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Lamba Ness N Subterranean Passage (E entrance)

Papa Stour, Shetland.

Lamba Ness is a headland on the north coast of Papa Stour, although its connection to the island is by a very narrow isthmus. Two tunnels pass east to west through the isthmus, parallel and very close together.

For most of its length the tunnel is approximately 6-8m wide overall, and is roughly square in cross-section. It is partially submerged and has a water depth varying between 2-4m BCD and a ceiling some 3.7-5.8m ACD. A series of pillars runs along the length of the tunnel, effectively dividing it into two parallel tunnels connected by the gaps between the pillars. The northern passage is narrow (approximately 2m wide) while the southern passage is broader (3-6m wide). The floor of the tunnel consists of large boulders with a gravel/pebble in-fill for most of its length, although near the eastern end there is an area of gravel and pebbles with large ripples. The tunnel walls are predominantly vertical but in parts the north wall (side 1) is overhanging and the southern wall (side 2) is a 45° terraced bedrock steep slope. [SNH Report 102]

Alternative Names: PS03CV3

Notes: See W entrance.

This NGR preserves the 3 m southward relationship to the W entrance shown on the plan. It uses Pastmap Aerial to adjust the easting a little.

The length is 67 m end to end plus 42 m for the parts where the tunnel divides into two. This second figure was arrived at from the Report 102 plan.