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Strabandra Knap Blowhole Cave, S entrance

Strabandra Knap, Dunottar, S of Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire.

A narrow rift running from the N side of the inlet named Strabandra, about NNE for 16m after which it opens out into the S1 chamber of the Strabandra Knap Blowhole Cave.

May 24: The entry is now down about 1.5 m, no pool, onto fresh medium pebbles. About 9 m in, the beach goes down sharply ( 3.2 m of 22 deg) to the beach of the S1 chamber which goes to sea water level (14.2 m at 8 deg with tide level 2.0 m ACD). The floor to ceiling height is now 5.4 m compared to 4.2 m in '20. This means that about 1.2 m depth of shingle has gone at some time in the last 4 years.

Jul 20: At entry, you had to descend 3m and step over a shallow green pool, to the pebble beach which then had a high point 7m in.

A short flat out crawl was needed at 15m because of a boulder sticking out of the W wall and the level of the pebble beach.

Neale Menzies reported in '20, a conversation in a pub with a couple of kayakers who had walked through this tunnel - as is now possible again in '24.

It thus appears that the S1 pebble beach advances and recedes on a multi-year timescale. This also happens in the SW part of Trough Cove N tunnel and probably in Henry's Scorth E Cave beyond 110 m in as well.

From this beach at lowish tide you can see NNE along S1 tunnel by the light coming in from the main entrance (photo 7) - see main entry for the cave.

At high tide, the sea is likely to reach the back of S1 chamber.

The ceiling height is reckoned to be about 7.8 m ACD. Maximum astronomical tide is 5.2 m ACD, so there will always be an air space of 2.6 m or more above the no swell tide level.

As with the S2/3 chamber, there is a short (5.1 m) extension on the SW corner of this S1 chamber.

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: It was expected that in strong swell this aperture would be a blowhole, but at end 2020, the most that had been observed had been air movement sufficient to blow a light flag horizontal and some dry mist (ie the S entrance rock was not wetted).

In May 24, an old tyre was found just outside the entrance. It seems quite likely that this arrived from inside the cave. If so, with the 15/5/24 beach profile, the entrance is likely to be a blowhole in high swell, high tide conditions.

This expectation was confirmed on 25 Nov 24 - see photo 14

Access: By land: from saddle near NO 88109 83302 on Strabandra Knap; going WSW down grassy slope to NO 88092 83288, then SSE to NO 88103 83251 until you can get onto the ungrassed conglomerate ledge which leads WSW down to sea level. Best in bottom half of tide. Torch needed to go into the S1 chamber.

Landing possible by sea at high tide in low swell.

Spotted and entered by N Menzies 7/7/20 up to 15m where you had to do a short flat crawl.

Length survey by N Feilden 25,8/7/20. More measurements 15/5/24.

L is for the whole cave system; VR and Alt for this entrance and the 16m of narrow rift tunnel.