An Amble to St Ninian's Cave

The last time we did this tranquil walk was in May, the blue bells and the wild garlic festooned the Physgill Glen. Indeed the leafy walk beside the babbling stream is delightful and the secluded shore of multicoloured cobbles leading towards the cave at the end of the beach provides a great view.

St Ninian's cave is signposted from the road A747 just a couple of miles outside The Isle of Whithorn, park in the car park, put 50p in the honesty box, stay as long as you like. Put stout footwear on, especially if it's rained a lot recently. Set off and follow the signs and walk around the farm and into the wooded glen. This walk isn't recommended for wheel chair users, but a baby buggy would probably be okay apart from the pebbly beach. The walk is about a mile and is quite gentle.

Whilst St Ninian's cave is a misnomer, the cave being more than a crevice, it's a place of ancient Christianity, where St Ninian, an apostle to the Pictish people Wiki - link, is said came to pray and contemplate. The cave is just a few metres deep and some of the cross carvings on the walls of the cave date from the dark ages, by the medieval period the cave had become a place of pilgramage and still remains today. Annually a pilgramage and a ceremony is held at the cave by the local Roman Catholic Diocese. Some early stone crosses from the cave are at the Whithorn museum.

The walk may be enjoyable but there's more to this special place, yes it's tranquil, yes you may enjoy the peace and quiet that we love about the Machars, just peace, birdsong, and the sound of waves. But it's the spirituality of the glen and then the beach and the cave. You walk in the footsteps of all those who came here afore ye, those that finished a pilgramage here, those that came to leave a cross, or a stone for a loved departed one. Rustic wooden crosses fashioned from twigs and branches are here and there surrounding the cave, piles of cobbles are arranged precariously in stacks. A truly spiritual place.

Having said the above it's now also a place of pilgramage for 'Wicker Man' film fans, who come to see the scene were Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) sacrifices a barrel of beer to the god of the sea, and Sgt Howie (Edward Woodwood), dressed as a fool, 'after all that's what your here for', finally sees Rowan Morrison, and chases her into the cave. The cave scenes set inside were filmed at Wookey Hole, Somerset. In the film coming out of the cave, Howie appears above at nearby Burrow Head. Apparently the crew used landrovers to get the equipment and actors to the shore, and they all stood around freezing whilst filming, and Britt Ekland moaned like a drain, but then it was in deep Winter (1972) when they filmed it.

pic below American Lobby Card for the The Wicker Man

Subscribe

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name

Last Name