The Glupe

Duncansby Head, John o' Groats, Caithness.

NGR:	ND 40286 73451
WGS84:	58.64480, -3.03050
Length:	25 m
Vert. Range:	Not recorded
Altitude:	1 m
Geology:	Mey Flagstone Formation - sandstone, siltstone, mudstone
Tags:	Arch
Registry:	main

A tall intertidal arch, at the entrance to a geo formed by the collapse of the roof of a seacave. Noted as a blowhole by some. If so, it would be type 2 - waves hit a near vertical back wall and are diverted upwards.

If the original cave tunnel goes on after the end, its entrance is blocked by talus

The gloup is about 50 m long and 7 m wide giving a top area of about 350 m2.

Alternate Names: None recorded.

Notes: Access: by sea eg E round Duncansby Head from harbour N of John O' Groats at ND 37982 73468.

SE entrance (from OS zoom level 12 on Canmore) ND 40268 73437. Length from NGRs.

For more gloups , see Gloup List below.

Links and Resources:

1st Ed 25in OS shows this.
Photo 1 looking NE at the arch; down from the cliff at the SW end of the gloup. If sea water does reach this level, it does not do so at all often.
Photo 2 looking SW down from the top of the arch. Note luxuriant growth well down the talus pile - showing that salt spray does not scour higher than the lowest growth. Some evidence of waste having been shoved over the edge.
Gloup List

This entry was last updated: 2025-01-30 14:36:55

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

All database content Copyright 2025 Grampian Speleological Group.
Web Registry software by Matt Voysey.