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Christie's Hole

Papa Stour, Shetland.

Christie's Hole on Papa Stour provides a spectacular example of a geo with tunnels and collapsed sections of cavern (a sea cave or two sea caves). It consists of a 48m tunnel followed by a 64m gloup then a second tunnel starting at HU 15432 60511 which is about 67m long. this includes the second, smaller gloup (10m) and a short extension after that. Erosion along a line of structural weakness has not only cut geos and caverns but also undermined the overlying ground, producing a sequence of depressions filled by shallow lochs on the surface. The collapse of the floor of one of these depressions into the cave below drained a lochan in 1981. (landforms .eu)

An inlet named Hamna Voe rather difficult of access affords a secure harbour for vessels. To the north of it high cliffs succeed which are shaped by the water of the sea into a continual recurrence of excavations. The most remarkable of these is Christie's Hole which when surveyed from the summit of a cliff appears a cavity of some hundred feet deep and about 120 feet in length being situated at a distance of 180 feet from the sea. It can be explored by means of a boat a labour that is only to be accomplished in the calmest weather. A large arch first presents itself and after rowing through dark vaults the light of the sun bursts in from the lofty opening above here the water is said to be several fathoms in depth. The boat then pursues its gloomy course through another extensive perforation which at length expands into an immense cavern where the light of the sun is wholly excluded In the innermost recesses here is a steep beach which terminates in small dens where the larger seals and Haaf fish couple and where the females produce their young and suckle them until they are able to accompany their dams. to sea It is customary for two boats crews of the island of Papa to go to this place at certain seasons of the year armed with thick clubs and well provided with candles. They attack the seals with their weapons stun them by a blow on the head and in this state of insensibility put them to death. The animals boldly step forward in defence of their young they face their destroyers and with their teeth often wrench the clubs out of their enemies hands. But the attempt is vain the walls of these gloomy recesses are stained with their blood and numbers of dead victims are carried off by the boats.

45 m natural arch to gloup with cave below waterfall.

Aerial photos c. 1981 show the lochan on the map just east of the cave collapsed into the cave forming a second gloup further inland.

Christie's Hole provides a dramatic example of a geo inlet with a subterranean passage and collapsed cavern (Figure 3.8, inset). Complex relationships between marine erosional features and the structurally controlled pattern of shallow lochs on the plateau are clearly demonstrated at Christie's Hole. Marine erosion along a structural line of weakness has cut geos, caverns and subterranean passages that underlie depressions on the surface. The collapse of the roof of one of these subterranean passages resulted in the instantaneous drainage of one of the flooded depressions and the loss of an inland loch.

Shetland Times 5.6.2009, From Shetland Life, June 1984, No.44 by George P. S. Peterson. While we are discussing place names I am surprised that some scholar has not considered the Gaelic element in Shetland. We are conditioned to accepting (quite correctly too) that the great majority of placenames in Shetland are of Norse origin. But from my own knowledge of the names in Papa there still exists a significant percentage of pre-Norse words. One of the best known caves is Kirstan Hole - neither "Christie's Hole" as a map of 1880 has it, nor "Kirstan's Hole" as it is often called today. A Gaelic dictionary reveals that "cuartan" means a "maze" or "labyrinth". The Gaelic pronunciation inserts "s" between "t" and "r" and here we have a word that describes the cave perfectly for there are side passages that lead off the main gallery. Incidentally part of the roof subsided in 1981 so that there are now two openings to the sky.

Alternate Names: Kirstan Hole, Christie Hole, Kirstan's Hole