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Àite-falaich an Rìgh ann an Arainn (The King’s Arran Hideout)

Seall sa Ghàidhlig

There are several locations in Scotland that rejoice under the name of Uamh an Rìgh (‘oo-uv un REE’) or King’s Cave, and which are connected, at least in oral tradition, to one of the most celebrated of Scotland’s kings – Robert Bruce. Arguably the most famous of these is an impressive sea cave on the west coast of Eilean Arainn, the Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde, now raised well above the shoreline due to isostatic rebound following the last ice age, when the dead weight of the ice was removed and our landmass slowly rose by several metres. Uamh an Rìgh, along with neighbouring caves, all of them cut into the native sandstone by the sea thousands of years ago, is one of many notable geological features in the ambitious Arran Geopark which seeks to achieve UNESCO Global Geopark status. If you like being in a fascinating and inspirational landscape, consider a trip to Arran!

The cave is one of the places connected to the (possibly apocryphal) legend of Bruce being inspired to rise against the English King one more time after watching a spider’s repeated attempts to spin its web. He then led the Scottish army to victory in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Arran was not unfamiliar territory to Bruce – his mother hailed from Carrick on the nearby mainland, then a Gaelic stronghold in southern Scotland, but it should be noted that the place name is not ancient. The cave was earlier known as Uamh Fhinn ‘Fingal’s Cave’, connecting the feature to the legendary hero Fionn MacCumhail ‘Fingal’ who was – to the Gaels of Arran and beyond – an even more imposing figure than Robert the Bruce.

The cave can be visited from near Blackwaterfoot where Forestry and Land Scotland have provided a car park and a marked trail. Wear good shoes and take a torch to read the inscriptions inside the cave – and perhaps even spot a spider! And enjoy the views across Kilbrannan Sound to the attractive peninsula of Kintyre whose Gaelic name Cinn Tìre identifies it as Scotland’s own ‘land’s end’.

Tha grunn àiteachan ann an Alba air a bheil ‘Uamh an Rìgh’ mar ainm (leithid anns na Tròisichean agus Diùra) agus a tha ceangailte, co-dhiù a rèir beul-aithris, ri fear de na rìghrean as cliùmhoire againn – Raibeart am Brusach. Math dh’fhaodte gur e an tè as ainmeile dhiubh seann uamh a chaidh a dhèanamh leis a’ mhuir air taobh an iar Eilean Arainn o chionn mìltean bhliadhnaichean. Tha i an-diugh grunn mheatairean os cionn a’ chladaich oir tha an tìr air èirigh le call cuideam na deighe an dèidh gun tàinig Linn na Deighe gu ceann. Bha Uamh an Rìgh, agus grunn uamhan eile ri a taobh, air an tolladh ann an clach-ghainmhich. Tha iad mar phàirt de Gheò-pàirc Arainn a tha a’ comharrachadh dualchas geòlasach iongantach an eilein agus a tha a-nise a’ sireadh inbhe chruinneil fo sgèith UNESCO. Mas math leibh tìr bhrèagha le sgeul inntinneach, bhiodh Arainn gu math tarraingeach dhuibh.

’S e an uamh seo fear de na h-àiteachan a th’ air an comharrachadh ann an co-cheangal ris an fhionn-sgeul (math dh’fhaodte nach eil fìor) gun robh am Brusach am falach innte agus gum fac’ e damhan-allaidh a bha a’ strì a-rithist is a-rithist ri lìon a dhèanamh. An uair sin, rinn e fhèin strì aon turas eile ann an 1314 an aghaidh Rìgh Shasainn aig Blàr Allt a’ Bhonnaich far an tug na h-Albannaich buaidh. Bha Raibeart eòlach air Arainn oir bhuineadh a mhàthair do Charraig faisg air làimh air tìr-mòr – Gàidhealtachd làidir (aig an àm sin) ann an ceann a deas na h-Alba. Ge-tà, chan eil ainm na h-uamha cho sean sin. ʼS e Uamh Fhinn a bh’ oirre roimhe sin agus tha fhios gun robh na Gàidheil ga ceangal ri Fionn mac Cumhail.

Faodar coiseachd don uaimh à faisg air an Dubh Abhainn far a bheil Coilltearachd agus Fearann Alba air àite-parcaidh agus ceum-coise a dhèanamh. Cuiribh brògan coiseachd oirbh agus thoiribh toirds leibh airson faicinn am broinn na h-uamha. Cò aige tha fios nach fhaic sibh damhan-allaidh a’ togail lìon! Air an taobh a-muigh, thar a’ Chaolais Bhrandanaich,gheibh sibh seallaidhean eireachdail gu Cinn Tìre.

Inside of a dark cave with green moss growing over the walls.

King's Cave near Blackwaterfoot, Isle of Arran
Image provided by VisitScotland/Kenny Lam

Itineraries

Arran Through the Ages

Journey through time and discover the rich history of the Isle of Arran.