Prince Charlie's Cave, Elgol

Summary

This short but rough walk visits the cave where Bonnie Prince Charlie spent his last night on Skye before escaping by boat once more. Excellent coastal scenery and stunning views throughout.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

3.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Boggy path to the bay; awkward boulders on the beach and scramble up to the cave. Access to the cave is for a couple of hours either side of low tide - click here for tide times (remember to adjust by one hour as stated for summer).

Public Transport

Local bus service from Broadford.

Start

Parking at Elgol jetty. Open in Google Maps.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 4km / 2.5 miles
Time: 2 - 3 hours
Ascent: 170m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NG516135

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (4)

Stage 1

Park at the jetty in Elgol. In summer, this parking area is usually full, in which case there is further parking back up the hill near the tea-shop, and a larger car park beside the village shop and hall, fifty metres down the Glasnakille road. Elgol jetty and foreshore enjoys a much celebrated view of the Cuillin, recently voted one of the best views in Britain - the views possibly get even better on the walk so hopefully you've chosen a good day. The rough path begins on the higher level of the jetty car park, with a stony start leading to a path sloping up across the moor.

Stage 2

Continue along the intermittently boggy path, which mostly runs along the top of the cliffs which are set back slightly from the sea. The view of the Cuillin behind becomes even better from here, as Bla Bheinn's great south ridge joins the rest of the peaks in view, whilst ahead is the dramatic outline of the Isle of Rum. After slightly over a kilometre you should reach the grassy neck of land that connects the headland of Suidhe nan Eun to the rest of the coast. Obviously this is a dead-end, but it is worth going out onto the neck to look at a wide sea stack guarding its left hand gully. Continue along the coast, losing the view of the Cuillin but with the Isle of Eigg now in view.

Stage 3

A deep inlet or geo cuts into the coastline a little further on, and it is necessary to detour round it to the left to continue along the coast, passing the overhanging top of Suidhe Biorach (the Pointed Seat); according to legend sitting atop this crag could make childless women fertile again. The cliffs finally relent at the wide pebbly bay of Port an Luig Mhòir. Go down to the shore here, keeping right along the base of the cliffs to the rocky, bouldery beach. If you have timed your walk correctly hopefully the tide is now almost fully out, giving you time to find and explore the cave. Carefully pick your way along the boulder shore to the right.

Stage 4

Soon the first cave is reached, at the obvious dark cleft in the cliffs. This narrows to a tiny crack, whilst a branch to the left leads through back onto the beach. Clearly this is covered by water at high tide and the Prince couldn't have slept here, so despite what some guidebooks might have you believe this is not Prince Charles's cave. Continue round the shore a tiny bit further, passing the second low entrance to the through cave.

Stage 5

Once past this second entrance, the way to Charles's cave is at the very next cleft in the cliffs. The cave is quite hidden from below and you must scramble very carefully up the left edge of the boulders choking the foot of the cleft; there are good footholds on the left wall. Once over this barrier the ground descends slightly into the large mouth of the cave, hidden until this moment. Through this area, a smaller passage (easily walkable) on the left runs into the hillside for about fifty metres. The larger sheltered entrance area was where Prince Charles enjoyed his last meal on Skye following his flight across the island. He had landed (rowed by Flora MacDonald) in the north of Skye six days previously, and his adventures included a arduous night march from Portree through to Elgol.

Stage 6

Make sure you don't spend so long at the cave that the tide prevents your own escape! Descend carefully back down the rocks and retrace your steps back towards Elgol, enjoying the truly fantastic views ahead. From the back of the deep geo mentioned earlier it is possible to short cut across the moor and rejoin your outward path further on.

The area visited on this walk is owned by the John Muir Trust, a charity that protects wild places. You can find out more and support their work by joining at http://www.johnmuirtrust.org/.

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