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Mackinnon's Cave
 Steeped
in myth and magic and with great geological and topographical
fascination, the short walk to MacKinnon’s Cave (Grid ref NM
441323) can be a
testing scramble over muddy ground and a large boulder beach
before the entrance to Abbot MacKinnon’s cave is reached.
Popular as a place of
interest since Dr. Samuel Johnson and James Boswell measured the
cave during their tour of the area in 1773, this wet track
continues to host many visitors to the Isle of Mull, hoping to
sense some of the mystery surrounding this beguiling part of the
island.
 Turn
off the B8035 at Gribun and park in the designated area prior to
Balmeanach Farm where there is also a map and information board.
Continue on foot past the farm buildings and through the marked
gate on to a muddy path and follow the fence line before
descending on to a boulder beach. From here, it is only a short
distance to the cave, but a rough and, potentially, slippery
scramble has to be overcome before you arrive at the cave.
 The
coastal scenery along the way is magnificent and leads the
walker through a complicated geological stratification spanning
over 2,000 million years, from Mull’s largely concealed basement
rocks to the more obvious Tertiary lava flows that produce the
characteristic stepped landscape seen throughout much of Mull.
 The
views across the mouth of Loch na Keal from the cliff path can
be breathtakingly beautiful. On a fine day, it is possible to
witness a panorama of islands in a broad sweep of the eye,
including the Treshnish Isles archipelago and Staffa, with Coll
and Tiree beyond and the holy isle of Iona showing itself to the
south-west.
Regarded as being one
of the deepest caves in the Hebrides, MacKinnon’s Cave has
gathered an aura of it’s own over the centuries since the early
Celtic monk. As is befitting such a dark and mysterious place,
many fantastic stories about the cave have circulated down
through the centuries.
 Abbot
MacKinnon was reputedly concealed there in the 15th
Century. Deep inside the cave lies a large, flat slab of rock,
which has come to be known as ‘Fingal’s Table’ and may have been
used as an altar by hermits and early followers of the Christian
church. There is also the haunting tale of the piper who tried
to outdo the fairies in a piping competition and walked into the
cave along with his dog. Only the dog returned, crazed with fear
and hairless. Some say the piper went right through the hill and
emerged on the other side of the headland at Tiroran on Loch
Scridain.
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