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St Ninian's Cave is in Galloway southwest
Scotland, 31 miles southeast of Stranraer, 67
miles southwest of Dumfries, 2 and a half miles
southwest of the Village of Whithorn. The
postcode map link is for the car park at
Kidsdale Farm.
The Cave was used in the The Wicker Man
horror film with Britt Eckland, Christopher
Lee, and Edward Woodward.
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This is one of the top attractions on the
Whithorn Peninsular (the Machars). The drive
around the Peninsular is about 45 miles, a full
day when visiting all the Attractions.
The image top is of the Car Park for the
Walk to St Ninian's Cave. The Cave is around 1
mile from here, down a well marked woodland
Path to the Beach.
The Path leads to Port Castle Bay, with the
Beach being deep shingle, not the easiest of
walking.
Half way along the Beach are some rocks,
normally with Stones Stacked on top of
them.
St Ninian's Cave is at the far end of the
Beach. You will notice many pieces of wood tied
together to form Crosses, and Stones with
Messages inscribed on them, indicating there
must be large numbers of Visitors.
The Cave does not go far into the rocks.
There is an Information Board in the Cave
giving information on its use and the Ancient
Carved Stones found in the Cave.
The Information Board reads:
St Ninian is the first Christian missionary to
Scotland whose name is Known. He built a Church
at Whithorn, was Bishop there, and died in
431.
Reputedly used as a place for personal
prayer by Ninian, this Cave has attracted
Pilgrims for centuries. Many came here to give
thanks for a safe journey, usually by sea,
before visiting St Ninian's Shrine at Whithorn.
You can still see the Crosses they carved in
the rock.
1880s - excavations of the Cave revealed
eleven Carved Stones, as seen in the image
right.
It is thought the Cave once had a wall
across the front, and had been hidden from view
for some time due to rock falls.
These Stones can now be viewed in the
Whithorn Priory visitor centre.
The view from the Cave shows Burrowhead in
the distance, with a path leading south over
the head to Burrowhead Holiday Village, and the
Isle of Whithorn Village.
It is about a 2 mile Walk along the Cliff
Tops to Burrowhead Holiday
Village. Walk
Information.
Burrowhead is
where the Final Scene for The Wicker Man was
shot with the Burning of the large Wicker
Man.
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