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Other Sites Within 500m

Rubha Bholsa (9) [Islay]  Apex Dyke Cave [Islay]  * Natural Arch (4(E)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  Dump Cave [Islay]  * Natural Arch (4(W)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  * Natural Arch (3(S)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  * Natural Arch (5(N)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  * Natural Arch (3(N)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  * Natural Arch (5(S)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  Rubha Bholsa (5) [Islay]  Rhuba Bholsa (1) [Islay]  Continuation Cave [Islay]  * Natural Arch (2(E)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  * Natural Arch (2(W)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  * Natural Arch (1(S)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  Deer Shelter Cave [Islay]  * Natural Arch (1(N)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay]  Rubha Bholsa (2) [Islay]  Rubha Bholsa (4) [Islay]  Rubha Bholsa (3) [Islay]  * Cave (1) [Aonan Port an t-Sruthain, Islay]  * Cave (2) [Aonan Port an t-Sruthain, Islay]  Mala Bholsa (4) [Islay]  Mala Bholsa (3) [Islay]  * Natural Arch (7(NE)) [Islay]  Aonan Port an t-Sruthain Natural Arch (NW), Islay  * Natural Arch (7(SW)) [Islay]  Aonan Port an t-Sruthain Natural Arches (Middle) [Islay]  Aonan Port an t-Sruthain Natural Arches (SE) [Islay]  Mala Bholsa Ravine Cave [Islay]  Mala Bholsa Trig Point  Shell Pile Cave [Islay]  Water Garden Cave [Islay]  * Natural Arch (6(NE)) [Rubha Bholsa, Islay] 

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Deer Skull Cave [Islay]

Rubha Bholsa, Islay, Argyllshire.

NGR:NR 37900 78126
WGS84:55.92456, -6.19717
Length:33 m
Vert. Range:Not recorded
Altitude:15 m
Geology:Jura Quartzite Formation-quartzite
Tags:Cave, SeaCave, Archaeo, SSSI
Registry:second

Raised beach cave marked on OS maps.

- - -

13 m wide, 3.5 m high entrance. Access easy.

There is a rockfall on the right-hand side of the entrance. Inside on the left, beyond a low roofline at 9 m, there is a wide chamber terminating 24 m from the entrance. However there is a narrowing passage on the right leading to the remains of a dry-stone wall at 24 m. The cave extends another 9 m beyond the wall. The cave contains many shells and bones, including the skull of a deer with full antlers. [Caves of Islay]

Alternative Names: Rubha Bholsa (8)

Notes: The name 'Deer Skull Cave' comes from Graham Little, 2026.

Hydrographic Feeds: None

Hydrographic Resurgences: None

Links and Resources:

This entry was last updated: 2026-10-24 18:28:09

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