Cave des Gisants

An upper intertidal cave with two parallel rifts at the bottom which have left two rounded ridges between them, rather like the sort of standing up tomb with a recumbent figure on top found in some cathedrals (French - gisant = lying). It has a single rift at the top, leaning south and a rather squashed tear-drop c/s above the 'tomb' level. It faces E and curves right (N) inside by about 18 degrees. At 13.0 m in, there is a narrow extension 2.5 m long.

2 cave spider egg sacs, one of which was definitely empty, were observed on 29 September 21.

Notes: Access: over a very rocky foreshore in bottom 2/3 of the tide from the W end of Pennan, where you can usually park. After Coral Haven. Also from Mill Shore coming the other way.

By sea and a beach landing in Coral Haven near high tide and in low swell, then north.

Links and Resources:

This cave is not indicated on any version of OS (29/9/21).
Photo 1 shows this cave, among three others immediately north of Coral Haven. Looking W on 11 August 21, near high tide.
Photo 2 is a closer view of the entrance, taken soon after photo 1.
Photo 3 a similar view to photo 1, but with no sea. The toe of gisant 1 is just showing, not white, but quite bright compared to the beach and external cliff. Taken on 29 September 21, as were all the following.
Photo 4 looking out east from inside at Pennan Head.
Photo 5 shows the toe of gisant 1. It is scoured to off-white by waves plus pebbles. The red patches are Audouinella purpurea which may get scoured off again come the next storm.
Photo 6 this is the high bit of gisant 1. You can see the rifts on each side - which are about 1.4 m deep.
Photo 7 looking inward past gisant 2. It is much darker than #1 - less scoured. Note the way the tunnel wall has been scoured wider above the level of the top of gisant 2, particularly on the left (S) side. This may be because it was the floor of the cave at an earlier stage.
Photo 8 shows the end of the cave at 13 m in - so far as crawling access is concerned. It is 1.8 m wide to the left (S) and 0.7 m wide to the right. The left hand rift extends a further 2.5 m (by LRF).
Photo 9 looking towards the entrance from about 11-12m inside and showing the bend in the tunnel. The small white object near the top, just right of centre is a cave spider egg sac.
Photo 10 is a closer view of the egg sac - which was empty - baby spiders away!
Photo 11 looking towards the entrance from about 7-8 m inside.

This entry was last updated: 2021-10-05 17:34:47

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

NGR:	NJ 84289 65660
WGS84:	57.68052, -2.26511
Length:	15.5 m
Vert. Range:	5 m
Altitude:	3 m
Geology:	Gardenstown Conglomerate Formation
Tags:	Cave, SeaCave
Registry:	main

Other Sites Within 500m