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Seal Cave [Gress]

Gress, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Wester Ross.

A large sea cave on the eastern coast of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles).

Visited by Skye native, Martin Martin in the 690s who described it as 'a cave in Loch-Grace, which distills water from the top, that petrifies in the bottom.'

Also visited separately by Thomas Pennant and Samuel Johnson.

From 1797; "Not far from the farm of Gress, there is a large cave, accessible only from the sea, where there was about 50 years ago a vast number of seals killed annually, and the practice is still continued, but now seldom more than seven or twelve are destroyed. The method of killing is this: A number of people assemble about low water, and carry a boat into the cave as far as she can proceed; they take from the boat a pot, which they have filled with live coal, and with which they light their torches; they then fall upon the poor seals without mercy, with clubs shod with iron. The entry to the cave is very steep and narrow on its sides, and does not admit more than the breadth of a six-oared boat. After going in a great way, the light of day becomes somewhat obscured, and they then meet with a large pillar, which divides the cave at this place into two large openings or arches, by one of which they enter, and walk a long way under, where they meet with large tumbling round stonea, surrounded in part with water. As they advance further in, they come to a fine pleasant beach, where they meet with the seals; further in still, there is a small chamber, which by the light of the torchesappears remarkably white, its roof being all covered with white stalactite, which are hanging from the roof, like to large icicles; some of them put on the figure of heiroglyphic, and each of them seems perforated from the base to the point with a small tube. It is within very high, and sounds very loud, when the voice is exalted, but has no particular echo. From the outer entry to the innermost part of it, is no less than one-eighth of an English mile. [OSA]

Also from 1797; "In this parish there is a remarkable cave, into which the sea goes at high water. When it was first noticed, vast numbers of seals were killed in it; and the practice is still continued once a-year, about Michaelmas. It is only accessible from sea; the people land from their boat opposite to the cave in time of low water, at spring-tide; they walk forward, and being furnished with fire, they light torches at the entry to the cave, which is dark far in, and they knock to death all the seals found there with heavy bludgeons armed with iron. At first it was not uncommon to see 50 killed at a time; but now the number does not exceed from 7 to 12. At the furthest end, there is a small apartment, the top of which is lined with stalactitae, or icicles, of a very firm consistence; it is about an eighth part of an English mile in length, and its height is variable". [OSA Supplement]

From 1845; "There are two caves about the distance of an English mile from Gress House, both of which are spacious; but the Seal Cave is the most remarkable in the island. It is about a furlong in length (approx. 201m) from the entrance to high water-mark in the interior. Its height and breadth are variable. The cave at the mouth, is about ten feet wide: it gradually decreases to four feet in breadth; and after this, it widens and terminates in a spacious semi-circle, irregularly arched, and containing a deep basin of water. Here, the roof is very lofty, and resplendent when viewed by torch-light. Beyond the margin of the basin, is a sandy and gravelly beach, very pleasant and acceptable after such a dark navigation. There is a small apartment in the interior, which by torch-light produces a fine effect; the pearly icicles of stalactite suspended from the roof, reflect the light as from so many diamonds. The sides and roof are lined with this concreted matter. The natives, and strangers who have visited the cave, broke and carried away many of the finest icicles; but with a short respite, the plastic power of nature can restore the injury done by man [not approved of now and recovery from any damage may take centuries]. The cave has been the rendezvous of the seals which frequented the Broad bay for ages; great shoals of which were seen about the entrance, by fishermen and herdsmen from the tops of the rocks. Curiosity, and the hope of securing the seals, induced some of the people to enter, armed with iron shod clubs and torches. By guarding the entrance as much as possible, the work of destruction commenced within, and vast numbers of these animals were killed. For several years, there was about the Michaelmas term, an annual visit of the seals to the cave; but finding their retreat discovered, and themselves much disturbed, they now seldom enter the spacious hall of their ancestors. Through the kind attentions of Lewis McIver, Esq., tacksman of Gress [c. 1845], several strangers had an opportunity of visiting this wonderful cave. Its celebrity is increasing: and it is supposed to be only second to the spar cave in Skye. The icicles a and crustation are similar; the mouths of the caverns front each other, though distant eighty miles. [NSA]

From 1846; "There are several romantic caves but the most remarkable is that called the Seal Cave from its having formerly been the resort of great numbers of seals and in which annually multitudes were destroyed by torch light The interior of this cavern decreases gradually from a width of ten feet at the entrance to a breadth of four feet beyond which it expands into a wide semicir cular basin of deep water the roof is lofty and like the sides thickly incrusted with stalactites of brilliant lustre." [Topographical Dictionary]

From 1863: "A short way along the coast, about a mile from the station of Gress, the celebrated seal cave runs into the conglomerate for two hundred yards or more. This cave is formed in quite the opposite manner from the opening near the great trap dyke, for in place of the pudding-stone being washed away, here a large trap dyke has been cut away straight into the land. This has left a beautifully clear-cut sea-cave the whole width of the dyke for sixty yards from the entrance, thence it is so narrow that only the very smallest boat can proceed farther. Some way in it again widens into the furthest cave, which is high and roomy, with a gravel beach on one side. The water is deep and clear, the rocky sides cut straight as walls, and studded under water with many large sea-urchins. It is a favourite resort of seals, and one rose with a splash close by our boat, retreating into the further recesses of the cave, where we were unable to follow. Altogether it is one of the finest and most beautiful sea-caves to be seen, and although not so imposing outside, is, in our idea, a much more imagination-stirring and weird-like cavern than the more celebrated cave of Staffa. No one visiting Stornoway should ever leave without seeing this great natural curiosity, when a few hours is sufficient to bring before the bodily eye as charming a haunt of sea-nymphs as ever startled the brain of a poet into dreamy activity." [Lewisania]

From 1882; "There are a number of caves, one of which, the Seal Cave, at Gress, about 8 miles N of the town of Stornoway, is said to be inferior only to the Spar Cave in Skye." [Groome]

Alternative Names: Seals Cave, Geodha nan Ron

Notes: Located nearby is a long narrow geo, Geodha na Muic [NB 51353 41973] which would once have been similar to Seal Cave but where the roof has collapsed.

Unfortunately by 2018 the area surrounding the cave had been choked with rubbish and pollution including milk cartons, plastic containers and fishing lines. The Mull Otter Group undertook a clean up operation removing decades-worth of plastic waste.

Length is an estimate based on the outline on 1st Ed OS 6 in. Needs a proper measurement to be done.