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Cnoc nan Uamh System

Traligill Valley, Sutherland.

The coordinates given are arbitrary (approximately above Sump 4 beyond the Static Sump). There is no entrance at the point shown (on the hill to the southeast of the entrances). The entrance locations for Uamh an Uisge (the Waterslide) [NC27580 20605], Uamh an Tartair (Cave of the Roaring) [NC 27620 20595] and the Pothole Entrance [NC 27595 20590].

The largest cave system in the Traligill basin and the main stream system for the upper Traligill Valley, focusing the waters from the plateau above into a master cave which develops as a thrust plane formation for the greater part of the valley. Three drainage routes combine underground to form the main stream that emerges in Landslip Chamber. An upstream part of this stream can be accessed from the Static Sump, but it is not clear if the streams have combined at that point. In flood conditions, the upstream sumps seem incapable of taking the full flow and Uamh Cailliche Peireag acts as an overflow into the Allt a' Bealaich.

Dye-tracing has shown that the cave takes water from the upper Traligill basin (from Pipe Sink, Cuile Dhubh Sink, Loch Mhaolach-coire Sink and various sinks along the Allt a' Bhealaich).

The cave may be found by following a well-worn footpath from Glenbain up the valley and across the river to Cnoc nan Uamh. The largest entrance, Uamh an Uisge (Water Cave or the Waterslide), becomes visible at a distance of some 500 m from the cave. Another entrance, Uamh an Tartair (Cave of the Roaring), previously a resurgence, is visible at a greater distance but is hidden by a bulge in the hill as one gets nearer. A now dry streambed runs down to the Allt a' Bhealaich. The third entrance , the Pothole, is only visible from above.

Although the least impressive of the three entrances entrance to the largest part of the system is through Uamh an Tartair. The entrance chamber is passed by crawling under a low arch to the right giving access to a similarly sized second chamber. To the right at the the rear of the latter a rocky slot through boulders drops about 1 m into Stream Chamber, an enlarged section of the river passage. Water flows from left to right across this passage to enter a narrow passage leading to the section of cave above the water fall in the Pothole. It is usually possible to drop into Stream Chamber onto a small dry area before having to cross the stream. If you drop into water it is not a good idea to enter the rest of the cave.

In dry weather it is possible to follow the water upstream via a series of ducks to a roughly circular chamber (Pool Chamber). However, the usual way on is to cross the stream and to ascend a boulder covered slope to the right on the far side. Above the stream passage leading to the Pothole is an upper passage (Fairbank Crack) where a clamber down drops back into the streamway above the Pothole waterfall.

See the Waterslide for details of the lower section of the cave.

Ignore two low-level crawls: the third, on the left at the top of the boulder slope is a short crawl through to a low series of chambers called the Grotto. Although much reduced by gradual erosion by passing cavers, there is still a reasonable display of straw stalactites and other speleothems. The Grotto may also be reached by following muddy crawls out of the extreme right hand end of Stream Chamber and passing through low eyeholes at floor level. The western end of the Grotto diminishes into a section of low crawls and a flat-out squeeze into Beechbarrow Chamber. Here boulders and sand block the way on but a short climb down leads to a rift passage running back to Stream Chamber.

A climb across Pool Chamber continues as a stooping scramble through clean, rocky arches and passages which form a bypass to the (flooded) stream passage. Sections of the stream passage can be followed directly by climbing a series of constricted and very wet cascades below the main route. If in this section, look out for the helmet and lamp dropped by a BBC cameraman. The higher route is usually dry and can be followed through a complex series of climbs and crawls to rejoin the stream at a an area of waterfalls. If not too wet it is possible to climb to the right of the falls to a squeeze into a well-developed passage with blocks on the right and the stream flowing on the left. A high-level route to this cavern, the Inner Circuit, may also be followed from the top of the eastern end of the Grotto. Along the main streamway a low tributary passage is passed on the left, leading to a constricted sump after 10 m.

After approximately 25 m, the stream passage opens into Landslip Chamber, where extensive breakdown on the right has resulted in a large cavern, floored on the left by a deep pool and with a high rubble slope on the right. At the level of the water, the chamber is split by a rock bridge. The main flow - and in low water conditions the only flow - comes from a smaller pool downstream of the rock bridge. This pool has been dived to a constriction, about 6 m in, down a steep, gravel bottomed slope and can be seen to continue. No connection has been shown between the two sides of the rock bridge. In higher flow conditions, the water overflows from the upper sump pool and joins the main flow. The upstream sump pool - large dark and unwelcoming - has been dived for around 120 m to an air bell (Poor Attendance) and a short section of passage (Crowning Glory). A further sump was dived for a short distance before closing down. From the sump pool, the passage descends a boulder slope to a slight constriction, beyond which the passage becomes larger and easier. Visibility on the way in is generally adequate, but usually deteriorates on the return. It reaches a maximum depth of around -13 m, rising again at the far end to around -3 m. An initial survey showed this point to be some way from the downstream end of the static sump streamway, but a subsequent survey (under better conditions) shows it to be very close. It is a reasonable assumption that the main flow comes directly from this streamway.

The roof of Landslip Chamber was in 1970 investigated by may-poling. A hole directly above the rock bridge in the pool was entered and found to close up. Evidence of a tenuous connection with the surface at the top of the slope of breakdown deposits was found in the guise of worms and roots but no hole has been found.

At the top of the slopes at the southern end of Landslip Chamber, routes into the muddy crawls of the Rabbit Warren are found (described below). Also at the far south end of the chamber, a climb over large, clean blocks reveals another passage. Dropping into this passage two routes are appear viable. The left-hand passage is a series of clean-washed oxbows which connect back to the main route, a bouldery crawl off to the right about 15 m. At the point of junction, the oxbow passage comes in from the left and the passage soon opens into a 5 m square chamber which can be followed ahead for 50 m. Toward it end it starts to slope downward and degenerates into a long sandy crawl (Far Passage or Worm Passage), becoming increasingly muddy toward its lower end at a silty pool (the Static Sump).

