📌 Assynt, Highland
★★★★
Tens of thousands of years ago Scotland was home to an array of much bigger beasts than the ones you’ll find today. A row of caves high above the Allt nan Uamh near Inchnadamph have provided rich pickings for old animal bones: the remains of lynx, brown bear, reindeer, Arctic fox and even polar bear have all been discovered here in recent decades, alongside human skeletons dating to a mere few thousand years ago. The caves themselves are fairly roomy inside and two are even connected by a natural passageway. The approach along the glen is quite straightforward and, thanks to the limestone rock type, passes a large spring (and other smaller ones) where most of the valley’s water bubbles up from underground.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on A837 3 mi south of Inchnadamph
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NC 253179
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.115443,-4.966882
❌ Extremely infrequent bus passes the start, but there is no stop
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 210 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr
Features: 💧 Fuaran Allt nan Uamh (spring); 🕸 Bone Caves
⬤ Moderate | Good paths with just a few narrow or steep sections near the caves and rare boggy parts.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise lollipop circuit: start – Fuaran Allt nan Uamh – keep left at path junction at 🧭 NC 265173 – cross (usually dry) Allt nan Uamh at 🧭 NC 270171 – Bone Caves – earlier path junction – return by outward route
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: No lynx any more, but lots of frogs, bees, magpie moths; shrimp and leech in the spring.
Weather: Dry with sunny intervals and light winds.
July 2017
