Stalactites

Written by Alexander Gunn, A Native of Badbea, and published in the Northern Ensign, May 25, 1882. Part C

Looking out at the Moray Firth from above the cave

 Stalactites

“One day, however, we observed a boat coming along the coast very close inshore. This made us very suspicious, and put us in a great state of fear, and we began to secret our stuff. We discovered in the furthest end of the cave a small opening, sufficiently large to admit one person crawling on his hands and knees; but once inside, there was a spacious cave thirty to forty feet in diameter, with a smooth floor and a high roof, hung with beautiful stalactites varying in length from a few inches to several feet. They were of various hues, pure white and pale amber being the prevailing colours. Inside was as dark as pitch, no light of any kind having ever entered it before. We widened the mouth or entrance sufficiently to admit our barrels, etc. Seeing the boat coming nearer, we set to at once, and got the whole effects carried inside the cave, and then closed up the mouth with stones and green sods, which gave it the appearance of never having been disturbed. It was a false alarm, however, as the boat passed on and did not land. We were wishing for a storm, as being the best friend we could have, and we got that for part of the time”.

This is Spar Cave (near Glasnakille, Highlands) an astonishing, cathedral-like structure, some 150ft long, with a marble-like flowstone staircase and huge columns formed from the centuries of water dripping through the limestone. In places the roof of the cave has been discoloured by the candles and torches of visiting Victorians, who also removed as souvenirs many of the stalagmites and stalactites. They didn't manage to destroy the magic though.

 Extract from the Obituary of Alexander Gunn.

“He remembered distinctly the "good old" smuggling days, and he had many interesting stories to tell of these, and also of the press gang times. He remembered specially the smuggling in Uag Eachin or Hector's cave in which the ashes and remains of the peats used are still said to be seen; and the clear, pure stream of cool water used for many a gallon of spirits that never paid duty may still be seen at the east side of the cave. At the inner end of this cave is another to which access is only got by creeping on the hands and knees, and can only be seen by carrying a light. This cave, owing to the limestone nature of the rocks, has many stalactites hanging from the roof, while small stalagmites are also being formed on parts of the floor. In the other cave are also beautiful specimens of hart's tongue ferns, with large fronds fully eighteen inches long and three inches across.

This is one of the few places in Caithness in which this beautiful and graceful fern is found in abundance. Mr. Gunn remembered those since his boyhood, nearly seventy years ago, and one of his unfulfilled wishes was to see these scenes, and to get fern and stalactites from Uag-Eachin for his fernery at home.

Northern Ensign 6 July 1897. The late Mr Alexander Gunn, Glasgow Formerly of Badbea, Caithness

 

Hart's Tongue Ferns