sea caves in the UK

corinnal

New member
Hello,

What area of the UK (excluding Ireland) has the most coastal caves? Not looking for particularly deep caves, just somewhere you can actually walk into.

Thanks,

Corinna
 

Inferus

New member
No idea if it's the most but there's a good number, along with arches and inlets, at Flamborough (North Landing, Thornwick Bay) that can be walked into at low tide.
 

mikem

Well-known member
Far more around much of the west coast (from Dorset up to Shetland). Most of them haven't been counted.
 

corinnal

New member
mikem said:
Far more around much of the west coast (from Dorset up to Shetland). Most of them haven't been counted.

Thanks for the tip, but isn't Dorset on the South Coast? I am not a UK native so a bit confused about which part exactly you mean  :-\
 

mikem

Well-known member
Dorset is on the south coast, but the west end of it! Caves tend to be lacking from there eastwards, although there are a few; whilst they continue around Devon & Cornwall onwards (even Somerset & Gwent have some - we have a book about it https://www.mcra.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=for_sale#somerset_underground_-_1 )
 

nmenzies

New member
There's a good number on the east coast of Scotland that are accessible from land, some decent ones at Arbroath, New Aberdour or near Hopeman.
The gsg cave registery has loads shown although a reasonable number require a kayak to get to.
https://registry.gsg.org.uk/sr/registrysearch.php

Sent from my SM-G780F using Tapatalk

 

pwhole

Well-known member

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topcat

Active member
nmenzies said:
There's a good number on the east coast of Scotland that are accessible from land, some decent ones at Arbroath, New Aberdour or near Hopeman.
The gsg cave registery has loads shown although a reasonable number require a kayak to get to.
https://registry.gsg.org.uk/sr/registrysearch.php

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Ditch the kayak!  Arbroath is a Mecca for coasteering!  Swim it!
Happy to guide anyone interested in some serious sea cave exploration.

TC
 

corinnal

New member
mikem said:
Dorset is on the south coast, but the west end of it! Caves tend to be lacking from there eastwards, although there are a few; whilst they continue around Devon & Cornwall onwards (even Somerset & Gwent have some - we have a book about it https://www.mcra.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=for_sale#somerset_underground_-_1 )

Great, now I have a better picture of the area you mean. And that book looks interesting. Thank you Mike  :)
 

rhychydwr1

Active member
The Cornish coast is the longest in Britain with 422 miles.  I counted over 180 sea caves in the book Caves of Cornwall
 

corinnal

New member
rhychydwr1 said:
The Cornish coast is the longest in Britain with 422 miles.  I counted over 180 sea caves in the book Caves of Cornwall

That's amazing...I think I will need to get that book!
 

corinnal

New member
mikem said:
Some of them are shown on:
https://dcuc.org.uk/registry/r/registrysearch.php

Mike, I was actually wondering if such a map exists! I guess no map will show every single cave there is  :cautious: but this is a good start  (y)
 

corinnal

New member
rhychydwr1 said:
The Cornish coast is the longest in Britain with 422 miles.  I counted over 180 sea caves in the book Caves of Cornwall

That is an astonishing amount. There seem to be quite a few books out there that actually list caves. I will have to start hunting those book down I think  ;)
 

mikem

Well-known member
There are separate registers for several areas, CNCC covers north (including Scotland), MCRA -: Somerset & Dorset (elsewhere on previous link I posted) & Wales:
http://www.cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk/registry/ccr_registry.php
 
Scotland's east coast has had a mention but I don't think a comment has appeared about the west coast. Beyond Fingal's Cave, Smoo Cave (well nearly west(ish)) and the like there are many raised beaches with abandoned sea caves, Mull for example, which means walking to and in is easier and somewhat safer  :halo:

Jim
 
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