Lizzie's Surprise Cave

A large, shallow funnel under the cliff overhang leads to a quite small, triangular entrance into a full range intertidal low ceilinged cavern. It is approximately a long ellipse in plan, leading at the east end to an even lower entrance which penetrates the west wall of the wide geo immediately to the east. This entrance is at NJ 16526 70349. It is nearly submerged at a springs high tide. The cavern extends another 8m to the west. The cave floor is sand, with occasional large, angular boulders. These appear have fallen from the ceiling - which is corrugated with sharp angles. The inner cave empties completely at low tide except at neaps.

There is a 14 m long inner tunnel running initially NE by N from about midway between the two entrances. It then turns to the NW.

It is the largest intertidal seacave between Hopeman and the Covesea Lighthouse.

Notes: Access: It was possible to paddle into the N entrance on a 3.0 m tide and mild swell and to turn around inside (> 5.5m). The depth at this tide level outside the N entrance was about 1.3 m.

It is possible walk inside after landing via the inner N entrance - which has a sand beach out to its entrance at low water springs. Landing in the geo to the E is less protected from swell and has some large boulders.

The SSSI is for Covesea & Clashach quarries because of dicynodont and other fossil footprints found there.

Links and Resources:

Not on any OS map.
Photo 1 shows the north entrance at high (4.3m) tide, 14/11/20.
Photo 2 looking towards the E entrance from inside the N entrance. Light from the left is through the N entrance. Also 14/11/20.
Sketch plan drawn over Canmore Aerial based on a length survey carried out on 24 November 20. This survey did not include the widths in the funnel/overhang part of the N entrance which was flooded at the time.
Photo 3 shows the N entrance to the inner cavern from near the W wall. Taken at 14:05 GMT 24 Nov 20 - 20 mins after a 2.3 m neeps low tide.
Photo 4 a similar photo showing the rock-face above.
Photo 5 the E wall of the N entrance, outside the inner cavern.
Photo 6 part of the W wall showing the entrance (obliquely) to a 6m long sub-tunnel.
Photo 7 looking into the 6m sub-tunnel.
Photo 8 inside the inner cavern - from a similar position to that of photo 2. The E entrance is on the right, with light from the N on the left. In the middle, a floodlight is showing the entrance to a 14 m long internal tunnel - see sketch plan above.
Photo 9 the SE part of the cavern; E entrance on the left. Note the pale scour line along the bottom of the wall.
Photo 10 looking NNE into the internal N sub-tunnel.
Photo 11 part way into the N sub-tunnel.
Photo 12 which curves left to about NW - the end of the N sub-tunnel.

This entry was last updated: 2022-08-08 20:00:16

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

NGR:	NJ 16496 70373
WGS84:	57.71535, -3.40329
Length:	90 m
Vert. Range:	Not recorded
Altitude:	1 m
Geology:	Hopeman Sandstone Formation
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave, SSSI
Registry:	main

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