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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Alexander Smail

The spooky Scottish cave only accessible two hours a day with poetic history

Scotland is home to countless amazing natural sights, but none are quite like Spar Cave.

Now that summer has well and truly begun, people across the country will be planning sunny getaways and relaxing staycations.

If that's not quite your thing, though, and you are more interested in doing a bit of adventuring, then this spooky and magnificent cave on the Isle of Skye could be just what you're after this June.

Spar Cave is found near the village of Elgol on the island, which is located on the shores of Loch Scavaig towards the end of the Strathaird peninsula. The cave is one of the greatest natural wonders in Scotland and beyond, and has a fascinating history that dates all the way back to the ninth century.

It is believed that at this time, a princess fell in love with the son of the chief of a different clan after he shipwrecked off the coast.

Despite the animosity their clans had for each other, the two pursued a relationship and eventually had a baby. This forced the princess to live with her child in the cave to prevent her father from finding out about their forbidden liaison.

The white calcium carbonate deposits inside the cave give it an otherworldly and almost-alien look (Judith Quinn / Getty Images)

This story is what gave the cave its Gaelic name of Slochd Altimen, which translates to 'Nursing Cave'.

Its English name, meanwhile, comes from the luminous white calcium carbonate deposits that cover the interior. Legendary Scots poet Sir Walter Scott visited the cave in the early 19th century, describing its breathtaking "spars" in his work 'The Lord of the Isles'.

The cave itself is roughly 80 metres deep, and looks like something out of a horror movie at first. However, when fully illuminated, the otherworldly geological formations come alive, and it is truly something that needs to be seen to be believed.

Spar Cave is not somewhere you want to be trapped, so extreme caution is advised to anyone venturing inside (Judith Quinn / Getty Images)

Due to its positioning, Spar Cave can only be accessed for roughly two hours a day. The rest of the time, the entrance is submerged beneath water and so it is possible to be stranded inside overnight if you are not careful.

If you want to see Spar Cave for yourself, you can catch a bus to Elgol and walk to the cave from there. Because it is only accessible for a short period, if you plan to venture inside then you should plan well ahead and check tide times to avoid being trapped.

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