This geological marvel is situated on the uninhabited island of one of the inner Hebridean Isles, the Isle of Staffa. The cave is entirely made up of unique basalt columns and forms part of a vast network of deep and swelling sea caves that host an impressive amount of wildlife.
The name is attributed to an epic poem by James Macpherson in which he mistranslated the meaning of “Finn” in old Gaelic and rendered it as “Fingal”, Fingal meaning “white stranger”.
It’s time to explore why this famous cave has drawn multiple renowned visitors, all awe-struck by its splendour. You’ll also learn what puts Fingal’s Cave on the map. Ready? Let’s dive into why this must-see attraction should be on your Scottish bucket list and how to get there.
Why Is Fingal’s Cave Famous?
After Joseph Banks, a renowned botanist who visited the Island of Staffa in 1772, discovered the mesmerising cave and sang its praises, it became an overnight sensation.
Fingal’s Cave in Scotland is known for inspiring several iconic individuals throughout history. Some famous visitors include William Wordsworth, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Lord Tennyson, John Keats, Jules Verne, Queen Victoria and more.
The cave is also dubbed the “Cave of Melody,” which is the direct translation of the Gaelic term “An Uamh Binn.” It’s said to have amazing natural acoustics and a cathedral-like atmosphere. This is possible because the large arched entrance paired with the basalt columns provides enhanced functionality for sound amplification and transfer.
The cave is the inspiration behind Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, a concert overture that captures and beautifully relays the sounds of the waves crashing into rocks and other natural melodies heard on Mendelssohn’s visit to Staffa. Sir Walter Scott, a famous Scottish novelist, poet and historian, aptly described this geological marvel with the following words:
“It exceeded, in my mind, every description I had heard of it… composed entirely of basaltic pillars as high as the roof of a cathedral, and running deep into the rock, eternally swept by a deep and swelling sea, and paved, as it were, with ruddy marble, it baffles all description.”
The site of Fingal’s Cave is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and was declared a national nature reserve in September 2001.
How Was Fingal’s Cave Formed?
Staffa is a volcanic island in the Southern Hebrides. The Island of Staffa is a stretch of land about half a mile long by a quarter of a mile wide. The island is well known for its magnificent caves and geological features. It’s most famous for being Fingal’s Cave’s location.
The cave’s iconic structure was formed by lava flows over 60 million years ago, creating intricate hexagonal basalt columns that are so immaculate that they seem hand-carved. Over the centuries, the sea exploited the natural fissures in the rock, creating fractured columns and hollowing out the cave.
What makes the appearance of the cave unique is not just the aesthetics but also the fact that the other sites or caves were formed in different ways. The other caves were formed as the sea eroded the soft layer of ash beneath the basaltic pillars. However, the appearance of these hexagonal columns isn’t exclusive to just Fingal’s Cave.
One cannot discuss Fingal’s Cave and not the Giant’s Causeway of Scotland. The Isle of Staffa is believed to be connected to the Giant’s Causeway of Northern Ireland as they share similar geological features — the iconic honeycombed basalt columns. The Giant’s Causeway and Fingal’s Cave were formed thanks to the Paleocene lava flow.
What Is the Giant’s Causeway?
This is a world heritage site in Northern Ireland with similar features to Fingal’s Cave, such as hexagonal basalt pillars. It comprises nearly 40,000 regularly shaped polygonal columns that form a sort of pavement as they appear in almost perfect horizontal sections. It’s believed that giants used these fractured columns to form a bridge to Scotland.
Both the Giant Causeway and Fingal’s Cave legends are connected as they’re said to be opposite ends of a huge bridge formed by the Irish giant and general — Fionn mac Cumhaill. The bridge, according to folklore, connects Ireland and Scotland in a significant way.
Let’s tread into the mythology behind these extraordinary places.
