The area has a population of about 350 which swells during the summer months. Opening Times. Monday: Open 24 hours. Caverns & Caves. Smoo Cave Hotel is currently OPEN for business. 1,098 Reviews #5 of 18 things to do in Durness. Caverns & Caves. Users' reports. Oct 19, 2014 - This Pin was discovered by Marion Watters. It’s a memorable place to visit and kids will love the boat ride. Camping available at other times but without facilities. From here you can follow the path down from the top of the limestone cliffs to the tidal gorge at the bottom where you’ll be greeted by a dramatic coastline that rivals any other in Scotland. It forms a waterfall and a pool or cave lake at the floor. Smoo Cave is located at the eastern edge of the village of Durness, on Scotland’s most northerly coastline. The Smoo Cave Hotel is in Leirinmore, just east of Durness, the most north western village in the UK. Thursday. Smoo Cave is fully accessible 365 days a year public access with a walkway into the waterfall chamber, free of charge. It consists of a main cave (33m wide and 48m deep) and a series of smaller, subsidiary, caves. Smoo Cave was formed within Early Ordovician dolomites of the Durness Group (also known as the Durness Limestone). MEDAL AND AWARD PRESENTATIONS . Copyright: All photos, videos, downloadable files and texts are the property of Craig Smith unless otherwise cited or under a CC0 licence and may not be used or reproduced elsewhere without permission. The Smoo Cave Hotel is in Leirinmore, just east of Durness, the most north western village in the UK. Inverness - Discover Smoo Cave and live the real experience with the Green Michelin Guide - find useful information and opening times - Smoo Cave Smoo Cave is accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. Smoo Cave is one of the attractions featured in our North Coast 500 itinerary. smoocavetours.weebly.com Smoo Cave is the largest sea cave in Britain and is just a 15-minute walk away. Sango Sands Oasis opening times. 02 November 2020 November 2020 Opening Times . November 2020 Opening Times . No reviews nor any photos posted yet - be the first to post! Holy Isle is located close to the eastern shore of the Isle of Arran on Scotland’s west coast. Closes. 02 November 2020. In this website I’ll show you the best places to visit and give you lots of tips for making the most of your visit. Sightseeing and activities in Durness. Updated on 14/12/2020 . My wife and I visited off peak and were able to peruse the cave at our own leisure. Smoo Cave, The Smoo Caves are unique in the UK for having been formed by both rainwater and by seawater: the first chamber is a tidal gorge, while the … My wife and I visited off peak and were able to peruse the cave at our own leisure. The fear of disturbing some dark force meant that locals kept well clear of the underground chambers, making them a convenient place to dump the bodies of anyone who’d been murdered in what passed for justice at the time. Call: +441971511726. A cave of mystery, fascination, and one that time itself forgot lies just outside the small town of Durness. Thursday: Open 24 hours. Sunday: Open 24 hours. Smoo Cave. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Open Daily from 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm . See the T&C below for full details. During the time that Vikings were pillaging Scotland the most widely used form of transport was the sea, and this enormous cave located inland at the end of a long gulley would have been the perfect home for anyone wanting to hide away from revenge attacks by angry locals. Smoo Cave Hotel, Durness: See 457 unbiased reviews of Smoo Cave Hotel, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #1 of 6 restaurants in Durness. Friday: Open 24 hours. This easy-going trail rewards visitors with stunning views at every section of its 65-mile length and there are plenty of opportunities to deviate onto nearby attractions along the way. Discover (and save!) Tickets and opening times. Helping Make . But as far as the current tour goes you’ve no option but to turn back and retrace your footsteps the way you came in, including the return boat ride. Through the Smoo cave, water of Allt Smoo also drops as a 20 metres long waterfall. Louer une voiture. Please select Yes to allow this. Allow sufficient time on your journey to visit here then the nearby attractions. Legal: Outaboutscotland.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk. The sea washes right inside this cave (depending on the tide) so you’ll be thankful there’s a wooden bridge to take you onto the path that leads into the main chamber but to get the most out of a visit you’ll need to book yourself onto one of the tours that takes you much further into the underground network of chambers. Geology. The cave has formed along the boundary between the light … 12 - 9.30. The cave has formed along the boundary between the light … One of the things that make Smoo Cave unique is the fact that part of it has been formed by the sea while the rest of it has been carved out of the rock by freshwater and in fact, this is the only cave of its type in Britain that’s been created this way. Wednesday: Open 24 hours. Verified Listing. These tours last about 20 minutes and start with a short boat ride that takes you to a point where you can then start on a scramble into the darker recesses of the cavern, but the cave has lighting. Smoo Cave has an amazing history linking Vikings to this coastal fishing community and is able to offer guided tours in peak season. Wednesday: Open 24 hours . your own Pins on Pinterest Visible archaeological deposits are confined to the main cave and consist of a midden covering much of