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Shoemaker's Cave

W of Covesea Quarry, E of Hopeman, Moray, (Elginshire).

A supratidal cave facing NW. It has a steep talus pile of fallen rock fragments and loose sand and occasional limpet shells. Up above it slopes away somewhat to rock fragments without sand.

It was named until 4/2/24 for G. McGill of Duffus (nearby village) who painted his name on the ceiling in 1922. However, a document entitled 'The Andersons of the Loup of the Loch' - a family history by Michie Anderson was uncovered by Dave Longstaff. In the foreword, it mentions a childhood visit to Shoemaker's cave which had a 'well' on the floor supplied by a drip from the roof. No indication of the precise location. But Constance Gordon-Cumming mentions a small cave overlooking Tailor's Castle and well raised up, 'in the centre of which a rudely squared stone receives the water which slowly filters through the sandstone roof.' Taken together we have a name and a location which matches this cave.

It has some ferns and there were also a couple of orb webs at the sides on 10 June 21, one with its spider at the centre.

The SSSI is for Covesea & Clashach quarries for the dinosaur and other footprints found.

Alternative Names: McGill's Cave

Notes: Access: probably best by sea (from Hopeman) and a landing on the pebble beach just to the east near high water - which gets you over the wave cut platform.

By land would require careful consideration of the tide eg from the beach below Covesea Quarry.

Length and some other measurements by N Feilden, 10/6/21.