Smoo Cave Durness – Visit an Ancient Cave on the NC500
Smoo Cave is an incredible sea cave that is must visit on the NC500 road trip. This natural sea cave is located on the north coast of Scotland in the small village of Durness and is one of the largest sea caves in the UK.
Smoo Cave is one of the most popular places to visit on the NC500 and this unique sight has the option of a free look at the cave or a paid tour taking you deeper into the cave.
Smoo Cave is a magical place to visit. The size of this natural cave is just incredible and really shows the true power of nature. We would recommend giving yourself an hour to visit Smoo Cave and if you are planning to go on the tour, leave yourself 2 hours on your NC500 for this stop. In this post, we will go into more detail on the following frequently asked questions about Smoo Cave.
What is Smoo Cave?
Where is Smoo Cave?
How to get to Smoo Cave?
Why Should I go to Smoo Cave?
When Should I go to Smoo Cave?
Destination North Coast Map
Make sure you have all the resources you need to make the most of your trip to the North Coast of Scotland. Our Destination North Coast Map is the perfect addition to any traveller's toolkit. With detailed information on all the best spots, along the NC500, this map is your ultimate guide to exploring the rugged beauty of Scotland's north coast.
What is Smoo Cave
Smoo Cave is a natural sea cave in Sutherland on the NC500 route. It is made up of three parts; the large entrance, the first chamber with a large waterfall and the second chamber which sits at the back of the cave.
The cave is open all year round and is accessible via a staircase. If the weather is suitable during the peak season, tours are operated which take you further into the cave on a short boat ride. The tours are weather dependent and will not run if there has been poor weather as heavy rain can cause the water levels to change within the cave meaning it can often be closed during winter. Smoo cave was formed due to erosion caused by the sea over time.
The water at Smoo Cave is inaccessible unless you have paid for the tour that takes you further into the chamber. You will travel through the cave on a small boat and no swimming is allowed inside the cave.
Where is Smoo Cave
Smoo Cave sits one mile to the east of the small village of Durness on the north west coast of Scotland. It can be found of the A383. It is the main tourist attraction in this area and sits in between some of the most beautiful beaches on the north coast of Scotland. There are not many sign posts for Smoo Cave, however it can be found by following the stairs down beside the public toilets in Durness.
How to get to Smoo Cave
There is a small car park that sits above the cave at the public toilets. Unless you arrive early, this will most likely be very busy. There is further pay and display parking across the road
There is a path to get down to the cave from the car park which is quite steep at some parts and the surface can be rough underfoot. There is a banister that follows down the path, however this is not entirely accessible for those with mobility difficulties. The walk down to the cave only takes around 10 minutes from the car park.
Why Should I go to Smoo Cave?
Smoo Cave is a very impressive place to visit on the NC500. After you have walked down the path from the car park you will cross a short wooden bridge across the spill of tidal water where you will be faced with the entrance to Smoo Cave. The entrance into the cave is 15 metres high, 40 metres wide and 61 metres long. This makes it one of the largest sea caves in the UK. When you arrive inside this magnificent cave, follow the path along the covered wooden bridge and you will arrive at a viewing platform of an incredible 25 metre waterfall, dropping into an 8 metre deep pool.
Access into this front part of the cave is free and open all year round. If the tours are running when you are at Smoo Cave, we would highly recommend you join one. It lasts for around 20 minutes and costs £10 per adult and £5 per child. The tour starts with a short boat ride that takes you deeper into the cave, you have to climb into the boat therefore it may not be entirely accessible for everyone. We would recommend wearing waterproof clothing and footwear that you are comfortable walking over rocky and uneven ground in. Note that the lighting conditions are unpredictable due to the shadows from the flood lights.
When Should I go to Smoo Cave?
If you are interested in going on the tour then you will need to visit between April and October. If you are driving the NC500 outside of these months, we would still recommend visiting Smoo Cave to see the incredible waterfall that may well be full flowing if there has been a lot of rain.
Due to the popularity of Smoo Caves, we advise visiting early to avoid the crowds. If you have a dog, you are also welcome to bring your pooch along as Smoo Cave is dog friendly. Do be aware that dogs are not allowed on the tours though.
So there you have it, a complete guide to visiting Smoo Cave on the NC500. If you have visited the NC500 recently, let us know if you have been in the comments below.
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