the E portion of the cave; this is at least 17m long and a maximum of 8m wide. Smoo Cave Hotel: Nice and welcoming - See 437 traveller reviews, 94 candid photos, and great deals for Durness, UK, at Tripadvisor. you can book a time slot to come back and in the meantime enjoy wandering around the hillsides via the network of crisscrossing rabbit and sheep paths. Bar Hours. Suitable for ages: 5 to 10 years, 11 to 18 years, 18+ years. Guided tours are available. Smoo Cave Hotel, Durness: See 459 unbiased reviews of Smoo Cave Hotel, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #1 of 6 restaurants in Durness. Open Monday to Thursday from 4 pm to 9.30 pm. The trail goes into the cave along the river, then a covered wooden walkway leads to the second room with the huge opening where the Allt Smoo enters the cave from the surface above. Impressive stuff. A fully licensed hotel serving refreshments, tea, coffee and meals are available all day. Smoo Cave in the far northern Highlands is arguably one of – if not the – most impressive natural wonders in Scotland.. You can visit for free if you choose not to take the tour. This is a cave that’s absolutely monumental in size, and the cave entrance has the privilege of being the largest sea cave entrance in Britain – something you’ll only really appreciate once you visit the place. Sango Sands Oasis opening times. It’s not a long walk – plan an hour for the circuit – but it’s a great way to see the gorgeous Sutherland coastline, and it’ll nicely round off a visit to this impressive cave network. No reviews nor any photos posted yet - be the first to post! Smoo Cave near Durness has one of the largest sea cave entrances in Britain. 1,098 Reviews #5 of 18 things to do in Durness. The main cavern is 50 feet high. The first chamber has an opening to the surface, a karst fenster, which is named blowhole. Regular beers: Orkney Northern Light. Smoo Cave car park. Situated around a mile to the east of the town of Durness, the cave can be explored by boat or by the path from the car park on the cliffs. The cave name is thought to originate from the Norse 'smjugg' or 'smuga', meaning a hole or hiding-place. Open 0-24. Directions . Wednesday. Discover (and save!) The cave boasts one of the largest entrances to any sea cave in Britain at 50 ft high and is floodlit inside. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Saturday: Open 24 hours. A trip to Smoo Cave has to be included in any stay in Durness. Book online, pay at the hotel. Smoo Cave and Bhlar Duibhe. Smoo Cave is the largest coastline cave in the British Isles and has provided shelter for thousands of years. I’m Craig, I live in Edinburgh and I love exploring Scotland’s attractions. It is a dramatic location and on the only primary road in the area, the A838 Durness to Tongue. It forms a waterfall and a pool or cave lake at the floor. The ground level in the cave has risen over the years and the sea tide has altered course. Near Durness. SMOO CAVE HOTEL. SMOO CAVE HOTEL. It is a remote area, and half the fun of staying there is getting there! Photo about Smoo Cave, Durness, Scotland; large, natural opening in the cliffs of northern Scotland. Smoo Cave is a large combined sea cave and freshwater cave in Durness in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. Open 0-24. Inside the cave, there is a covered wooden pathway and bridge taking the visitor to a magnificent cascade that falls 25 meters into an 8 meter deep pool. Smoo Cave, Durness: Hours, Address, Smoo Cave Reviews: 4.5/5. Although your visit shouldn’t take much more than an hour I recommend having a chat with the on-site tour guides while you’re there as there’s a fascinating history associated with this cave. The Smoo Cave Hotel is in Leirinmore, just east of Durness, the most north western village in the UK. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Other attractions include Smoo Cave, Durness Golf Course, Balnakeil Craft Village and Europe’s most northerly zip line. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Welcome to Out About Scotland. Tuesday. The trail goes into the cave along the river, then a covered wooden walkway leads to the second room with the huge opening where the Allt Smoo enters the cave from the surface above. The second chamber is a remarkable place as it’s where the torrential waterfall plummets down 80 feet from a hole in the cave roof, fed by the waters of the Allt Smoo stream above. Durness, Scotland. Public Transport. Open Friday to Sunday from 2 pm to 10 pm . Smoo Cave is one of the attractions featured in our North Coast 500 itinerary . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Opening times. Open today: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. See more about this pub on WhatPub, CAMRA's national pub guide. A trip to Smoo Cave has to be included in any stay in Durness. April – Oct. Smoo Cave Hotel: 2nd visit and this time the food was superb but ..... - See 437 traveler reviews, 94 candid photos, and great deals for Durness, UK, at Tripadvisor. Follow my adventures on Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube or contact me here. Find all the transport options for your trip from Inverness to Smoo Cave right here. Are you the Owner? To get to Smoo Cave head towards the village of Durness in Sutherland (the most northwesterly village on the Scottish mainland) and stop at the car park on the village outskirts. Free - Open 24 hours a day - Smoo Cave. The area has a population of about 350 which swells during the summer months. Another guide I spoke to said he was slowly but surely excavating an alternate entrance into this hidden chamber and that one day in the future it might be possible to visit it, and from what I saw I sincerely hope he manages to break through. Saturday: Open 24 hours. The Complete Guide to Visiting Burncrooks Reservoir near Glasgow, The Complete Guide to Visiting The Hermitage Forest in Perthshire, The Complete Guide to The Arran Coastal Way. The surrounding coastline is worth a visit too. 1,098 Reviews #5 of 18 things to do in Durness. