The 'T' Cave

An upper intertidal cave which has a 'T' plan. The stalk is wide and at 16 m, shorter than the top bar which extends 22.9 m to the left and 21.4 m to the right (not including the width of the stalk). There is a curved pillar which comes from the left and ends on a middle plinth. Behind it is a stagnant pool which extends left and right. The bar of the T is a rift tunnel aligned 245 (WSW/ENE). The stalk of the 'T' is formed under a granite sill which forms the ceiling sloping down from left (W) to right. The left wall, the floor and the pillar are metasediment with granite and quartz inclusions. The entrance is 8.3 m wide and approximately 7.7 m floor to ceiling.

The cave is much used by rock pigeons. Three nests were seen on the floor of the E rift tunnel, one of which had two eggs in it. The pool appears to be anoxic at the bottom, but vigorous invertebrate activity was noticed on 31/8/23 in the shallow edges. It is probably fed by fresh water seepage and undoubtedly receives seawater spray during SE gales - so the water is likely brackish over a wide range of salinities.

It was possible to land on a 4.2 m tide. It is very slippery, whether damp green algae or pigeon guano.

Links and Resources:

Not indicated on OS.
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, which shows no granite here.
Photo 1 entrance in context on 23 September 20.
Photo 2 entrance in context on 31 August 23 when the tide level was 4.2 m. Lots of boulders just below the surface - compare with photo 3.
Photo 3 entrance looking in on 31 August 23 showing the curved pillar, the Bunstane granite sill overhead and the metasediment with inclusions on the left. Tide level was 3.5 m; the 4.4 m wetting line can be seen.
Photo 4 just inside on a 4.2 m tide level, looking left, under the curved pillar. The rift tunnel continues left (WSW) for 22.9 m. The white bits are pigeon feather down.
Photo 5 As photo 3; looking right; base of pillar on L; shallow stagnant pool straight ahead which is fed by a long and deeper pool along the middle part of the rift tunnel, which continues R for 21.4 m with a ca 10 degree upward beach slope.
Photo 6 taken from beyond the pool visible in photo 5 and looking roughly SW back to the W side of the entrance. The pillar is on the right.
Photo 7 looking along the W branch of the rift tunnel (bar of the 'T'), standing as far along as could be reached without feet in puddle of unknown depth.
Photo 8 looking E from just inside the W branch of the rift tunnel. The pillar is lit from the cave entrance to its S.
Photo 9 looking along the E branch of the rift tunnel from the same place as photo 6.
Photo 10 looking towards the end of the E branch of the rift tunnel from about 12.7 m along it. The end is 8.7 m away.
Photo 11 looking W from the same place as photo 10. Note stagnant pool and the E side of the pillar.
Photo 12 rock dove nest with 2 eggs in the E branch of the rift tunnel. There were two other empty nests nearby, also on the floor.
Photo 13 a shallow part of the stagnant pool in the E branch of the rift tunnel.

This entry was last updated: 2023-09-02 19:33:02

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NGR:	NJ 95694 01465
WGS84:	57.10413, -2.07271
Length:	60 m
Vert. Range:	10 m
Altitude:	3.5 m
Geology:	Aberdeen Formation - metasediment with sills of Bunstane granite.
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave
Registry:	main

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