Wallace Bridge N

The entrance to this subtidal seacave is immediately on the right of Wallace Bridge. It runs about 10m W, then turns left about 70 degrees into a rift tunnel and goes on ca 80m. There are several narrows and three wider parts, and eventually a beach. The wider parts allow a 5.5 m kayak to be turned round easily at low tide. Dark.

Notes: Access: by sea from Stonehaven or Catterline preferably in bottom quarter of the tide and low swell. As can be seen from the photos, the cave is much narrower at high tide level. It is somewhat protected from SE swell.

On 25 June 21 N Feilden measured entrance depth at 8.5 m BCD, height at 11.3 m ACD, width 8.2 m with tide at 0.7 m. With string and float, 52.5 m was confirmed (see photo 4 for float location). Estimate of 15m from float to entrance and 20 - 30 m from the inward end of the string. The end of this cave was not properly seen because of mist from swell breaking.

Needs a better length survey visit, including bearing of tunnel after the turn, and preferably a landing to check for tunnel extensions beyond the beach.

Links and Resources:

Inside visit by in a double kayak by Iain Greig and Nigel Feilden 11/7/19.
See also Wallace Bridge entry.
OS 1st Ed 25" shows two caves at Wallace Bridge - but the outlines are quite badly wrong. For this cave it shows a short, straight cave running WNW - but does not show the much longer length running SW as reported above. The other cave outline for Wallace Bridge is also wrong and only one of the two large gloups is depicted.
Photo 1 shows the Wallace Bridge caves from about 140 m NE.
Photo 2 shows the entrance taken on 3 Oct 18. The RH side of the entrance to the outer cavern of Wallace Bridge Cave is visible.
Rough plan of both caves over Bing aerial view. NB the bearing of the long part of this cave has yet to measured as are inner widths etc. See above.
Photo 3 taken from ca 60-70m inside, looking towards the entrance. Notice how the profile narrows above. At this tide level ca 0.8 m it is a spacious cave over much of its length. 23/6/21
Photo 4 the same view as photo 3 but more in focus at a tide level of 1.1 m on 18/7/21.
Photo 5 taken from ca 40-50m inside, looking towards the entrance. A seal was lying on the ledge to the left shortly before this photo was taken. 23/6/21.
Photo 6 taken from ca 20-30m inside, looking towards the entrance. The rather lightly (350g) anchored float is visible just to the right of the kayak's bow. 23/6/21.
Photo 7 looking outwards from the second chamber on 18/7/21. The sun is coming through the entrance on the right and shining on the left (W) wall so that it looks like a pillar between - but there is no pillar.

This entry was last updated: 2025-11-07 20:31:52

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NGR:	NO 88058 82275
WGS84:	56.93161, -2.19784
Length:	90 m
Vert. Range:	20 m
Altitude:	-8.5 m
Geology:	Whitehouse Conglomerate Formation
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave
Registry:	main

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