Smoo Cave

A large raised sea cave with a significant adjoining karstic inner section, located at the southern end of Smoo Geo (Geodha Smoo) in Durness.

An enormous entrance chamber (33m-wide x c. 60m-long x 15m high) has a high vaulted roof with two large holes open to the sky. At the south end, a small stream trickles out from a spring under a calcite debris slope that has been capped by an impressive flowstone ramp. A shored dig has followed the base of this flowstone as far as the southern wall. To the west is a wider stream and pool that flows out of a side passage, fed by Lake Chamber (25m-long x 10m-wide) that has an impressive waterfall shaft at its southern end. A timber platform allows for a view across Lake Chamber to the waterfall that is active whenever Allt Smoo Upper Sink backs up during wet (or certain windy) conditions. A viewing bridge is present across the top of this waterfall pitch, located across the road from the main car park.

Immediately west of Lake Chamber is the c.30m-long Stream Passage that has varying walking/stooping-sized dimensions and terminates at a chamber containing an inlet sump. This sump leads down to a series of silted-up submerged chambers and is fed by Allt Smoo Upper Sink, as proven by dye tests. Above the sump pool is a tall flowstone-lined chimney that connects with a high-level horizontal tube (Fag Packet Passage).

Because of archaeological remains found near the east side of the entrance the interior of the cave is a scheduled ancient monument.

Alternate Names: Smudha (Uamh), Great Smoo, Great Cave of Smoo, Smow Cave, Smowe (Uamh), Cave of Smo, Uamh as Motha, Smoo Geo Caves

Notes: Cave length / vert. range based on Gd.5 survey by M. Tringham et al. 2024.

The cave is accessed by long flights of stairs down either side of the inlet from the roadside car park off the A838. The descent on the west side is shorter but steeper while a longer walk along the east side of the geo leads to a longer but less precipitous path. Within the geo, a foot bridge linking the two paths crosses the stream outside the main entrance to the cave.

Etymology: The name Smoo is a relatively recent evolution. It was shown as Smow Cave in the Roy Military Survey (1747-55), Smo in both the original and new statistical accounts of Scotland in 1792 & 1845 respectively, "Smo, or Smoach" in Forsyth's 1805 book 'The Beauties of Scotland', and Uamh Smowe / Cave of Smowe in Sir Walter Scott's 1814 memoir. Scott's memoir notes that the site was also referred to as "the Largest Cave", which would be Uamh as Motha in Gaelic (then the main language of Durness). Given that the latter sounds like 'ah-smo-ah' when spoken, this is the most likely source of the term Smo(we)/Smoach, which would eventually become Smoo (noted on OS maps from 1874 onwards). A commonly recited theory involves the term Smoo being a corruption of the Old Norse word 'smjúga', which means to creep through an opening (or pierce). However, it is unlikely that smjúga would lend itself to Smo(we). It could equally be claimed that Smoo is derived from the Gaelic word smùid (meaning fine drizzle / spray, pronounced smoo-j) in relation to the plentiful vapour present in the cave during high water conditions.

Links and Resources:

