'H' Cave [S Entrance]

The 'H' cave consists of two tunnels going into the cliff in the NNE aligned S part of Trelung bay. These are linked by a third tunnel parallel to the cliff line, and about 10-15m in. This is the 'bar' of the 'H' and is 40 m long. The north tunnel is about 20-30m long and ends in a boulder beach. The south tunnel curves round to the right to about 348 degrees and is 36 m long from the dividing pillar. The linking tunnel is kayak navigable in the top half of the tide. At 3.1 m ACD you have to avoid some boulders, which at 3.6 m are covered.

The S entrance faces SE, is subtidal and >14 m wide. The cavern inside has a subtidal pool.

Grey seals often haul out on the N beach. They also sleep/doze in the water along the joining tunnel; sometimes horizontal, other times nose up.

There are white deposits of calcium carbonate on the ceiling of the joining tunnel and the S extension - see photos.

Notes: Access: by sea N from Catterline or S from Stonehaven. Entrances visible from Trelung Ness.

The extension to the S tunnel has been measured; the bar is inferred from entrance NGR's and entrance facing directions. The alt of this entrance has been measured. VR and width measured, but not accurately. Other lengths are estimates.

Links and Resources:

1st Ed OS 25 in has 'cave' corresponding to this entrance, but no indication of the north entrance and no indication of any tunnel extent.
Photo 1 shows the S entrance slightly left of centre. The N entrance is further right; a rift arc curving right (N). There is a low wave-cut platform low island whose left is in line with the left side of the N entrance. On the extreme left is about half of Trough Cove middle entrance. 27 June 19.
Photo 2 shows this entrance on the right and the N entrance to Trough Cove on the left. Taken 31 May 23 when the tide level was 1.3 m.
Photo 3 looking into the S entrance from just outside it. Note the drip line on the water. 14 Jan 22. The headroom available inside is more than it looks in this photo; the rounded rocks in the conglomerate are quite large and this entrance is >14 m wide.
Photo 4 inside the S cavern. Note the subtidal part. Also the convex rounded shape of the upper intertidal wall - shaped by waves plus pebbles. The extension of the S tunnel is right of centre and the S entrance of the joining tunnel is on the extreme right.
Photo 5 the view out of the S entrance on 2 July 19. The N entrance to Trough Cove is just round the corner on the right.
Photo 6 looking NNE along the joining tunnel showing light from the N entrance.
Photo 7 as photo 6, but shooting up at ceiling to get an idea of white calcium carbonate deposits.
Photo 8 a photo of calcium carbonate deposits on the ceiling of the S tunnel extension. It might have been better if lit by a floodlight rather than just a headtorch. There was not a great deal of spare headroom with a 3.6 m ACD tide on 2 June 22, but the intertidal floor was flooded to the end.

This entry was last updated: 2024-11-12 12:55:21

Errors or omissions in this information? Submit corrections/additions/comments for this entry to the registrars.

NGR:	NO 87887 81503
WGS84:	56.92467, -2.20061
Length:	115 m
Vert. Range:	10 m
Altitude:	-0.4 m
Geology:	Whitehouse Conglomerate Formation
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave
Registry:	main

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