Wallace Bridge

This cave is a cavern with two moderately large pots (gloups), one slightly right of centre looking in and with a more or less vertical axis. The other is on the left and its axis is angled at about 45 degrees. There is an inner tunnel angled a bit left, which then turns about 45 degrees right for about 30 m. This is only navigable near low tide and with low swell, and needs a good light.

Notes: Length is an estimate, partly visual, partly from aerial. VR from map contours and alt an estimate - by Nigel Feilden Jun 21. Cavern approx 20 m from entrance to back and 20 m wide (aerial). Inner tunnel estimated at 30 - 40 m.

Access: by sea. Needs low tide and low swell for the inner tunnel. Best from Catterline if you want the tide with you on the way back.

It should be possible to see down through the pots from the cliff, subject to cropping in the fields to be crossed.

Links and Resources:

OS1/19/6/83 Wallace Bridge: "A subterraneous passage, under the cliff formed by the action of the Sea." This is a somewhat unhelpful description as it does not mention the pots or explain the name.
One version of the current OS (Canmore Zoom Level 10 Sep20) has 6 cave dots clustered here. Some of them seem to be related to the pots. There are, in fact, just 2 caves in the immediate area, as shown on 1866 25" OS. The latter appears to only show one pot at that time.
Photo 1 shows the Wallace Bridge caves from about 140 m NE.
Photo 2 shows the cavern near high water on 4 Jul 20. The entrance to the inner tunnel starts just left of centre.
Rough plan of both caves over Bing aerial view. NB this cave in particular has not been measured at all.
Photo 3 shows the cavern on 3 Oct 18 from a bit closer than photo 1, and with the vertical axis pot (gloup) at the top. Light from the angled pot can be seen on the left (SE).
Photo 4 shows the entrance on 6 Mar 21 with the tide about 1/3 up from dead low. On this occasion it was just possible to go to where the tunnel has turned right, but needed both hands on the paddle so no inside photos on that occasion.
Photo 5 is similar to photo 3 (but poor quality) taken on 23 Jun 21 at a tide level about 0.7 m ACD. Included to show the rock profiles.
Photo 6 taken inside the inner cave on the same visit as photo 4.
Photo 7 taken further in, also on 23 Jun 21. The white horizontal line just above the kayak bow is the swell breaking on the beach. Not enough light to see or photograph properly - but hints that the tunnel may continue at the end of the beach.
Gloup List

This entry was last updated: 2025-02-09 19:17:52

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

NGR:	NO 88067 82257
WGS84:	56.93145, -2.19769
Length:	50 m
Vert. Range:	20 m
Altitude:	-5 m
Geology:	Whitehouse Conglomerate Formation
Tags:	Cave, Arch, SeaCave, Shake
Registry:	main

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