natpacker is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme, AWIN and other affiliate sites. High pressure and temperature conditions at depth then recrystallise the rock which results in the formation of bands to create (Lewisian) gneiss. Therefore, I recommend hiring a car if you can. Hope you make it to Smoo Cave one day . I’m Nat, the backpacker behind the travel blog. "Smoo" is a name thought to derive from the Old Norse Smugawhich means "hiding place" and the name is applied to this end of the village and to the river, the Allt Smoo, which disappears into a sinkhole on the inland side of the A838 a short distance from the car park, as well as to Smoo Cave itself. The residents of nearby Durness lured a clan of marauders into the cave and slaughtered them to a man. In the early 1700s, the Smoo Cave was the setting for a murderous trap. So many places to visit with loads of history and legends! Smoo Cave, Durness: See 1,119 reviews, articles, and 1,056 photos of Smoo Cave, ranked No.5 on Tripadvisor among 19 attractions in Durness. It’s definitely worth a visit. Looking Out Across Gaeodha Smoo From Smoo Cave. The inner cave, home to a thunderous waterfall, is by local repute the gateway to hell. Archaeologists created a picture of high activity, with a peg carved from antler, a bone spatula and a broken bone needle, with a perforated round head - which may have been used to make and repair fishing nets - discovered. Be aware that buses only tend to run during the summer months. The cave is a scheduled Scottish monument and consent had to given by Historic Scotland. The easiest way to get to the caves is to drive. Set into limestone cliffs, Smoo Cave is large – 200 feet long, 130 feet wide, and 50 feet high at the entrance. 2700 Ma - Molten bodies cool to form granite-like rocks within the lower levels of the Earth's crust. McMurdo murdered his victims by throwing them down the blowhole into the cave with the highwayman buried in a tomb at nearby Balnakeil Church. Please see the privacy policy for more details. There’s so much to see in Scotland! There is also a circular walking path from here. Be aware - these are affiliate links. -This is a private tour of 3 days that will be customised around you. We spent about an hour, at the cave. Smoo Cave boundary formed between the light grey … Other locations that have been collected here on Natpacker.com. I’ve been all around Scotland but have never heard of smoo cave! Durnessis the car park for Smoo Cave. Smoo Cave: Smoo Cave - See 1,119 traveler reviews, 1,056 candid photos, and great deals for Durness, UK, at Tripadvisor. Dating potentially as far back as the Mesolithic period legends include that it was used by the devil for his mischief making, utilised as a death trap by highwayman Donald McMurdo and, naturally, a base for smuggling operations. Getting to Smoo Cave via public transport is tricky, as buses are scarce in the highlands. One story tells that a local man, Donald MacKay, sent his dog into the chamber. 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