Go to the Main Scottish Cave and Mine Database Search Page

William Forbes's Tunnel (east entrance)

Mill of Melrose, E of Banff, Aberdeenshire (Banffshire).

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 east entrance is 1.8 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).

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: Access: by sea eg E from Loch Craig, Macduff near high tide. Possible beach landing.

By land - This E entrance can be reached by starting from NJ 73565 63932 and walking N along the edge of the field until you overlook Auld Haven. There is an old track down the cliff which helps a lot. Go west along the beach and then over two razor back ridges. This gets you to the gorge of Burn of Cullen - provided the flow is low, it is possible to get to the next micro-beach dryshod and there you will see this entrance

Measured by N Feilden 18/8/24. Alt is an estimate and is ACD.