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Jacobites Cave (Glen Loin)

Arrochar, A'Chrois, Succoth, Glen Loin, N of Feorlinn, Argyllshire.

Cave, north of Arrochar on the south-east slopes of A' Chrois (849 m), an outlier of Beinn Narnain (926 m).

Best known of Scotland's fissure caves, easily reached & with intreguing complexity can give satisfyingly strenuous exploration. From Arrochar drive round head of Loch Long toward Ben Arthur (The Cobbler). Opposite large lay-by on left minor road heads up Glen Loin. Drive up this & park at last group of cottages. Walk up road 1 km to gate barring access to forest entrance. Cross gate & take path on left, skirt electricity pylon & head uphill. Well worn path ascends steeply to frozen avalanche of massive boulders.

Cave entrance (Bruce's Bivouac) is to right of where path meets avalanche. Through this is a small level area at top of boulder fall overlookd by tall crag Entrance to Jacobite's Cave, wide fissure partway up cliff, reached either by straight climb or .right to left rising traverse along a flake to foot of steep slope up fissure into cave. Both routes moderate standard & lifeline or ladder needed for non-climbers. Entrance fissure, averages 2.5 m wide, soon roofed by massive boulders. Floor descends & after 10 m, there is a 3 m scramble up to a lower but wider continuation. Small chambers in roof but main way on not so obvious hole in floor. Cautious lowering finds stance on top of flake 1.5 m below. Further 1.5 m to floor with view down into void but spiral anti-clockwise round flake to lower level. Alternatively forward & left, a short passage enters high hading rift. Steep descent to pool followed by equally steep ascent to dead end. Before descent another route via crawls & low boulder chamber to foot of spiral climb. Continuing descent passes small stream flowing down left wall to pool - 8 m deep swallowing anything dropped. Last section floored with boulders with gaps down to pool. Just before final descent, passage leads to parallel rift on right. To N, soon ends. To S, continues floorless & tight for some distance.

Alternative Names: Jacobite's Cave, Jacobites' Cave, Bruce's Bivouac?

Notes: Grade 5 survey started by Ivan Young, 29 Dec. 1984. Survey downgraded due to lamp failures.

See also Bruce's Bivouac (NN 30290 06490).