Tiny Eilean Mor of St Charmaig lies two miles off the coast of Knapdale. If you do not know anyone with a boat the only way to see it is via a private charter. It is a remarkable island, both for the church ruin, and the cave of St Charmaig with its two incised crosses. I wanted to visit the island after reading about it in MEM Donaldson's epic tome Further Wanderings; Mainly in Argyll (1926). In it she describes two visits to the island and her descent into the dark pit of St Charmaig's cave.
I wanted to drop down into the cave, too. But when I looked inside I saw that the cave floor was eight feet below the entrance. It would be an easy drop down, but there was no way I could pull myself back up. (The boatman had to pull MEM Donaldson out of the pit). And so I settled for sitting on the lip of the entrance to take photos of the incised crosses on the cave's wall. Here are some photos of my visit to the cave.
I wanted to drop down into the cave, too. But when I looked inside I saw that the cave floor was eight feet below the entrance. It would be an easy drop down, but there was no way I could pull myself back up. (The boatman had to pull MEM Donaldson out of the pit). And so I settled for sitting on the lip of the entrance to take photos of the incised crosses on the cave's wall. Here are some photos of my visit to the cave.
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| Historic Scotland reader board below St Charmaig's Cave |
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| St Charmaig's Cave |
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One of the two crosses incised on the cave wall
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