The Spar Cave, near Elgol

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Summary

A visit to the Spar Cave requires some forward planning and great care, and should not be underestimated. It is worth the effort, however, as it gives a true adventure, and is one of the great wonders of Scotland.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Steep path down to the shore. Continuing round the shore is over slippery, sea-weed covered boulders. Great care is needed, both over the rocks and to ensure the walk is completed before being cut off by the tide. Click here for tide times. Inside the cave, the floor is wet and there is a steep scramble up flowstone. Torches are essential.

Public Transport

None to start. Nearest bus Elgol - 2km away.

Start

Just before the cattle grid near Glasnakille. Open in Google Maps.

Hillwalking in Winter

Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. All route descriptions and difficulties given here are for summer conditions. See our Winter Skills page for basic information on the essential skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 1.3km / 0.75 miles
Time (summer conditions): 2 hours
Ascent: 33m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NG537130

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (5)

Stage 1

Note that this walk is only possible for around one hour either side of low-tide. It is quite possible to become stranded in the Spar Cave, so it is best to reach the sea shortly before low tide and visit the cave as soon as possible, leaving time to return. Drive down the winding road towards Glasnakille from Elgol, and park considerately before the cattle grid a short distance before the 'T' junction at Glasnakille (there are no facilities here - nearest toilets are in Elgol). Continue on foot to the t-junction, then turn right. After 200m - and opposite Spar Cottage, turn left through a gate into a field - just beyond a ruined stone building.

Stage 2

A path descends down a depression just to the right of the building, heading directly towards the coast. Follow the path, when it forks, keep left and shortly afterwards turn right. The path leads into the trees and swings left and then sharp right to descend into a gully that leads down to a sea inlet.

Stage 3

The floor of the inlet is covered with jagged boulders; continue down towards the sea. Reaching the Spar Cave involves continuing round the coast to the left, on the boulders. Rounding the first corner, another very narrow inlet is revealed, with a flooded floor. Do not attempt to enter it, but continue round the coast on the boulders, which should be possible once the tide is fully out.

Stage 4

Continue round the next little headland, where you will have to walk carefully along a rock-ledge to keep out of the sea. Take care as seaweed can make it very slippery. Round the corner, an impressive wider inlet or gorge is revealed, with vertical sides. Walk up into it. There are the remains of a wall across the head of the inlet. When Walter Scott visited the Spar Cave in 1814 he had to climb over the wall using a rope, but later a passing sailor fired a cannon at the wall, demolishing it.

Stage 5

There are two cave entrances beyond; the one on the right is filled with water, whilst that on the left is the Spar Cave itself. Take at least two torches into the cave in case the batteries fail. The passage is fairly wide and has a very high roof. The floor is muddy at first, but once the cave turns to the right, the walls, floor and ceiling all become covered with Spar or Flowstone (calcium carbonate) formations. The cave once had many stalactites but Victorian visitors stole most of these - be careful not to add to the damage they caused. Round the corner, the floor of the cave begins to rise steeply in a sort of flowstone staircase. It looks treacherously slippery but does in fact give reasonable grip and it can be ascended with care.

Stage 6

The flowstone levels off briefly before a second ascent, slightly steeper than the first, to reach the highest point of the cave. All around are incredible flowstone formations, whilst the floor of the cave has striking markings where the calcium forms hard edges around the puddles. Beyond, another shorter flowstone stairway descends to a lake. The lake is the limit of possible explorations. Walter Scott wrote about the lake and cave in his poem The Lord of the Isles.

Stage 7

In Gaelic, the cave is known as an Sloc an Altramain, or the Nursing Cave, after a legend about a local princess who fell in love with a rival chief's son. When she gave birth to his son, she hid in the cave to protect him. More recently Bear Ghrylls took Ben Stiller to the cave for a TV programme, and although it wasn't named the cave has become better known. The return is by the same route. If you have taken too long and the tide has come in, you will be trapped in the Spar Cave for twelve hours until the next low tide.

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