Smoo & Borralie Caves, Durness. Report 1.1 - an update to "A short report on current issues" 2012.
Canmore site 4953 has some fine aerial photos. It also has photos of the cave itself taken in '22 at the bottom of the webpage.
Smoo Cave tours
Bull. GSG 1st Series Vol. 3 No. 3 (1967), pp. 23, 24 (S).
Bull. GSG 1st Series Vol. 4 No. 2 (1969?), pp. 19-24.
Bull. GSG 1st Series Vol. 4 No. 4 (1970?), p. 30.
Bull. GSG 1st Series Vol. 4 No. 5 (1971?), p. 6.
Bull. GSG 1st Series Vol. 5 No. 2 (1972), p. 28-30.
Bull. GSG 2nd Series Vol. 2 No. 2 (1978), p. 28.
Bull. GSG 2nd Series Vol. 4 No. 2 (1983), p. 19.
Bull. GSG 3rd Series Vol. 5 No. 5 (March 2001), p. 11. Scheduled Monument 5482.
Bull. GSG 4th Series Vol. 1 No.1 (2001), p. 14.
Bull. GSG 4th Series Vol. 3 No.3 (2007), p. 24.
Bull. GSG 4th Series Vol. 4 No. 2 (2009) p. 30.
Bull. GSG 4th Series Vol. 5 No. 2 (2012), p. 37.
Bull. GSG 5th Series Vol. 1 No. 2 (2014), p.17.
Anderson, George and Peter Anderson 1863 Fourth edition. Guide to the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland including Orkney and Zetland. pp. 673-676.
Anon, 1808 [sic 1898], The Beauties of Scotland. p. 156.
Anon, 1845, The New Statistical Account of Scotland by the Ministers of the respective parishes XV
Anon, 1965, AA Illustrated Road Book of Scotland ... pp. 25, 150, 252, Plate 152.
Anon, 2003, North West Seaboard. Places to visit for wildlife and landscapes. Bilingual, English / Gaelic. pp. 9, 10.
Atkinson, Tom, 1986, The Empty Lands. Luath Press Ltd, Barr, Ayrshire. 145, illus. p. 146.
Barnett, T Radcliffe, 1946 Autumn in Skye, Ross and Sutherland, Smoo, p. 178.
Belfry Bulletin (310) p. 181 [?].
British Caver, no. 47 pp. 60-62 reprint of Canfer, B, J,. 1966.
British Caver, no. 54 p. 10 reprint of Shell Guide to Scotland. p 185.
British Caver , no. 60 pp. 14, 35.
Bigland, John, 1810, A Geographical and Historical View of the World etc etc, London, Longman Hurst, Rees and Orm etc. 5 vols. vol 2 p. 14.
Blacks Picturesque Tourist of Scotland, 17th edition 1865, Edinburgh. p. 548.
Blacks Picturesque Tourist of Scotland, 20th edition 1873, Edinburgh. p. 577.
Canfer, B., 1966 Sutherland Caving Expedition, reference A FTC/154318/1/PF dated 16th September., Minor expedition file. RAF Gaydon, p. 8; round trip.
Cave Diving Group Newsletter no. 16 p. 19; no. 35 p. 9.
Cave Research Group Transactions no. 5 p. 2.
Chapman, Philip 1993, Caves and Cave Life. New Naturalist Series No 79. p. 106.
Corbel, J 1957 Les Karsts du Nord-Ouest de l'Europe ... 541 pp, 100 plates, 162 figs (No 12 in the series) Revue de Géographie de Lyon. pp. 274-275 (S) plates pp. 46-49.
Crockford see under O'Reilly
Cullingford, C H D, 1962 (ed) British Caving: An Introduction to Speleology. 592 pp, 48 plates, 87 figs, 12 tables. p l48, 180, 554.
Descent no. 116 pp. 20-21 illus.
Fells, Richard 1989, reprinted 1993 A visitor's guide to underground Britain. Bloomsbury Books, London. p. 138.
Gardener, Arthur,1948,Western Highlands. [pub] B T Batsford Ltd, London. p. 77.
Glasgow Speleological Society Journal, Series 1 vol. 4 no.2, p. 67.
Hall, Tom S, 1935 Walking Tours in Scotland 176 pp, maps. p.90
Heddle, M, F, 1881 On the geognosy and mineralogy of Scotland. Min Mag 4 (19) 135-18- illus (pp l70-176 Smoo Cave)
Heddle M, F., 1882 On the geognosy and mineralogy of Scotland. Jl Mineralogical Soc of GB and Ireland. 14
Jarratt, Tony 2006 A watercolour of Smoo Cave, Durness. GSG Ser 4 3 (1) 56. by John Fielder.
Jeffreys, A, L., 1968 The Great Cave of Smoo. Jl Settle Group British Speleological Association pp l6-19 map S
Jeffreys, A, L, 1972 Ideas on the formation of Smoo Cave. Grampian Speleological Group .5 (2) 28-30 figs.
Jeffreys, A, L, 2003 A Thought on Smoo Cave. GSG Ser 4 1 5 Oct 28-29
Johnson, J, A, 1981 In the Great Cave of Smoo. Scots Mag 115 (5) Aug pp 461-468
Jones, W F, (Jug) ND Some Caves and Mines in Scotland 15 pp. p 12
Laughlan 78-82, 134
Lawson, Tim. 2001 Smoo Cave, Sutherland: Its Morphology and Formation. GSG Ser 4 1 (1) 14-19 S.
Lawson, T J, 2002 The geomorphological evolution of Smoo Cave and the immediate surrounding area. Scottish Natural Heritage Research, Survey and Monitoring Report No 184. 23, 13 fig, many are photos.
Lennie, A, B, 1911 Geographical Description of the County of Sutherland- Scottish Geographical Mag. July pp 29-30 (vide Pilling 1935).
Lockhart, J, G, 1882 Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott. Edinburgh. Diary 4 19th Aug 1814
Lockhart, J G, 1893 The Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart., 1771-1832 806 pp. New Popular Edition, London, Adam & Charles Black. p 277-279
