Went for a wander along the shore near my house yesterday and called in to a cave I spent quite a bit of time hanging out in in my youth. Not really a day out more of a quick wander in the shadow of the old woman to remind me of my mortality (if you click my profile you can see the old woman's white plaid laid out to dry, the view is more spectacular from this cave entrance but she chose to wear her veil yesterday.
Spent a few nights in it some 25 years ago now and it was interesting to pay a visit.
It seems there's been a period of regular use in the interim as there was bit of stuff lifted from the shore around, but judging by the amount of guano and feather around the place the last lot of occupants seem to have been some kind of Tern.
I lit a fire in the hearth, that was there long before my time and there was a story about a man who lived here for a time in the immediate aftermath of a local clearance.
The story goes that the man lived here for 7 years, supported by the locals whilst eking out a living from the foreshore. In the end (possibly something to do with Scots squatters rights) the estate gave him a job and accommodated him. The estate now belongs to SNH, not the foreshore though, thats still in the hands of the crown.
I've often pondered the possibility that this place may have been used as a shelter by passers by for many many years. Despite the entrance facing into the prevailing wind direction this spot offers good shelter from the south westerlies, something to do with the way the wind hits the cliff face seems to leave the interior remarkably calm but enough of an eddie to draw the smoke out of the entrance, rather than back into the cave. All in all a viable sheltered space.
The view from the mouth over to Ellean a Cheo
Yesterday the wind was strong from the south bringing in pulses of rain despite that had it not been for the guano (and the proximity of my own hearth) I'd have happily spent the night there.
I'm rather interested in these sorts of places, places where some passers by may have paused for respite & shelter down the millennia; so if anyone else has similar spots nearby or that they visit it would be nice to hear of them. If you do please keep the locations to yourselves, it's an ever shrinking world unfortunately.
Spent a few nights in it some 25 years ago now and it was interesting to pay a visit.
It seems there's been a period of regular use in the interim as there was bit of stuff lifted from the shore around, but judging by the amount of guano and feather around the place the last lot of occupants seem to have been some kind of Tern.
I lit a fire in the hearth, that was there long before my time and there was a story about a man who lived here for a time in the immediate aftermath of a local clearance.
The story goes that the man lived here for 7 years, supported by the locals whilst eking out a living from the foreshore. In the end (possibly something to do with Scots squatters rights) the estate gave him a job and accommodated him. The estate now belongs to SNH, not the foreshore though, thats still in the hands of the crown.
I've often pondered the possibility that this place may have been used as a shelter by passers by for many many years. Despite the entrance facing into the prevailing wind direction this spot offers good shelter from the south westerlies, something to do with the way the wind hits the cliff face seems to leave the interior remarkably calm but enough of an eddie to draw the smoke out of the entrance, rather than back into the cave. All in all a viable sheltered space.
The view from the mouth over to Ellean a Cheo
Yesterday the wind was strong from the south bringing in pulses of rain despite that had it not been for the guano (and the proximity of my own hearth) I'd have happily spent the night there.
I'm rather interested in these sorts of places, places where some passers by may have paused for respite & shelter down the millennia; so if anyone else has similar spots nearby or that they visit it would be nice to hear of them. If you do please keep the locations to yourselves, it's an ever shrinking world unfortunately.
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