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Cave Arthur
Ogston, S of Whinnyfold, Aberdeenshire.
| NGR: | NK 07605 32417 |
| WGS84: | 57.38213, -1.87516 |
| Length: | 33.8 m |
| Vert. Range: | 7 m |
| Altitude: | 9 m |
| Geology: | Collieston Formation - metamorphic pelite, semipelite & psammite * |
| Tags: | Cave, SeaCave |
| Registry: | main |
A supratidal rift cave, facing NE, which is narrow at 11.3 m and then widens back out to 7.6 m at 27m . It has quite a lot of flowstone sheets and some small stalactites, mostly white. There are lots of sparkles around mid to upper walls & ceiling.
There are Cave spider webs. A small burn provides a narrow waterfall at the entrance. Lots of dove guano on floor of first half. Two wren's nests in outer entrance on 31 July 21.
Alternative Names: None recorded.
Notes: Access: Park at Whinnyfold and walk S along the coastal path until NK 07610 32524 where there is a moderately easy way down. Tide should be at least an hour after HWS.
By sea: land on beach near NK 07623 32465 in top half of tide - eg from Port Errol, Cruden Bay.
Note that the BGS overlay shows a dyke-like feature about 15 m NW of this cave and parallel to it, of metamorphosed igneous amphibolite and horneblende schist.
Length, width etc and photos by Neale Menzies and Nigel Feilden 31 July 21
Links and Resources:
- CPNA. Mlne, John, 1904, Celtic Place Names in Aberdeenshire.
- OS 25in 1st Ed shows Cave Arthur, but as an inset - so the 6in is perhaps more helpful.
- OS Namebook for Cruden Parish, Aberdeenshire, p177 has "This name is applied to a very large and pretty cave situated in the south end of the parish on the coast, close to its junction with the parish of Slains. It was much used by the smugglers in olden times." It is indeed a "pretty" cave, although not very large compared with some of those N of Cruden Bay. There is a lot of flowstone and actinomycete white 'sparkles'. The narrow entrance opening to a wide and high inner space is also rather satisfying.
- Photo 1 looking up to the entrance over the talus pile and showing the rift with a burn flowing over. The inner entrance is hardly visible from this angle.
- Photo 2 also looking up to the entrance, but taken from nearer the NW side of the geo.
- Photo 3 taken by Neale Menzies looking down and NE from very near where he was standing in photo 2.
- Photo 4 looking out from just inside the narrow bit, about 14m inside. The little peak is an end on view of a ridge of rock pigeon guano.
- Photo 5 looking out NE from close to the slab, about 29m inside.
- Photo 6 looking inward (SW) to the end from about 17 m in.
- Photo 7 shows the flat slab and the end of the cave. On the right hand side is painted in yellow paint: "Ad maiorem Dei gloriam". The Latin means 'For the greater glory of God' and is the motto of the Society of Jesus, known also as Jesuits. The date could not be read.
- Photo 8 flowstones on the SE wall with some sparkles above - which are much brighter. They are a bright white and have small water droplets on them. Probably an actinomycete bacterial film.
- Photo 9 a closeup of part of the wall shown in photo 8 showing small stalactites and mini curtains.
- Photo 10 more stal/flowstone which has become covered with dark something.
- Photo 11 a flowstone feature looking a bit like a backbone.
- Photo 12 one of a number of initials with date on the flowstone on the NW wall left of NF in photo 5.
- Photo 13 There is a wren's nest just below the centre of this image; look for the round hole into it. It is made of moss - although it does not show well in this photo. Above is the striking red of the alga audouinella pupureum. This is the SE wall of the geo which never 'sees' direct sunlight.
This entry was last updated: 2021-08-03 12:54:49
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