Caves on Orkney?

[Allan]

We thought the building was quite dry and "comfortable" in 1975, hung up a couple of tents to keep the draught out and got a good fire going using driftwood. Used it as a base for a few days walking on Hoy, we had considered using the Dwarfie Stane as accomodation but decided it was a bit small for three of us and our gear once we had visited it.
I revisited it in 2022, same building but better facilities, brought back good memories.
There was no footpath to the Old Man in 1975, you just waded through the heather and tussock grass, using sheep tracks when you could.

 

[Lankyman]

We were on Marwick Head earlier today, famous for the Kitchener memorial. Again, lots of interesting looking sea caves but no access for landlubbers or without SRT.

Huge cave/alcove with impressive sloshing and booming sounds (as well as bird cries)

This cleft is as close to a cave as we've been able to get so far but you'd have to jump in and swim.

 

[Lankyman]

This could be the largest opening we've seen so far on Orkney, at the Brough of Birsay. Again, no access on foot.

Further round the shore at Skipi Geo we actually found an accessible cave!

Barely thirty feet long so not worth packing kit for.

 

[Lankyman]

The weather turned a bit cold and drizzly this afternoon (apologies if you're down south and burning to a frazzle!). We decided to seek out some of the less publicised (free!) prehistoric sites that Orkney is littered with. Not caves but definitely underground. At Cuween Hill the panel warns you about the mischievous 'Trow' who haunts the tomb

It's similar to Maes Howe in construction but far less promoted and therefore much less visited

It was thought provoking to sit in here without any distractions from other people or guide and ponder on the lives of the builders. Dogs were also found in here - perhaps they weren't too different to us in some ways? Not far away, close to the shore is a much younger Iron Age souterrain (still well over two thousand years old) at Rennibister, accessed by a short iron ladder

 

[ChrisB]

A sea cave in Yinstay Head, 6km East of Kirkwall. Like the ones you've seen, only accessible by kayak..

 

[Lankyman]

Our last day on Orkney and we walked a few kilometres south from Skara Brae to the Broch of Berwick. On the way we encountered Ramna Geo, a most impressive narrow chasm with a pretty big cave at the back. The calls of fulmars makes it a very atmospheric place.

Closer to Skara Brae, in another big inlet we saw what (to me) looked like a big shield of calcite (or other mineralisation) stuck onto the wall. I hope for the fulmar on top's sake that it's firmly attached.

 

[RobinGriffiths]

Remnant of slickenside?

 

[Lankyman]

Remnant of slickenside?

My money (as a non-geologist) would be on some kind of tufa remnant? If you look at the picture above of the cave at the back of Ramna Geo there does look to be some there. I imagine the inlet in question formed as a cave. Here's a side view - the tufa thing is on the right wall (my finger on the left!).