Black Cove [1]

"A natural cavern, under the cliff, on the coast, Situated South of the Well Cove." (2)

A fine seacave which curves round to right and then a bit left, which has big boulders at low tide. At HW the cave is flooded to the end. The entrance is 11.4 m wide. It has at least one small bit of flowstone on the ceiling - see photo 9.

Measured with floats and string, then laser distance meter on 1 July 24 by N Feilden.

In common with many caves on this east coast, 'cove' very often means 'cave' or 'cavern' as in this case made clear by the namebook description. So also 'Well Cove' and 'Bunstane Cove' just to the north.

The length was a visual estimate 23/9/20 by Nigel Feilden. So also the altitude.

Links and Resources:

1) 25" OS Kincardineshire IV.11 1896 is at variance with the namebook. The two caves indicated are the wrong way round - in fact this one, the longer one, is southernmost. See photo 3 which perhaps shows why.
2) OS namebook Kincardineshire, Nigg Parish, p 52 description of 'Black Cove'
Geology of the Souter Head Subvolcanic Complex 2020 by C. M. Rice and D. F. Mark, 11 May 20. This is something of an update on the current (May 23) BGS overlay. This paper includes a marked up photo similar to photo 3 with some of the orange/pink layers marked G (Bunstane granite).
Photo 1 Black Cove (1) and (2) in the cliffs.
Photo 2 Black Cove (1) and (2) from closer to. This cave is the left one. The orangy pink layers are Bunstane granite - see reference above.
Photo 3 view of Black Cove (1) and (2) from the headland immediately north. By Iain Greig 17/4/23. Black Cove (2) looks much the larger from here.
Photo 4 entrance on 19 May 23 - tide level 3.8 m ACD.
Photo 5 Just inside the entrance on 23 September 20 when the tide level was 1.9 m ACD.
Photo 6 similar to photo 5 but at tide level 3.8 m ACD on 19 May 23.
Photo 7 Showing the beach at tide level 1.9 m.
Photo 8 looking out of the entrance from inside on 19 May 23.
Photo 9 a small bit of flowstone on the ceiling.

This entry was last updated: 2024-10-18 11:47:30

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

NGR:	NJ 95645 01375
WGS84:	57.10332, -2.07352
Length:	75 m
Vert. Range:	14 m
Altitude:	-1.1 m
Geology:	Aberdeen Formation - metasediment with sills of Bunstane granite.
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave
Registry:	main

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