Back at the chamber at the start of Worm Passage, a climb up the northeast wall leads to the Rabbit Warren, running roughly back towards the rest of the system, By crawling through a series of silty and constricted, excavated passages two exits may be found into Landslip Chamber, the further one being 70 m from the start of the series. The extremities are blocked by earth and boulders and connections with Beechbarrow and the surface have been suggested. A choke in the Inner Circuit probably also leads into this unknown section.

The Static Sump at the end of the muddy slope of Worm Passage was passed in 1975. After a murky and silted passage of 16 m, an air bell is reached. Here a powerful flow of water enters from straight ahead and turns to run into a small loop of peat slimed passage. In front, a 35 m long roomy sump with clear visibility emerges into a large stream passage occupying a rift. A deep pool occurs 20 m further on, beyond which the passage rises into a mud-blocked aven after an additional 12m. At the end of the second sump the stream flows out of another sump pool, which has been dived for about 30 m into a silted and rather tight area. A muddy inlet leads off for 30 m to the east near this sump. It should be noted that the Static Sum is extremely silty and of late has become impassable due to further accumulation of silt. Attempts to make a way through have not so far been successful. It is possible that some degree of self-cleansing may take place with time, but this is uncertain.

Alternative Names: Uamh an Tartair; Uamh an Uisge, Cnockers

Notes: No way to tell when the caves were first explored. Home's map 1777 refers to Cnoc Dubh. No mention of caves in 1st or Old Statistical Account of Scotland (c. 1790) but 2nd or New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845) records a cave on the farm of Stroncrubie where at low passage leads to a well lit chamber (actually on the shieling of Camore in Kirkton just north of Stroncrubie).

Rev. J.W. Joass of Golspie and locals in Elphin mention both Uam an Uisge and Uamh an Tartair when questioned about placenames near Inchnadamff, 1875.

Members of Yorkshire Rambling Club and Craven Pot-hole Club in the area (1937, 1938 & 1939) and explored both Waterslide and Pothole (both parts of Uamh an Uisge) and entrance to Uamh an Tartair.

Sutherland, Inchnadamph, Cave of Water, or Uamh an Uisge (alt. 800 feet, 2 miles E.S.E. of the hotel). - 1937. The path up the glen leads close to the impenetrable Traligill Swallet. Three caves are half a mile off where the ridge between the active and dry beds of Traligill steepens. The arch seen at a distance is the trifling Cave of Roaring, but the roar is from the Cave of Water, which a burn enters by a waterfall from a 40 foot pot-hole above, to rage down a wide thrust plane, 3o°-45°. Ernest. E. Roberts, July 1937, went down the side of the slab no feet with a hand line, and found the cave narrowed into a steep tunnel. Excellent standing ground for a party when the burn is not in spate. He climbed past the fall and followed the watercourse off the pot above round two or three corners to a ten-foot fall, which in fine weather might perhaps permit a wet climb. [YRA]

Sutherland, Inchnadamff, Cave of Roaring - 1939. Mr. W. Fairbank in the second chamber broke a way through into a considerable cavern with a burn which must be above the Cave of Water [YRA 1939. This may be Mr. William (Bill) Fairbank of the Craven Pot-Hole Club]. Rigg had previously been down the great slab in the latter [the Waterslide].

Sutherland, Inchnadamf. - 1947. Mr. A. L. Butcher and a Sheffield University party explored the swallet Uamh an Tartair near Knockau, and found it leads into Uamh Mhor. In the Cnoc nam Uamh caves, of Water and Roaring, they worked upstream and found the series ends in a huge pool in a chamber at least 200 ft. long. [BC 18, CRG NL, 12, YRC 1947, Landslip Chamber]

1952 - (Geoffrey S.) Gowing had a very fine August in the Highlands in the Coigach - Stacpolly area; Mail did the Teallachs and Conival. Both men visited the Inchnadamff Cave of Roaring and cleared up the mystery. [YRC, 1954]

Sutherland, Inchnadamff, Cave of Roaring - Both Gowing and Mail have entered the cave of Roaring and been through the Fairbank crack into the river chamber. It has not yet the width given it in the Sheffield University plan. [YRA, c. 1954]

Upstream static sump. Simon Brooks. Support: Mark Tringham. Entered sump to find peaty silt washed in or slumped down from sides of trench dug on last visit (April 2005). More skip loads extracted to reach previous limit. Despite setback way gradually unblocking & return planned. GSG Bull. 2007]

Sat. 6 May Tony Boycott agreed to assist in dive in upstream static sump. Once more mud in sump slumped down & looked as full as ever. However, thin consistency rather than normal thick nature. With assistance from Dr. B. managed to remove over half dozen skip loads mud from sump & regain low air-bell in middle. Digging also opened low air-space between dive base & air-bell making communication easier & digging a lot easier. Reached some 12m into sump & things were improving. Records show sump around 15m long so end not too far away. That initial part of sump un-roofed seems to indicate it has no great volume & systematic extraction of sediment is having desired effect. Hopefully breakthrough next time. [GSG Bull. 2007]

c. 2015, pale worms were discovered in silt on the the approach to the Static Sump. These were briefly thought to be a new species but were on investigation found to be low-light adaptations of common worms.

Hydrographic Feeds: River Traligill, Allt a' Bealaich, Cuil Dubh Sinks

Hydrographic Resurgences: Allt a' Bealaich, River Traligill