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The wooden platform overlooking the waterfall lets you appreciate this chamber in all its glory so I recommend you stop to take a few photos while you’re there. Get your north Scotland tour tickets in advance here. Digging has been going well, so much so that a new pick axe and a couple of rock hammers have been replaced. Save. There are 3 ways to get from Aberdeen to Smoo Cave by train, bus or car. While the sea carved at one end, following the line of a weak fault in the underlying rock, Alt Smoo was opening up the rear of the cave. Caves. Smoo Cave was formed within Early Ordovician dolomites of the Durness Group (also known as the Durness Limestone). If you want to venture further into the cave, there are guided "Geological" tours. Smoo Cave Hotel, Durness: See 425 unbiased reviews of Smoo Cave Hotel, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #1 of 6 restaurants in Durness. View our data protection policy for details, © Copyright 2021 Secret Scotland - Header Images by Ed Duncan Photography, This site uses cookies. You can enter the main chamber for no fee whatsoever, and to be honest if you choose not to take the tour you’ll still have a memorable time as the cave entrance is probably the most impressive part of a visit. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. The cave is accessible all year. The "Cave Tours" run from June, July, August 10am - 5pm / April, May, September 11am - 4pm. Open Monday to Thursday from 4 pm to 9.30 pm. Toilets can be found in the car park. The name ‘Smoo’ is thought to derive from an old Norse word meaning ‘hiding place’, which kind of makes sense once you start exploring the deeper recesses. One grisly tale mentions how two customs and excise men were drowned when the local boatman ferrying them about on their search for illicit whisky ‘accidentally’ rowed them under the waterfall in the second chamber – a murderous act that’s all too easy to imagine if you ever get the chance to see the torrent in full flow after a heavy downpour. In the opposite direction from the sea lies Smoo Cave, and to be honest it’s impossible to miss as it’s almost cathedral-like in size. Lerin Durness Sutherland IV27 4QB Scottish Highlands. Smoo is said to be a Norse word "Sumvya" meaning creek or cleft and is the largest opening of a limestone cave in Britain. The cave entrance is accessible via a circular walk which starts and finishes at the car park. Monday: Open 24 hours. Ideal for … Opening times for Bars & Pubs in Durness 1 result . Opening times: 11-midnight; 11-1am Fri; 11-11 Sat & Sun. There are cafes in Durness but if the weather is warm enough take a picnic and sit near the cliff tops for an amazing view. Smoo Cave in the far northern Highlands is arguably one of – if not the – most impressive natural wonders in Scotland. Meal Times. Smoo is said to be derived from a Norse word "Sumvya", meaning creek or cleft. The main cavern is 50 feet high. Guided tours are available that venture further into the cave. Smoo Cave, originally referred to as ... in certain spots get quite busy at peak tourist times!) BUFFET for 1530 hours. Open 0-24. The entrance is gob-smacking and it has to be one of the most photo-worthy natural attractions in Scotland, with a ceiling that towers 50 feet overhead and walls that circle out 150 feet from the cave mouth. Open Daily from 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm . Steps to Smoo Cave then gravel track, and road with pavement. Read on if you want to find out more about this fascinating tourist attraction. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 1,098 Reviews #5 of 18 things to do in Durness. Measuring 50 feet (15m) high, the spectacular cave entrance is one of the highest in Britain. Allow sufficient time on your journey to visit here then the nearby attractions. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. Caverns & Caves. your own Pins on Pinterest Thursday: Open 24 hours. These cookies do not store any personal information. News Index. Caverns & Caves. Steps to Smoo Cave then gravel track, and road with pavement. Feb 8, 2017 - This Pin was discovered by Sally Smith. It’s just a short walk from the far end of the waterfall to the third chamber but it’s an enjoyable experience all the same, with the only downside being you can’t go any further. Smoo Cave, Durness: Hours, Address, Smoo Cave Reviews: 4.5/5. Review Highlights “NC500 treat ” Geological creation … Suitable for ages: 5 to 10 years, 11 to 18 years, 18+ years, Ideal for: Couples, Families, Groups, Solo travellers. This is a cave that’s absolutely monumental in size, and the cave entrance has the privilege of being the largest sea cave entrance in Britain – something you’ll only really appreciate once you visit the place. The grand entrance to the cave has been enlarged by corrosion to a massive 40 metres wide and 15 metres high, making it the UK’s largest cave entrance by far. Fishing community and is just a 15-minute walk away, 2017 - this Pin was by! Narrow inlet which runs inland 600m from the Norse 'smjugg ' or 'smuga ', a... To see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in rome2rio 's travel planner,! Very interesting history, dating well back to the waterfall chamber, free of.... 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