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 Reckoned
to be the deepest in the Hebrides, this famous cave has been visited by
almost everyone who has come to Mull.
Boswell and Johnson visited it in 1773 and measured its depth. William
Black, the popular Victorian novelist set one of the scenes of his Castle
Dare in the cave. Deep inside, there is a large flat slab dubbed "Fingal's
Table" and the whole cave has gathered about it an aura of mystery and
magic. It was reputed to have been used in very early times as a refuge
for hermits - the "Culdees" of the early church were supposed to have
used "Fingal's Table" as an altar.
Like many Hebridean caves, it was thought to offer a passage to the underworld
of fairies. There is the tale of the piper who tried to outdo the fairies
in a piping competition and walked into the cave accompanied by his dog.
Only the dog returned, crazed with fear. Some say he went right through
the hill and emerged on the other side of the headland at Loch Scridain.
Even without myth and mystery, the cave is worth visiting. The walk in
will take you down the geological column from Mull's tertiary volcanics
to the psammite basement rocks at the cave.
References:
Olive Brown and Jean Whittaker, Walking in South Mull and Iona (Revised
& expanded ed 1996)
ISBN 0 9528428 0 7
Samuel Johnson & James Boswell, Journey to the Western Islands of
Scotland and Journal of a Tour of the Hebrides
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