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Reudle Cave [B]

Mull, Reudle, Argyllshire.

Coordinales given are best guess (10 ft SW of A).

Three caves.

'A' is the central cave to the right of the mouth of which Mr A McCallum found Early Iron Age sherds; these are now in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS). Within the cave are deep layers of limpet shells and bones forming a midden. Only 10' SW of 'A' is a second, 'B' apparently untouched; it was not examined for occupation. The third cave, 'C' is choked with modern rubbish. [Betts, 1959]

'A' NM 3633 4562:- This cave measures c. 8.0m NW-SE by c. 6.0m and is c. 2.5m high. The floor is strewn with rubble, bones and shell deposits. Several hollows in the floor indicate excavations. The entrance is half blocked by boulders, and the turf-covered mound in which the sherds were found is c. 2.0m SE of the mouth of the cave.

'B' was not located, and has probably been blocked by fallen boulders.

'C' NM 3658 4568. This small cave, now used as a dump, shows no sign of having been previously occupied.

Surveyed at 1:10,000. [Macallum]

During 2006 the Inner Hebrides Archaeological Project undertook short field seasons on the Isle of Coll (April) and Isle of Mull (August).

NM 3634 4563 Reudle Cave, NM 34796 46120 Whisky Cave, NM 3856 5434 Croig Cave Each of these caves was planned and an electrical tomography survey was made in Reudle and Whisky Caves. In each cave a 0.5m test-pit was excavated to evaluate the cave deposits. All three caves contained shell midden, from which bulk samples were taken for study and dating at the University of Reading. [Mithen, Pirie & Smith]

Alternative Names: Lon Reudle, Lon Rheudle, Allt Dubhaig

Notes: Access to Reudle is probably easiest from a point on the single track B 8073 about 3 km SE of Treshnish (Treshnish is a small place - miles from anywhere - about 15 km by road SW of Dervaig). A small roadside quarry acts as a parking area for the farm so the owners permission would be required for parking (I do not have contact details and roadside parking is impossible. Despite the extra distance, it might be easier to arrange parking at the church in Kilninian). A track leads over the hill to the farm with a steep by climbable descent down the Allt Reudle and Allt Dubhaig to the shore.

Lon Reudle or Rheudle - A bay on the coast situate east of Crackaig about half a mile and about 4 miles westward from Kilninian Parish Church. [ScotlandsPlaces]