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Cleeves Cove cave

Cleeves Cove
Blair Cove
Cleevescove3.JPG
An entrance into Cleeves Cove
Location Dalry, North Ayrshire
OS grid NS 3717 4745
Coordinates 55°41′29″N 4°40′46″W / 55.691472°N 4.679333°W / 55.691472; -4.679333Coordinates: 55°41′29″N 4°40′46″W / 55.691472°N 4.679333°W / 55.691472; -4.679333
Length 500 feet (150 m)
Elevation 190 feet (58 m)
Entrances 3
Difficulty Easy
Hazards None

Cleeves Cove or Blair Cove is a solutional cave system on the Dusk Water in North Ayrshire, Scotland, close to the town of Dalry.

The Cleeves, or Cleaves Cove (Scots) cave system is situated in the lower beds of Carboniferous limestone. It has a total passage length of around 500 feet (150 m). The caves are now well above the level of the Dusk Water and lie close to Cleeves Farm and Blair Mill on the Blair Estate. Many of the stalactites and stalagmites have been damaged by visitors. The cave has three practical entrances facing onto the Dusk Water.

A number of older books refer to the romantic sylvan dell of Auchenskeigh, now Auchenskeith, derived from Achadh-na-sgitheach - the field of thorns. The calcareous incrustations in these caves were compared with Gothic fretwork. A number of old limestone quarries lie close to the modern day farm of Auchenskeith, but it is likely that Auchenskeigh is a synonym for Cleeves Cove.

The word cove in Scots means 'cave'. John Smith published a monograph entitled Cleaves Cove Stalactites and Stalagmites, published by Mr. Elliot Stock in which he provided drawings and a detailed description of these structures within the cave system, many of which have been destroyed. The site was previously known as the 'Elfhouse' or 'Elfhame' the locals at that time believed that these magical creatures had made this their abode. Ness calls the site Glen O'Dusk or the Elf-hame, the caves being the Elf-house.

The cave system was formed in Dusk Glen when the waters of the Dusk (Gaelic for 'black water') ran through and eroded the limestone, followed by a period when it was relatively dry allowing the stalactites and stalagmites to form and finally a progressive infilling with soil washed in from above, resulting in a partial infilling of the caves and passageways; at this point John Smith obtained permission from Captain Blair, R.N., of Blair House to explore and ultimately remove some 300 tons of material. The cave now lies 40 feet (12 m) above the Dusk Water due to the excavation of the gorge by the river. Near the middle is a spacious chamber, 35 feet (11 m) long by 27 feet (8.2 m) broad and 12 feet (3.7 m) high. The internal surfaces of the chambers and passageways are covered with calcareous incrustations and numerous crevices branch off in all directions. It was regarded in Victorian times as one of the greatest natural curiosities in Ayrshire.


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