Ossian's Cave, Glencoe

Ossian's Cave
Argyllshire
Ossian's Cave in Aonach Dubh
	NN155565
Co-ordinates:	56°39’48"N, 5°-0’38"W

Ossian's Cave is found high up in a cliff on the northern face of Aonach Dubh, one of the "The Three Sisters of Glencoe", overlooking the upper part of the glen, in the north of Argyllshire. It appears as a tall slot, 150 feet high, in the cliff-face, on the south side of the glen, with the River Coe flowing directly beneath.

The location is a little below the head of the pass. There is a National Trust car park and viewing point just upstream of the location, eastwards, and paths which cross the river above and below the car park to take tracks up Stob Coire nan Lochan beside the Allt Coire Gabhaill and the Coire nan Lochan respectively. Dedicated climbers can reach the cave in this way, but it is trackless and hazardous, with crumbling cliffs.

The cave has been recorded in guidebooks to the glen since the early nineteenth century. The route straight up to the cave has been dubbed "Ossian's Ladder", and it was reported that a shepherd living in the glen below, one Nicol Marquis, had climbed to the cave as a youth in 1868; there is no previous report of a climb, outside legend. Around Easter 1894 his route was repeated by three members of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, who reported that they had seen a kerchief or rag on a tree branch at the entrance, which Marquis said he had left there.

Glencoe from Ossian's Cave

Legend

The local legend insists that Ossian, or Oisín, the warrior-poet, was born in this cave. The legend tells that a girl, Sadbh, was turned into a deer by the druid Fer Doirich, and then hunted by the warrior Fionn (Finn McCool of Irish legend). Fionn caught the deer but did not slay her, and Sadbh was transformed back into her natural form. From this encounter she left pregnant with Ossian, who was born in this cave in Glencoe. Many years later Ossian met his father on Benbulben (in County Sligo).

Outside links

• Showcaves: Ossian's Cave