Lovelock, Jim 1969 Caving 144 pp illus. Batsford, London p 106
Mathieson, J, Hon Librarian of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (a letter to J. Pilling 28th August 1935).
Merrill 139
Mills, Martin 2006 Smoo Cave: an account and illustration from 1818 [William Daniell RA] GSG Bull 4th Ser 3 (1) Oct 11-14, illus.
Mills, K & M 2012 The Great Cave of Smoo. GSG Bull 4th Ser 5 (2) pp.37-46
Morrison, H, 1883 Guide to Sutherland and Caithness (vide Pilling 1935)
Motoring 223-224, 226
Muirhead, F (Ed) 1927 The blue Guides, Scotland. liv & 452 & 32 pp, maps. p 411
Muirhead 1947 412
Murray 1968 356-357
Northern Pennine Club Jl 2 (2) 57
Oldham, Tony & Anne, 1972 Discovering Caves; A Guide to the Show Caves of Britain 52 pp map illus. Shire Publications. Bucks. p 44
Oldham, Tony 1975 The Caves of Scotland except Assynt. 174 pp. illus. pp 146-148 S.
O'Reilly, Kevin and Ashley Crockford ND [2002?] no page numbers. What to see around Durness. Published privately. Location 14 Smoo Cave.
Price, G 1997 Cave Conservation Handbook. Caves Scheduled as Ancient Monuments (SAMs) 14-3
Pennant 1774 322
Piehler, H A 1934, [revised 9 times] 1967 Scotland for everyman. 195
Pilling, J, A, 1935 Smoo Cave 22 pp 4 plates S typed MSS reprints accounts of Scott, Heddle, Pocock, q.v, plates pub BC 9 11. article in BC 7 44-51 based on it; reprinted BC 53 36-39. Cave Sci .3 (22) 277-285, 287 a reprint.
Pilling, J, A, 1941a Smoo Cave. Millennial Star. pub the Latter-Day Saints. 103 (25) 394-396 illus 19th June.
Pilling, J, A, 1941b Smoo Cave BC 17 44-51 (based on Pilling 1935)
Pilling, J, A, 1954 Notes on Smoo Cave, Sutherland. Cave Sci 3 (22) 277-285,287. reprint of Pilling 1935 without plates.
Pilling, J, A, 1969 Smoo Cave BC 53 36-42 reprint of BC 7 44-51 based on Pilling 1935. Pocock, Richard, Bishop of Meath 1887 Tours in Scotland 1745, 1750, 1760, Scottish History Society
Pollard, Tony 1992 Smoo Cave 20 pp maps, figs. Archaeological excavation of Smoo Cave, Sutherland for Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise carried out by Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division.
Proceeding of the British Speleological Association (4) 31 1966.
Roberts 47
Roberts, E, E, 1938 Anymore caves in Scotland. Jl Northern Cavern and Fell Club pl.
Robertson, R MacDonald, 1960 Caves of Sutherland. Scots Mag 73 (1) April 34-37, illus.
St John, C, 1854 A Tour in Sutherlandshire reprinted BC 14 78
Scott, Sir Walter see Lockhart and Lockhart 1882.
Scottish Field. Jan 1956
Severn Valley Caving Club Jl (3) 43 1970 illus.
Shaw 64 Item 316
Sivley, D, 1965 Smoo Cave. Windy City Speleonews 5 1, 5, 6,
Standing, P, 1964 Smoo Cave GSS Jl 3 (1) 18-19
Statistical Account 1791-99 3 578-579 description by Donald, Master of Reay.
Statistical Account 1845 15 84-85 Smoo Cave, description and an account of a visit in August 1833.
Steers 1969 81
Steers 60
Sutherland Caves, Sheffield University Mountaineering Club, Research Folder No 1, 20 pp, illus, Sheffield, 1948?. p 15
Styles, Showell, 1959 HowUnderground Britain is Explored 147 pp Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, p 109.
Swire, Otta Flora, 1963 The Highlands and their Legends. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh. pp 182-3.
Thornber, Norman, et al 1953 Britain Underground, Dalesman Publishing Co and Blandford Press. 246, maps. 235
Trimmel, Hubert, 1968 Höhlenkunde 300 pp, 88 illus, F. Vieweg & Sohn, Braunschweig p 245
Weld, C, R, 1860 Two months in the Highlands, Orcadia and Skye (vide Pilling 1935)
Whittow 305
Windy City Speleonews 4 (5) 5-6; 14 (1) 11-12 S.
Yorkshire Ramblers' Club Jl 6 (22) 289, 296, 357.
Pollard, T, forthcoming The Excavation of Four Caves in Geodha Smoo, Durness. SAIR Report. [Strathnaver Provincial Archaeological Research Project].
www.mackaycountry.com/Strathnaver%20project%20design.pdf Appears to be a dead link 15/3/24.
Map - Timothy Pont, Strathnaver; Kyle of Tongue. c.1583-1614 (The Smow)
Map - Roy Military Survey of Scotland, 1747-55 - (Smow Cave)
Map - Sutherland Estate Map, 1815 - (Smow)
Map - Sutherland Estate Map, 1817 - (Cave of Smoe)
Map - OS 25" Sutherland VI.5 1874 - (Cave of Smoo)

This entry was last updated: 2024-10-30 14:38:45

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NGR:	NC 41880 67140
WGS84:	58.56346, -4.71997
Length:	365 m
Vert. Range:	28 m
Altitude:	1 m
Geology:	Dolostone - Sangomore / Sailmhor formations
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave, Archaeo, SAM
Registry:	main

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