Last Updated: 3/19/21 | March 19th, 2021

This month, my buddy Alex Berger talks about northern Scotland as well as shares the story of Smoo Cave. It’s beautifully written.

Perched atop the used limestone cliffs at the mouth of the Geodha Smoo inlet, I casually cleaned the toe of my walking boot across the soft, muted purple heather blossoms. I had shown up in the sleepy Scottish town of Durness a few minutes earlier as well as made the 10-minute walk along the edge of the inlet, intending to catch one of Scotland’s mystical sunsets. The noise of crashing waves waging their perpetual war against the shoreline echoed in my ears as I let the clean scent of heather, salt spray, as well as seaweed fill my lungs.

My arrival in Durness marked the culmination of a long day’s drive up the northwestern coastline of Scotland. The sleepy bit village of 400 stands next to one of Scotland’s a lot of special natural wonders. situated at the end of Geodha Smoo, a mid-length inlet carved by the ocean, wind, as well as a little stream, Smoo Cave resembles a dragon’s open maw carved into the side of the surrounding stone cliff face.

Each year, over 40,000 people go to Smoo Cave. Inside, archeologists have found Neolithic, Norse, as well as Iron Age artifacts — a few of which date back to the Mesolithic age (10,000-8,000 BCE). legend has it that the cave is a gateway to the faerie world as well as is guarded by spirits. On a a lot more functional note, the cave was utilized regularly by smugglers considering that its a natural hiding place.

What makes the cave special in the UK is its geographic qualities. The sprawling outer chamber has been carved over the ages by the sea, while a series of interior caverns as well as tunnels have been etched out by the two freshwater streams that thread their method with the cave. The very first of these two streams bubbles up with a submerged pool situated at the terminus of the deepest available part of the cave.

The second comes from the waters of the Allt Smoo, a stream (or raging torrent, depending upon the rains) that winds across the Scottish countryside before unexpectedly crashing 80 feet with a hole in the stone ceiling as well as down into Smoo Cave’s second-largest cavern.

There the waters join with those that have wandered their method out from underneath the bedrock to link in a deep pool. only partially lit by little wall lamps as well as the faint light streaming in with the hole in the roof, the dark waters are mainly still except for the periodic swirl of a fish’s fin, the gentle mist of the waterfall, as well as the soft ripple of an inflatable raft as it ferries visitors deeper into the heart of the cave.

On my previous go to to Smoo the rains had turned the little Allt Smoo into a raging river, making it impossible to spend a lot more than the briefest of moments on the wooden platform increased at the end of the little tunnel that links the cave’s grand mouth as well as the flooded depths of the second chamber. This time, as I slowly walked underneath the moss-covered ceiling of the grand chamber, I really hoped I would have the possibility to check out the cave’s depths.

The Portal

With a lot of of the tourists having left for supper, I discovered myself standing alone in the center of the primary chamber. With a skylight in the ceiling carved by the Allt Smoo before it discovered an much easier path into the chamber, the cave ceiling arcs overhead with a lot more than 40 feet of clearance. The back of the cave is covered in eco-friendly moss as well as little plants, while a completely lit, otherworldly crevasse glows as though an emerald gateway to one more world has opened.

For those familiar with the epic of Beowulf, it is simple to imagine the early Norse explorers, who archaeologists state when made camp in the cave, huddled around a campfire telling stories of sea witches as well as cave trolls. For others who may have dreamed of similar seaside caves, it is simple for the mind to roam with flights of fantasy as well as dreams directly from Arthurian legend. It seems likely, provided that the archaeological record for the cave shows indications of habitation stretching back a lot more than 4,000 years to the Neolithic Era, that the cave was inspiring travelers even while the pharaohs increased the fantastic pyramids in ancient Egypt.

I relished the moment as well as paused inside the second chamber for a number of photographs before returning to the hostel. If the weather condition cooperated, the complying with morning guaranteed experience as well as the chance to delve into Smoo’s deepest depths.

