William Forbes's Tunnel (west entrance)

A partly intertidal through tunnel whose W entrance faces 301 (NW by W) with this supratidal E entrance facing 024 (NNE). There is a 6.5 m extension SE by E), which makes it a 'T' plan with one bar much longer than the other. The long tunnel is formed on a rift/joint which leans about 23 degrees south. There is a roughly 2.6 m narrow gloup above the main tunnel about 2/3 of the way W, which gives quite a bit of mid tunnel lighting - as described in William Forbes's account below. It has a marked teardrop cross-section in the western part of the tunnel. The floor there is very ribbed on the south side, with small pools and one or two cup holes formed by wave action and pebbles. This west entrance is 2.4 m wide.

"The shore and the great rock on the east side get the name of 'Steine Dreich.' (OS 'Stendreach'). On the west side of the rock is a small cave where we again find the Asplenium marinum (type of fern). There is not a foot-path out of this shore eastward when the tide is in, but, when it is low water, we may scramble along if we are not afraid of 'rough places', leaping over pools of water, and crawling by turns, until we reach the opening of a long natural tunnel about 30 to 40 yards in length, which we enter. A little way in there is an opening in the ceiling about 20 inches square, which admits some light, with the help of which we grope our way to the further end, when it turns left about 6 yards. Here we get out into the open air again, glad to be rid of the confinement. The tunnel is of nearly uniform width and height - maybe about 9 feet high and 6 feet wide. The sea at full tide plays along the whole length, and is an example of the power the sea has of excavating the softer parts of the rock and making a channel for itself.

Turning to the right, round the base of the cliffs, we come on a pretty 'purling burnie,' which has its source about the Longmanhill ..." (this identifies it as the Burn of Cullen on OS. It is in a very steep sided mini-gorge).

Notes: Access: by sea eg east from Loch Craig, Macduff in the top part of the tide.

Possibly by land from the shore to the west at a springs low tide. Otherwise via the east entrance as described on that site.

Links and Resources:

Not shown on any OS map layer.
Photo 1 looking east at this west entrance. Taken 6 August 24.
Photo 2 looking along the tunnel from just outside this entrance. Note light at far end from left (north). 6/8/24.
Photo 3 looking at this entrance while standing on the micro-beach. The left (N) wall follows the rift/joint on which the main tunnel is formed. Note rib structure on the right (S) wall which shows the near vertical layering of the meta-sediment bedrock. 18/8/24.
Photo 4 looking out WNW from this entrance when the tide level was 1.2 m ACD. Wm Forbes implies in his 'walk' that it should be possible to reach here from the beach, round the corner to the left (S). It may be that the shingle depth was higher in his day, or that he was content to walk with wet feet ...
Photo 5 looking ESE along the main tunnel from just inside this entrance. Note the illumination beyond the pool on the left which is from the gloup above. 18/8/24.
Photo 6 this is the view WNW from near the join with the E entrance stalk of the 'T'. Near lighting from floodlight. 18/8/24.
Photo 7 a bit further WNW. the pool on the right (N) is the same one as in photo 5. In this part of the tunnel, the corrugations are much further apart than at the west end. 18/8/24.
Photo 8 about half way along and showing the gloup and this west entrance in the same frame. The rift/joint shows clearly. Photo tilted a bit clockwise. 18/8/24.
Photo 9 about 2/3 of the way towards this west entrance. Shows the tear-drop cross-section rather nicely. Photo is tilted a bit clockwise. 18/8/24.
Photo 10 showing the ribbed erosion of the bedrock floor in the last 5 m or so of the west end of the main tunnel. There are some roundish cupholes here and there, where pebbles have been swirled around by wave action. The rift/joint line is on the right. Overall this shows that, in this cave, Forbes is dead wrong in saying that this tunnel was formed by removal of softer rock. Instead, this tunnel follows the rift/joint. These ridges, at right angles to the tunnel axis, show variations in rock hardness, but is very much a secondary effect. 18/8/24
Photo 11 looking east at the dark red crust on the south wall where fresh water is seeping down. 18/8/24
A walk along the sea braes from Macduff to Gamrie Mohr by William Forbes, 1895. Gamrie Mohr appears to be an alternative name for More Head on OS maps. Beyond it is Gardenstown Bay.

This entry was last updated: 2024-08-21 16:26:18

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NGR:	NJ 73292 64463
WGS84:	57.66924, -2.44937
Length:	32 m
Vert. Range:	4 m
Altitude:	2 m
Geology:	Macduff Formation - micaceous psammite, semi-pelite and pelite
Tags:	Cave, Tunnel, SeaCave
Registry:	main

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