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Beinn an Dubhaich Cave

Skye, Allt nan Leac, Invernessshire.

Cave. Sink Entrance in rocky depression where sizeable stream goes underground. Main Entrance 27 m W. tree growing out of squarish open shaft. 3 m climb onto debris pile in sizeable passage going E & W. E passage soon develops deep canyon in floor. Thin cavers can thrutch through but usual route is straightforward traverse at roof level to small chamber 24 m from entrance. Spectacular banding in metamorphosed limestone of roof. Beyond narrow climb drops 4 m (lower part over stalagmite flow) to rejoin lower route before terminal chamber where roof drops steeply into pool above thick mud. Flooded passage on left with tiny triangular airspace seems too small, Terminal chamber 22 m from entrance. Right of Main Entrance, descending crawl over granite cobbles joins stream, rising from left wall & cascading down slippery granite ramp into impressive Waterfall Chamber. Care needed on climb down, easy to make over-precipitate descent. From Waterfall, Stream slides under S wall & turns left (E, away from rising) into 8 m crawl ending in small sump chamber, approx. 60 m E of rising. High rift on W of Waterfall lowers to short crawl into roomy but low Grampian Chamber, 10 m long ending in crawl to impassible slot to daylight. 0.6 m deep pool in floor appears to extend as flooded bedding beneath chamber walls probably part of extensive phreas between two sumps and rising. To right of Grampian Chamber is smaller but lofty chamber probably once a stream inlet. On left, shingly crawl runs back parallel to crawl from Waterfall Chamber. Multiphase cave development & granite/limestone contact needs detailed study.

[Following dive in Beinn na Dubhaich Cave Rising] Next visited terminal chamber of Beinn an Dubhaich Cave. Here sump found similar in nature to sump at the end of Caledonian Canal. Confident connection could be made. Fetched tank, tied off dive line & plunged in. Although short - only 6 metres - dive proved 'interesting' without fins & thick deposits of mud on floor removed visibility instantly. Fumbled through & emerged in Caledonian Canal, completing connection between cave & resurgence.

Alternative Names: Beinn na Dubhaich Cave, Beinn na Dubhaich (Uamh), Allt nan Leac Cave

Notes: Known for some years, first described by D. Whitehead, 1965. Old cave surveyed & sink dug open by MSG, April 1971. September 1971, dig & solo exploration of Waterfall Chamber by P. Ryder in wet conditions. Drier conditions in 1978 let Peter Branney & Ivan Young of GSG find crawl to Grampian Chamber. Survey of new series by MSG October 1978.