Hells Lum EarthCache EarthCache
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Hells Lum is situated at the secluded Cullykhan Bay which can be found between the fishing villages of Pennan and Gardenstown.Hells Lum is a chasm carved out by the sea and is described as a "grotto like" cliff feature. To reach Hells Lum park at Cullykhan car park, follow a track to the left not the wooden steps and walk way to the beach. A little way down the track on your left you will see a steep track which will involve some scrambling and is reached by crossing a stream. Both these may be difficult to undertake after rain. Hells Lum is a short walk from the top of the track across a field. Photographing the cache may be difficult/dangerous with children and or dogs.
Also at Cullykhan is the site of the Bronze Age Fort Fiddes, this can be reached by foot easily and views from the fort site are lovely. Across the bay you will see the fishing village of Pennan. The village was made famous as one of the locations for the film "Local Hero" and one of the stars of the film still remains in the village - the telephone box!
Geologically the lum is formed from part of the Macduff Slate Formation of the Southern Highland Group (Dalradian Supergroup), originally sandstones, siltstones and mudstone deposited 580 -590 million years ago in a marine environment. The sediments were deposited from gravity flows on the outer shelf or inner slope of a large ocean that was developing at this time. The lum itself is probably developed along a large fracture, which forms a zone of weakness that has been exploited by the sea. The lum is a horizontal chimney that turns into a cleft at its southeast end, the power of the sea is focussed along the seaward end and compresses the air along the weak zone (this produces strange eerie noises), at the time of high sea this has eroded away the rock. The feature is probably of relatively recent formation as it appears to be linked to modern sea levels.
There is in fact no sea surrounding the Lum but if you venture down to the entrance, which involves a steepish descent, it is quite impressive to see. The amount of water in the Lum depends on how far the tide is in. There are often seals resting in the cave and the sound of the seabirds echoing through the chasm is quite eerie. Legend has it pagans sacrificed people in the hollow before the Lum and you can hear the screams of the dead as you stand at the entrance!!!
To log this cache you must
1. Take a photograph of yourself at the entrance to the Lum and post it with your log.
2. Do a bit of research to find the information to answer the following question :-
Fort Fiddes was abandoned around ????AD
Email us with the answer do not post with log!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)