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CV3
Covesea/ Covesea Village, Moray, (Elginshire).
NGR: | NJ 18659 70958 |
WGS84: | 57.72100, -3.36719 |
Length: | 64 m |
Vert. Range: | 6.6 m |
Altitude: | 11 m |
Geology: | Hopeman Sandstone Formation |
Tags: | Cave, SeaCave |
Registry: | main |
A supratidal rift cave, reached by a step up off the beach, facing NE by E. It initially appears to be a high ceilinged rock shelter, but there is a small entrance to the inner tunnel which goes down to 1.4 m headroom and then opens out to 4-5 m high and variable width. At 46 m from the inner tunnel entrance, the tunnel goes down to 1.2 m headroom and from there gets lower and lower to a final, non accessible end 12 m further on. There are many names, initials, some with dates, mostly near the walking end at 46 m, but some further in - evidently inscribed while lying on his or her back. Not dripping, but not dry either.
This is clearly the cave illustrated at top right of p14 of the Christmas 1908 edition of the Northern Scot. The article asserts that it was un-named at that time.
Alternate Names: None recorded.
Notes: Access: either as described in the Northern Scot article, or round the headland at the E end of the beach which leads to the lighthouse, at about half tide or lower.
Links and Resources:
- Not indicated on any edition of OS.
- Page 14 of the Christmas 1908 edition of the Northern Scot with the part relating to this cave indicated at the side in yellow.
- Photo 1 shows the entrance from the sea on 14 November 20, with the tide fairly high. The top half of the inner entrance can just be made out in the middle of the back wall.
- Photo 2 is from the Northern Scot article. A careful comparison of the inner entrance shows that it is the same as that in Photo 3. However, the then owners must have dug out the place where the man is standing - presumably to avoid having to crawl in.
- Photo 3 shows the inner entrance, taken from the seaward (N) edge of the platform on 16 October 21. There appears to be a small rift opening on the right, partly obscured by a fern, which was not noticed on that date. The 'patio' is 5.3 m from light directly overhead to the inner entrance. The inner entrance itself is 0.7 m wide and 2.7 m floor to 'lintel'. The current minimum vertical aperture is 0.86 m ie a hands and knees crawl.
- Photo 4 looking out towards the inner entrance from 7-8 m inside.
- Photo 5 looking inward (SW) from the same place as photo 4. The white loop on the right is a piece of rope. Beyond it the tape (and the tunnel) turns right from 214 degrees to 242 degrees at 13 m in from the inner entrance.
- Photo 6 also looking NE ish towards the entrance; this time from about 35m in from the inner entrance. It was not obvious what the purpose of the diagonal line of stones might have been. The end of the tape was at 29 m from the inner entrance. From that point to 46.2 m, the tunnel runs at 225 degrees. The width at 32 m is 5.4 m, 3.7 m of which is on the W side. Floor to ceiling height 3.8 m.
- Photo 7 shows some of the graffiti at the 152 ft distance from the inner entrance (measured at 46.2 m). One of these showing Ross & West 1882.
- Photo 8 at the same point, the W wall. Note the number of 1902 inscriptions - the year of the coronation of King Edward VII.
- Photo 9 The tunnel gets suddenly lower at the 46.2 m distance and gradually gets lower until the extreme end which is a further 12 m further on. Some have inscribed initials and dates on the ceiling in here.
This entry was last updated: 2021-10-19 15:07:20
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