Cove Cave

Church Cave at Cove


Useful Information

Location: From Poolewe, follow road along western side of Loch Ewe, through Naast and Inverasdale onto Cove, 13 km.
(57.841293, -5.681975)
Open: No restrictions.
[2021]
Fee: free.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours:  
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography: Steve Chadwick (1992): Poolewe to Gruinard, Selected Walks and Caves with Historical Narrative. p 1
Donald Shaw (2002): 100 Years in Wester Ross 1900-2000, p15.
(nY): Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands, p 264.
Anne Grindley, Dick Grindley (2002): Meet Report, Cove Cave, Cove Wester Ross, GSG 4th Ser 1 (3) 30
Address:  
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

From Poolewe, follow the road along the western side of Loch Ewe, through Naast, Inverasdale and the fine beach of Camus na Muic and onto Cove, a distance of nearly 8 miles. Cove lies in a slight fold. Park on the seaward crest of the rise on the far side of Cove. Walk down the rise. On your left are two white caravans and a white house whilst on your right is a sign, Cove Cave, enter at your own risk. Cross the stile, kindly erected by the farmer and cross the field to a second stile. Follow the grassy bank down towards the sea, taking care on the slippery stone steps. The cave is a little to the south, above the high tide mark. A 3 foot wide 6 foot high, entrance leads to a roughly oblong chamber 50 foot long and up to 20 foot wide and 10 foot high. The back of the cave drops down sharply to 4 foot high. The floor is flat but strewn with water worn boulders. The remains of seating? The entrance appears to have been made narrower in order to conceal the service proceedings.

Baptised in a Cave at Cove. In July (1910) the Ross-Shire Journal reported on a recent service in the Church Cave at Cove. Mr Mackinson the Free Church Minister of Gairloch had baptised 4 children in front of large congregation. [Shaw]


reprinted from The New Caves of Scotland by Tony Oldham (sous presse). With kind permission.