Exploring the Cave

To my pleasure morning shown up with only the lightest of Scottish showers. I swiftly made my method down to the grand entrance in the primary cavern, paid a couple of pounds for the tour, as well as was fitted for a hardhat. I joined the others, as well as we were instructed to head intothe second chamber where an inflatable river raft was set up just underneath the wooden checking out platform. After a short wait, our guide shown up as well as ushered us very carefully down a vertical ladder as well as into the boat. He was a crusty old Scotsman who undoubtedly had a deep connection with the cave as well as had been providing excursions for years. After obeying a few barked orders, we ducked our heads as well as pressed ourselves against the bottom of the raft as he pulled us out from underneath the low-hanging dock as well as along the edge of the second cavern.

Soon, we discovered ourselves by the outer edges of the falls as he explained exactly how the waterfall concerned be as well as the history of the cave. After a short pause, he tossed a few pieces of crumbled bread over the edge of the boat. As soon as it hit the water, our eyes widened as a little army of undetectable fish tore the bread asunder as well as then returned to the depths of the black waters.

With a gritty chuckle, a push, as well as a command to mind our heads, our guide utilized two ropes to pull us across the chamber as well as underneath a low-hanging arch with just sufficient clearance for the boat. A helmet scraped carefully on the rocks overhead as we guided the boat underneath the arch as well as into a little chamber. There, our guide hopped out as well as led us very carefully onto wooden boards haphazardly sitting in the midst of a little stream.

Deep in Smoo Cave

The tunnel that stretched out before us was approximately the height of a tall man. The walls looked every bit like a fossilized seabed, reflecting their ancient past.

Careful to mind our footing, we complied with our guide along the increased boards deeper into the cave. The journey wasn’t long however served to add to the feeling of otherworldliness. Each step took us additionally along what felt like a blend of an underground river as well as the type of ancient mine our ancestors may have carved out 100 generations ago.

The tunnel dead-ends abruptly. The walls of the cave style somewhat as well as then converge, covered on one side by a thick layer of large stalactites that protrude partially from the wall. underneath them, the stream threads its method across fallen rocks which in turn provide method to fine sand as well as a little pool that slips underneath the stalactite-covered wall.

With the light twang of frustration in his voice, our guide explained that attempts to additionally check out the tunnel with the utilize of dive devices had come up empty-handed. Indications suggested that the chamber likely continued on additionally into the cliffs, however silt as well as obstacles in the submerged part of the tunnel made it impossible to explore. It was remove he had the heart of an explorer as well as itched for the day when some shift or modification made it possible to discover as well as delve those depths.

He broke our thoughtful reverie as well as voiced his theory that at one point, the cave system likely opened into extra chambers additionally in the cliffside. As evidence, he gestured at little bits of sodden charcoal that had gathered, caught in the sand at the pool’s lip. bits of charcoal, like those we were seeing, had been checked as well as were approximately 4,000 years old. even a lot more interesting, they showed indications that they likely stemmed from man-made cooking fires.

His enthusiasm to fix the concern of where the charcoal was coming from as well as who had left it deep within the cave captured our imaginations as we slowly made our method back to the boat. Each of us dragged our feet slightly, excited to draw out the experience. But, then, as swiftly as it had all begun, we discovered ourselves back in the boat, our faces pressed against the thick rubber of the raft’s sides as we squeezed underneath the little arch as well as re-emerged into the cavern with the waterfall.

Smoo Cave isn’t the most grandiose cave you’ll ever explore. It’s likewise not the most beautiful. Yet, there’s something special about it that teases the imagination. For my part, I look ahead to the chance to return as well as harbor the hope that someday we’ll fix the cave’s secret as well as discover a lot more about what lies behind its flooded passageway.

Hur man kommer dit

Durness is finest reached by vehicle or motorcycle. However, it can be reached by bus or a bus/train combination by method of Lairg. In addition to Smoo Cave, Durness is likewise a prominent base for checking out Cape Wrath. There are a number of hostels as well as many hotels as well as B&Bs in the area; the most practical for checking out Smoo Cave is the Durness youth Hostel. Smoo Cave is complimentary to go to however the boat excursion costs approximately 5 GBP as well as generally lasts 20-30 minutes. The cave is available all year.

Alex Berger is the author of VirtualWayfarer.com as well as an American currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. EnN AVID Traveller, hans passioner inkluderar resefotografering samt akademisk forskningsstudie om den utvecklande funktionsinnovation spelar i att utforma backpacker -kulturen.

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