MacKinnon's Cave, deepest in the Hebrides

MacKinnons Cave

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:

  1. Olive Brown and Jean Whittaker, Walking in South Mull and Iona
    ISBN: 1 904353 06 1 (8th Edition Revised and updated 2005)
  2. Samuel Johnson & James Boswell, Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and Journal of a Tour of the Hebrides