Web Cave [Angus]

A linear, partly-supratidal cave formed along a fault plane with some small stalactite columns and flowstone noted along the eastern wall. The fault plane is tilted about 30 deg east from vertical. Appears to close down after c.30m at first but a short & muddy flat-out crawl leads into an inclined rift chamber. In contrast to other caves in the area, Web Cave's entrance area typically contains a significant volume of flotsam.

Notes: The name of 'Web Cave' is recent & was first used by Iain Greig in ca. 2003 after unwittingly placing his head through an impressively large cobweb whilst negotiating the inner squeeze. Despite mid-19th Century sources stating that the name of Stalactite Cave relates to a cave 180m further east [see registry site #4641], 'Web Cave' is potentially labelled as 'Stalactite Cave' on the 1862, 1903 & 1968 OS maps (label could potentially relate to Dynamite Cave instead).

Name, location and description by Iain Greig 18 Aug 20. Alt is a visual estimate by N Feilden on 11 Feb 22, and is ACD. Given length approx.

Links and Resources:

OS 10k background mapping. (The current OS has 'caves' and 2 dots, one of which is at [NO 66123 41114] ie 8m W of this location).
GSG NL 162 Oct 15 p3 has a reference as follows: "another un-named cave [NO 66017 41090] cut along a fault line into the cliff for more than 40 m, also straight but 1.5-2 m wide and 3-4 m high with bank of plastic bottles and other debris halfway along its length. About 30 m in the floor of washed cobbles gives way to a low muddy bank over which it is possible to crawl for another 10 m or so before the passage becomes too tight." The description matches this cave, but the NGR given is over 100 m to the WSW of this (Web) cave, owing to GPS error.
Photo 1 shows the entrance taken from afloat at NO 66129 41042 on 14 Aug 21 at 15:41 BST at about half tide.
Photo 2 entrance from about 15 m.
Photo 3 looking inside from just outside the entrance.
Photo 4 looking out from just inside the entrance. Note the quite deeply sculpted wave-cut platform.
Photo 5 looking outward from about 15 m inside.
Photo 6 looking inwards from about 15 m inside.
Photo 7 looking inwards toward the low crawl. The step near the centre of the photo is at 31.4 m inside.
Photo 8 looking a little right and up from the same place as photo 7 at silver 'sparkles'.
Photo 9 small speleothems on the SE side at about 25 m inside.
Hay, G. 1899 (original version 1876). History Of Arbroath To The Present Time. Published by Thomas Buncle & Co. p.435
OS Namebook: Forfar (Angus) county. Vol. 80, Parish of St Vigean, OS1/14/80. P.127.
OS 25" map, 1862 (surveyed 1859). Forfarshire XLVI.16 (St Vigeans) - View
Site 525: Dynamite Cave

This entry was last updated: 2026-05-26 16:01:40

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

NGR:	NO 66131 41115
WGS84:	56.56077, -2.55265
Length:	45 m
Vert. Range:	7 m
Altitude:	9 m
Geology:	Scone Sandstone Formation
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave, SSSI
Registry:	main

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