The Top 10 Secrets of Scotland’s Caves: Uncovering the Dark Histories and Interesting Tales

The Murdering HIghwayman of Smoo Cave
According to local legend, McMurdo was a feared 16th century highwayman who patrolled the area around Smoo Cave, a large sea cave on the northwest coast of Scotland, near Durness. McMurdo is said to have used the cave as a hiding spot and to have murdered his victims by throwing them down the blowhole, a natural feature of the cave, which is a vertical opening in the cave’s roof through which the sea water rushes in and out. McMurdo is said to have killed 18 people, and his reign of terror came to an end when he was eventually caught and buried in a tomb at nearby Balnakeil Church.

The Hermit of the Caves of Caiplie
It is unclear exactly who the hermit was that lived in Harmit’s Well or what their specific story was. However, it is known that the cave was used as a dwelling by a hermit for several months just prior to World War II. The hermit likely found the cave to be a secluded and peaceful place to live, as it is located in a remote area and is the easternmost cave in the Caves of Caiplie. The hermit likely installed a door and window in the cave, as the fixing points for these can still be seen embedded in the natural sandstone walls. The exact details of the hermit’s time in the cave and their reasons for choosing to live there are not known, but it is clear that the cave played an important role in the hermit’s life during this period.

James IV murder attempt in Court Cave, Scotland
James IV of Scotland was known for traveling the country incognito, and one such journey led him to the Court Cave, which in the Middle Ages was used as a court by the landowner responsible for law and order. While there, he found himself merrymaking with a band of gypsies who were using the cave as their headquarters. During the festivities, James was approached by two members of the gang who presented him with a plate on which sat two daggers. This was a signal that he was to be put to death. However, James was quick to react and snatched a weapon in each hand, laying both aggressors at his feet and managing to flee with his life. The next day, James returned to the Court Cave with sufficient force to avenge himself. The legend goes that he was able to defeat the gypsies and escape unharmed. The cave collapsed in 1970, but before that the marks made by the bell-rope that was used to summon attendees to the court could still be seen.

The Polar Bear bones of Inchnadamph Cave
The Inchnadamph Caves, also known as the “Bone Caves,” are a series of underground caves located in the hamlet of Inchnadamph in Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland. The caves contain relics of various animals, including Eurasian lynx, brown bear, Arctic fox, reindeer, and the only evidence of polar bears found in Scotland. Additionally, human skeletons have been found in the caves, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE. The bones were discovered by cavers in 1995, deep in the Uamh an Claonaite system. The bones have been examined by the National Museums Scotland to determine the age and species. The caves are considered an important historical and scientific site, and have been studied by archaeologists and paleontologists. The caves are not open to the public and access to them is restricted.

Rob Roy’s hiding spot in Inversnaid Cave
One of Rob Roy‘s safe houses was a secret cave on the east bank of Loch Lomond. The cave was said to be hidden deep in the forest, accessible only by a narrow path that wound through the trees. The cave was said to be large enough for several men to hide inside, and had a secret entrance that could be easily blocked to keep out intruders. Rob Roy and his men would often use the cave as a hiding spot when they were being pursued by the authorities. They would spend weeks or even months inside, living off the land and keeping watch for any signs of danger. The cave was said to have a freshwater stream running nearby, and the men would fish and hunt for food.

The Missing bagpiper of Castle Cave
The story of the missing bagpiper in Castle Cave is a local legend in Scotland, specifically at Culzean Castle. According to the legend, a piper and his dog once ventured into the caves below Culzean Castle, determined to refute locals’ belief that the underground tunnels were haunted. As the pair entered the labyrinthine network, the piper started playing his bagpipes, sending the echo of its shrill wails—occasionally punctuated by the dog’s accompanying barks—from the caves to the castle above. Soon, both bagpipes and barks fell eerily silent. Neither the piper nor his dog were ever seen again—at least not alive. Some people believe that on a stormy night, particularly one that coincides with when the castle’s one-time clan owners host a wedding, you may just hear the piper’s doleful last tune, simultaneously celebrating a descendant’s marriage and bemoaning its player’s fate.

The Clan Chief hiding in Gribun Cave
The chief of Clan Mackinnon was a powerful leader who led his clan into battle at a place called Doire Shuaig, near Gribun on the Isle of Mull. However, the Mackinnons were defeated when one of their powerful clansmen, who was married to a Maclean, deserted along with his supporters, changing the balance of power. After the battle, the Chief of Clan Mackinnon and his men fled to a nearby cave named Gribun Cave to hide from their enemies. The Macleans, who had defeated them, attempted to smoke the Mackinnons out of the cave but the Chief was able to escape and flee to the Isle of Skye where his clan primarily settled thereafter.

The Cannibal of Bennane Head Cave
The Bennane Head cave is a coastal cave located in Scotland, which is said to have been the home of Alexander “Sawney” Bean and his clan. The cave is said to be 200 yards (180 meters) deep and the entrance was blocked by water during high tide, which allowed the Bean clan to live there undiscovered for 25 years. The Beans were said to have laid ambushes at night to rob and murder individuals or small groups, and then brought the bodies back to their cave where they were dismembered and eaten. It is also said that the Bean clan pickled the leftovers in barrels and discarded the body parts, which sometimes washed up on nearby beaches.

The Massacre in the Cave of Frances
in 1577, a group of MacLeods were visiting the island of Eigg when they became over-amorous towards local women. As a result, the local men rounded the MacLeods up and cast them adrift in the Minch, until they were rescued by MacLeods from elsewhere. Wanting revenge, a group of MacLeods landed on Eigg, but had been spotted by the islanders, who decided to hide in an obscure cave called the Cave of Frances (Scottish Gaelic: Uamh Fhraing) located on the south coast; the entrance to the cave is tiny and was obscured by moss, undergrowth, and a small waterfall. The tradition goes on to say that the MacLeods conducted a thorough but fruitless search for the inhabitants, but after 3–5 days, just as the MacLeods were leaving, they saw someone leave the cave, and were able to follow their footprints to the entrance. The MacLeods re-directed the water, piled thatch and roof timbers at the cave entrance, and set fire to it. water dampened the flames, so that the cave was filled with smoke, asphyxiating everyone inside. According to the tradition, 395 people were killed in this incident, with only one inhabitant of Eigg surviving, an old woman, who had not sought refuge in the cave.

The Miniture coffins found in a cave on Authur’s Seat
In 1836, a group of boys discovered 17 small coffins arranged in three tiers in a cave on Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland. Each coffin contained a small wooden doll with wide-open eyes, dressed in plain cotton clothes. The discovery of these “fairy coffins” has been a mystery ever since. Theories of them being tools of witchcraft, part of a pagan ritual, or a memorial to a notorious killing spree were proposed. In the 1990s, a new theory emerged linking the coffins to the dark chapter in Edinburgh’s history of the early 19th century, where there was a thriving underground trade in dead bodies for medical students and their teachers to study. It was suggested that the dolls were used to represent the corpses and the coffins were used to bury them. The Scottish Evening Post posited that the coffins might be related to an “ancient custom which prevailed in Saxony, of burying in effigy departed friends who had died in a distant land.” The true origin and purpose of these mysterious “fairy coffins” remains a mystery. Theories continue to be proposed about their origin.