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Many Ways, Cave of (Landward Entrance) [Islay]

Port Domhnaill Chruinn, Islay, Argyllshire.

Largest of three natural arches at Port Domhnuill Chruin, marked 'Natural Arches' and shown as a single passage on OS maps. There is one SE-NW passage and five NE-SW passages meeting it at right angles (four of these passages reaching daylight at the shore, the fifth heading deeper into the hillside).

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Main SE-NW passage 128 m long passage but total length including side passages 320 m. Landward entrance 0.7 m wide, 1 m high. Access easy.

This is perhaps the most complex and longest cave system on Islay. The only landward entrance lies opposite the obvious tall pinnacle on the west side of Port Domhnuill Chruin and involves a short crawl into an initially muddy 30 m long passage with improving head height and some driftwood further in. In addition, there are four entrances from the coast but these are not easy to access. It is possible to gain access to the shingle beach in front of the most easterly coastal entrance by descending the west flank of the headland but this involves traversing steep vegetation and descending a couple of tricky rock steps. From this coastal entrance, a 28 m long passage leads to a junction with the 30 m passage

From the junction chamber of these two passages, a narrow section leads in 8 m to another junction chamber with a 33 m long, shingle-floored corridor leading to the shore (where it is separated from the easterly coastal entrance by a wide rock rib) and a 9 m offshoot to the left. Another 22 m along the main passage leads to another junction chamber with a 58 m driftwood strewn offshoot to the right leading to a shingle beach (under a big rock overhang) and a 20 m offshoot to the left holding a long plank of wood. In another 20 m there is another offshoot to the right leading in 35 m to a shingle cove. After a further 8 m, there is a 1 m wide, 40 m long, offshoot to the left. Beyond this offshoot, the cave has two two shallow branches with the left-hand one being the longest and ending12 m beyond the previous junction. The main cave passage with an average width of 4 m is 100 m long from the landward entrance to this termination. The roofline ids mostly high and much of the floor is covered with compacted goat droppings.

There are no flowstone features and the whole system is relatively clean, with a continuous air flow from the various entrances. It would seem that exceptionally high tides flood the whole system. [Caves of Islay]

Alternative Names: Cave of Many Ways

Notes: The name 'Cave of Many Ways' comes from Graham Little, 2026.

I am not 100% convinced this is the cave described by Graham Little as the coordinates do not match and Graham's sketch survey of Cave of Many Ways does not have a NW entrance off the main passage (the entrance furthest NW is off a side passage). Nor does it fit the local topography.

Hydrographic Feeds: None

Hydrographic Resurgences: Tidal