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SMOO CAVE CHANT:
Ohm Ma-hat-ma Smoo. Ohm Ma-hat-ma Na-Ma.
Ohm Ma-hat-ma Na-ma Smoo Ohm.
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Smoo
Cave is the largest and most
dramatic coastline cave in Britain. This spectacular site
has a rich archeological history, an interesting geological formation and is
abundant in wildlife.
The word
Smoo is a Norse word "Sumvya" meaning creek or cleft. Smoo Cave, the
largest limestone cave in Britain, lies east of Durness village, at the end of
an eight
hundred meter sea inlet; Geodha Smoo. Here the Smoo Creek, Allt Smoo,
drops
nearly 25 meters into the second chamber down a vertical shaft, the Falis Smoo,
or
Chimney Smoo as the sink hole in the roof is called. The Creek cascades
into a deep
pool with a depth of around eight meters. After heavy rain, the
Allt Smoo is changed
into a raging torrent (waterfall) that crashes into the
underground lochan with a gigantic roar.
The cave is said to be the entrance to the otherworld, and has 2 legends associated with it.
The first
relates to a piper who goes into the cave playing and is never seen again.
The
legend is very common in Scotland, and usually denotes an entrance into the
fairy realm.
The second
tale relates to Lord Reay, a famous wizard from the local area. While the
wizard
was in Rome studying the black arts, the Devil is said to have stolen
his shadow while trying
snatch his soul. The wizard was exploring the first
cavern with his pet dog on his
return from Rome, when his dog went forward into
the second cavern,
let out a yelp, and came running back hairless.
The
wizard knew that the Devil lay in wait in the cavern to claim his soul, but just
as the wizard was about to accept his fate, the first rays of sunlight filtered
into
the cave and a cock crowed, heralding the new dawn. The Devil, and three
witches
with him, blasted out through the roof of the cavern to escape, leaving
the hole where the water runs to create the waterfall.
