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Heeds o Sheeldegeo (cave 3)

Haswalls, Fair Isle, Shetland.

Cave entrance was ~3.5 m in width at waterline but rapidly narrowed above to <1 m in width with a ceiling at ~7 m ACD. A main passage trended NW and extended for ~47 m from the entrance. About 17 m within the entrance a side passage branched off the main passage on the right and ran north for a further ~39 m. Just within the entrance the main passage abruptly narrowed to ~1 m in width. But it rapidly broadened once more beyond this point reaching ~4 m in width near the junction. However, the majority of the inner part of the main passage was considerably narrower with the last ~25 m of this passage being less than ~2 m in width. The northern side passage was rather broader, exceeding ~4 m in width for much of its length. The passage cross section was predominantly 'teardrop shaped' throughout. It was broader at the base due to erosive scouring by the floor boulders and narrowed above into constricted inclined rift-like fissures in the ceiling. Cave floor at the entrance was at ~2 m BCD and progressively shallowed within the cave with the last ~3 m of the main passage occupied by an intertidal (>1 m ACD) boulder beach. A corresponding boulder beach was also present in the last ~6 m of the northern side passage. Cave floor was predominantly composed of rounded boulder slabs throughout. The northern side passage appeared relatively silty with sand infill between the floor boulders. The rear of the main passage appeared more scoured with polished floor boulders and considerable quantities of drift algae. [Nature Scotland Report 1145]

Alternative Names: FI21CV01, CI45