Uamh Ghamhainn

A fairly large, subtidal, double rift cave facing NNW at the end of a long (>200m) geo. It has a fairly cavernous beginning, and then narrows down. The end was not seen on 12/8/26 - just a bit of wave white in the fairly far distance. The entrance was about 13 m wide at a tide level of about 1.0 m ACD.

Aerial photographs show there is a major fissure through the promontory west of Uamh Ghamhainn. This was navigated on 12/8/26 but at low tide there is a bit of a sill at its S end.[Google Earth]

Notes: Access: by sea only. A fishing boat could enter the cave a short way in calm weather.

Entrance dimensions were measured on 12/8/26 by N Feilden. He estimated the length as 60 - 80 m by eye but did not see a definite end.

The BGS overlay has a lenticular shaped granite area in a larger area of Loch Choire Formation - gneissose semipelite. so both rock types may be present.

Uamh is the Gaelic word for cave, but in some instances it has been used to describe inlets. The OS 25k map shows this name in blue lettering, suggesting that it may simply be an inlet/geo. [iain Greig]

Historical descriptions seem to suggest there is a cave here but not as prominent as UK Place Database might imply. [John Crae]

Cave of the Stirks suggests cattle. Stirk is a noun that means a young bull or cow, especially one in its second year. Unlikely when dealing with an active sea cave, but might be used also in relation to young seals? [John Crae]

Links and Resources:

Marked as Uamh Ghamhainn on OS 1st Ed and later OS maps.
Photo 1 looking SSE along the geo from about 140 m away from the entrance on 12/8/26.
Photo 2 entrance from closer to. There is a joint leaning 5-10 degrees right (W) on the right and on the left, another leaning a bit more to the left (E). The tunnel continuing inside seems to maintain the right hand plane as the right wall. 12/8/26
Photo 3 looking inwards from just inside the entrance. 12/8/26. There is a ledge on the left on which two seals were reclining, but which slithered in while NF was 20-30 m away. Possible mum and pup, in which case common seals.
Photo 4 on 12/8/26 this was about as far as NF wished to go. The swell amplitude was magnified about 20 m ahead and a bit of wave white could sometimes be made out in the distance. No distinct end could be seen from here. Floodlamp was on, but a bit feeble for the size of the tunnel. Note rather planar surface of the right wall. Also the ceiling which suggests fault brecchia.
Photo 5 looking out of the entrance on 12/8/26.
Google Aerial with BGS solid geology overlay. The granite is pink, surrounded by gneissose semipelite. The cave entrance is indicated by the green dot.
Trove.scot (previously Canmore) Link Oblique aerial photographs of abandoned farmstead near Uamh Ghamhainn. Shows cliff faces and geos but cave is not obvious.
Pastmap Aerial The cave entrance may be visible from about half way along the east cliff.
Highland Historic Environment Record, MHG18204. https://her.highland.gov.uk/Monument/MHG18204 Refers to farmstead.
UK Place Database. Link
I am not convinced of the accuracy of the UK Place Database as a source. This description is suspiciously generic and contains subtle errors - possibly AI generated. There may be mentions of Uamh Ghamhainn as a prominent sea cave historically but these may conflate references to other similarly named caves and historic references which are no longer valid. Uamh refers to a cave (or geo) not a headland and as far as I know there are no 'walking trails' in the area although it is possible to hike over the rough terrain. 2-3 km from Armadale to Poulouriscaig along a rough track and 1km over relatively flat land to Geodh' Ghamhainn. Another 1 km west over steeper hills to the abandonded farm at Pollsain and Uamh Ghamhainn. Not sure if it is possible to get down the steep cliffs. [John Crae]
Virtual Volumes, Scotland's People, OS Namebook, OS1-33-20/23. Link requires Registration & Log-in.

This entry was last updated: 2026-08-17 17:55:19

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

NGR:	NC 75369 66042
WGS84:	58.56449, -4.14418
Length:	70 m
Vert. Range:	19 m
Altitude:	-5.4 m
Geology:	Scottish Highland Ordovician Minor Intrusion Suite - granite
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave
Registry:	main

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