Tye's Tunnel (N entrance)

Tye's Tunnel is a 35m-long gully aligned approximately north to south through Celicar Rib below the lighthouse at St Abb's Head. For much of its length the gully has been closed over by large boulders wedged in place, though parts remain open to the sky. The northern (main) entrance is approached via a 10 to 15m long gully floored by mobile rounded cobbles and small boulders. At the entrance the seabed is at 4.0m BCD, the tunnel is maximally 2.8m high by 4.9 m wide, and the floor consists of a level field of mobile rounded cobbles. At a distance of 8m into the tunnel, the passage narrows to 2.3m and a floor of large boulders inclines upwards to a depth of 0.2m BCD. At this point, 15.5m into the site, the roof is open to the sky. The passage is now 1m wide and it descends gradually to a depth of 1.5m BCD over a floor of smaller boulders and cobbles. At 21.6m along the datum, the passage bears to the left (east) for 4m and then to the right (west) before continuing to the end at 34.8m distance in a depth of 1.6m BCD. The exit from the [south entrance of the] tunnel is approximately 2m vertically upwards, into the intertidal zone on the south side of Celicar Rib. [SNH report 069]

Length was scaled from the Report 069 plan (see below) and by following the centre-line of the tunnel. The length given in the report is the laid out tape length - as indicated on the plan.

Links and Resources:

Not indicated on any OS.
ERT (Scotland) Ltd (2004). Site condition monitoring: Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast (BNNC) littoral and sublittoral caves, June 2003. Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No. 069 (ROAME No. F02AA409). This cave is BN03CV09.
Photos 1 & 2 shows the entrance in some context and closer to. Report 069.
Plan from Report 069.
Bing aerial of Celicar Rib with the NGR of the entrance to the geo which leads to the north entrance. The pale blue dashed line is the straight line between the north and south ends of the tunnel. See plan for the actual jerky curve of the tunnel.
Photo 3 Cleaver Rock on L and a side on view of the top of the geo to Tye's Tunnel N entrance in Celicar Rib.
video 1 by Sharon Brown '18. She says it is usually accessed at high tide. 3 min 24 s
video 2 by Pete Haida '14. The first 9 mins or so is going to and in Tye's tunnel. That includes a lovely lobster sequence. Later has a good sequence of guillemots swimming under water. 20 min 39 s.
Photo 4 is a frame from video 2 looking up through the south entrance. This could turn out to be a blowhole; it is uncertain how much the boulders partly blocking the tunnel might interfere with any blowhole action.
GCR Series 28 Coastal Geomorphology of Gt Britain 3: Hard Rock Cliffs by J D Hansom, p 110, St Abb's Head. This cave is within the scope of this reference.

This entry was last updated: 2024-04-18 15:02:12

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NGR:	NT 91374 69366
WGS84:	55.91731, -2.13958
Length:	30 m
Vert. Range:	6.8 m
Altitude:	-4 m
Geology:	Eyemouth volcanic formation - andesite & basalt
Tags:	Cave, Tunnel, SeaCave
Registry:	main

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