Massacre and Cathedral Caves - Eigg

1. At the pier is Am Laimhrig which houses the shop, excellent tea room, toilets and showers, and craft shop. The shop and craft shop sell a pack of postcards of the waymarked walks on Eigg including the caves which is marked with purple paint. From the pier take the road heading uphill, passing the road to Cleadale on the right, and then the re-erected standing stone which commemorates the community buy out, and continue into the woods.

2. After a long period of troublesome absentee landlords, the residents of Eigg bought the island in 1997 in partnership with the Highland Council and Scottish Wildlife Trust. Since then a number of initiatives have been undertaken to ensure a sustainable community can exist on Eigg and to provide accommodation and facilities for visitors. Pass the turning to the Lodge and Community Hall on the right and very soon there is a track on the left marked with a purple waymarker.

3. Follow this track until a house comes into view. Before you reach the house branch off to the left following purple paint blobs to pass in front of the house on a faint path. Eilean Chathastail, with its small lighthouse, can clearly be seen down on the left. When the grassy path forks through bracken, keep on the right hand path. At a prominent group of stones keep on the path just above the stones to head towards a kissing gate in the fence.

4. There are good views across the water to Muck on a clear day. From here cross the field to the fence and follow this to the right until a gate allows access to a narrow path which heads down the cliff. Follow the steps and cross the small bridge over the stream near the bottom.

5. From here your next destination is dependent on the tide. The Cathedral Cave is ahead and can only be accessed at low tide. Follow the narrow path until it peters out at the shore and follow the rocky shoreline for a short distance until the entrance to the cave can be seen. This massive cave was once the site of catholic masses. From this cave retrace your steps until the shore path splits - take the lower path which continues along the shore.

6. Once round a small headland bear left to visit the Massacre cave. The entrance is small but once through the narrow channel, it widens out and extends for 79 metres into the dark. Here in 1577 a group of Macleods from Skye landed on the island seeking revenge for the latest act in a long running feud with the Macdonalds. The entire population of the island hid in the cave for 3 days and the Macleods were unable to find them. However as they sailed away they spotted a lookout and were able to follow his footsteps in the snow which led them to the cave. The Macleods built a huge fire and the smoke killed 395 people trapped inside the cave. Later, other Macdonalds were to exact equally bloody and ruthless revenge on the Macleods at Trumpan Church on Skye. From the cave retrace the route back to the pier.

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