Fingal’s Cave Mythology
Seen as one of Scotland’s greatest stories, the Fingal’s Cave legend tells a tale of two feuding giants who finally decide that words aren’t causing enough damage, so they decide to meet face to face. There are various versions of this story, so let’s cover a summarised perspective.
A famous Irish Giant, Fionn, also known as Fingal, is building a bridge so he can meet up with and fight his Scottish rival, Benandonner. Another version of the legend paints Benandonner as the runaway who smashes the bridge.
In this tale, Fingal is aware of how intimidating his opponent is, and his witty wife steps in with a brilliant plan. She swaddles her husband and disguises him as their child. When the rival giant appears, the mere size of Fingal’s supposed offspring has him shaking in his boots. The visiting giant then skidaddles back to his own place — breaking the bridge behind him so Fingal can’t follow.
Another tale mentions that the wife bakes cakes, some infused with iron bars and some without. She feeds the iron cakes to her husband’s rival, and when his teeth break, she ridicules him for being too weak.
To further prove her point, she feeds ‘the baby’ (who is Fingal in disguise, let’s not forget) some of the normal cake, and he finishes it with ease. This scare tactic seems to do a number on Benandonner, and he scurries back home. This version has a similar ending to the story we’ve previously touched on. Benandonner breaks the bridge between his place and Fingal’s to prevent his seemingly iron cake-gobbling foe from following him home.
How To Get to Fingal’s Cave?
In order to visit Fingal’s Cave, you’ll need to get to the Island of Staffa from the mainland. You can do this by using one of the many available Staffa tours or boat trips that local tour operators run. Travelling from the town of Oban can be quite a journey, but there are also Fingal’s Cave tour options leaving from the Isles of Mull and Iona.
Boat Trips
You can get to Fingal’s Cave from Oban using various tour operators who will take you to explore the beautiful Hebridean Isles. On these boat trips you’ll be able to bask in the beauty of the surrounding Scottish Isles and nature while listening to Fingal’s Cave facts. You’ll also explore the inside of the most famous cave on Staffa.
In calm conditions, once the water level has dropped, a natural walkway is exposed — leading visitors inside Fingal’s Cave. Navigating the inside of Fingal’s Cave can be tricky, so wear comfortable shoes and listen carefully to your tour guide.
Fingal’s Cave is on an island that’s completely uninhabited by humans, so you won’t find any cafés or stores. However, it boasts bustling puffin populations and marine life like basking sharks (depending on the time of year you visit Fingal’s Cave).
Best Activity To Do in and Around Fingal’s Cave
When you visit Staffa, you can arrange for adorable puffin-watching tours during which you’ll also potentially see razorbills and guillemots. The Island of Staffa also offers visitors a look into the mesmerising world under the sea with the opportunity to spot dolphins, porpoises and, in the summer months, minke and fin whales too.
Viewing and interacting with these sea creatures will be an unforgettable experience. It might even convince The Little Mermaid to return to her homeland (or sea in this case).
Best Time To Visit Fingal’s Cave
According to Staffa Tours, the best time to visit Fingal’s Cave is during Spring or early Summer, when various seabirds use the caves as nesting sites. However, it’s important to remember that weather conditions are a major factor in the tours. Some tours may get cancelled due to dangerous weather conditions. Intense sea swells may restrict you from docking and stepping onto the Isle of Staffa to physically explore Fingal’s Cave.
The Final Word: Fingal’s Cave
We’ve briefly discussed the origins of the name of the iconic basaltic cave, but did you know that Fingal is believed to be the Celtic counterpart of King Arthur? It’s often suggested that this Irish general had a band of faithful soldiers akin to the knights of the Round Table.
Though the cave’s uniquely identifying features may look man-made, the cave is 100% natural — providing an idyllic escape like no other when visiting and exploring Scotland.
Photos of Fingal’s Cave alone don’t do this majestic site justice. The best view would definitely be in person; here’s to hoping your interest has been sufficiently piqued by this natural, picturesque beauty of Staffa.
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