MacKinnon´s Cave - and a spectacular surprise
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 12:52 pm
Last year my brother and I spent a few nice days on the Isle of Mull. On our first day we made a trip to MacKinnon´s Cave on the east coast of the island. It was a nice though rather cool day, and the walk across the coast to the cave was enjoyable.
The setting on the coast with its high cliffs is stunning, and the cave itself is pretty impressive. It is quite long and twisting, and after the last corner it is completely dark. No daylight at all makes it to the far end, and without a torch you cannot see your own hand in front of your eyes.
Entrance to the cave
View from the cave
After visiting the cave, we still had some time to spend, so we decided to get back up to higher ground and walk along the cliffs for a while. What we found there was completely unexpected and truly spectacular.
View along the coast
A short distance after the cave, the Allt an Ath Dheirg is joined by two or three smaller burns and drops in several cascades all the way down into the sea. The last cascade is cut deeply into the cliffs and is about 10 metres high.
The Waterfalls
We walked and scrambled down the cliffs close to the burn, mainly on sheep tracks until we found the true highlight of our tour. The last bit of the track winds its way through a gigantic natural arch, with a steep drop right next to it.
The natural arch
Down at the coast you reach a narrow rocky ravine, from where you can get right to the bottom of the fall. The views to the sea are stunning, and there is even a small sea stack at the side of the bay.
The ravine
The lowest part of the waterfall
The coast line
Sea stack