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Cailliche Peireag (Uamh)

Assynt, Traligill, 100m from Cnoc nan Uamh, Sutherland.

To south of Cnoc nan Uamh, a path contours round the hill slope above the gorge on the Allt a' Bheallaich. At the head of the gorge, UCP (Cave of Old Woman of Peireag) was once the main resurgence (under extreme flood water still resurges). A rock bridge overhangs an open chamber floored in rubble with a 3 m high opening above, taking a small stream in wet weather. It is easy to descend from above but the overhang makes a return difficult. However, the easiest entrance is by two obvious routes starting at a [low] ledge at head of gorge. From the main chamber, a partially excavated passage heads north and chokes in gravel after a few metres. From the entrance area other short crawls lead into the rock from the ledge. These unite and end in bouldery chokes. Below the main ledge, an excavated crawl in a usually dry stream bed leads to easily dug peaty mud. To the left is 'Epiglottis Chamber', a banged squeeze which passes two flood inlets below the main chamber before reaching a slightly wider area which turns to right. A route (Ladder Dig) was dug from here to the main chamber but this is now choked. Lower passages were excavated by the GSG in 1975‑77. The sediments in the cave are quite mobile in high water. Passages change appearance from time to time and the cave is again being dug by the GSG.

Alternative Names: UCP, U.C.P., Cailliache Peiraig (Uamh), Old Woman of Peireag (Cave of the)

Notes: The derivation of UCP is debatable, officially it translates as 'Cave of the Old Woman of Peireag' but as there is no known translation of 'Peireag', this simply halves the problem. Several possible meanings have been proposed but none are convincing (the best translation so far is a corruption of Uamh Cailliche Speireag translated as 'Cave of the female Sparrowhawk' or less literally 'Hawk's Nest Cave'). A combination of Gaelic and Norse would translate as the Cave of the Stone Pillars while another more convincing theory is that this is a corruption of Caillich Beara or Bhearach.

Mostly associated with Kerry or Cork in Ireland, the Hag of Béara is said to be one of the most ancient of mythological beings. Appearing as an old crone who brings winter with her when she appears and who wields incredible power over life and death. Her ability to control the weather and the seasons meant many communities looked on the Cailleach with a mixture of reverence and fear. They were concerned that her mood might affect the productivity of their winter crops.

Cailleach ("old woman" or "hag" in modern Irish and Scottish Gaelic) comes from the Old Gaelic Caillech ("veiled one"), an adjectival form of caille ("veil"), an early loan from Latin pallium, "woolen cloak".

The Cailleach is often referred to as the Cailleach Bhéara(ch), Cailleach Bheur(ach), or variations thereof. Gearóid Ó Crualaoich attributes twin meanings to the name; the legendary context of cow goddess, or association with horned beasts, and a folklore attribution as a word meaning "sharp, shrill, inimical" - bior(ach) or beur(ach) - and refers to the Cailleach's association with winter and wilderness.

Queen Mary College previously dug main chamber in 1958.

North Highland Bat Network found evidence of three species in the area: common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), soprano pipistrelle (P. pygmaeus) and Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentoni). Most monitoring by unattended bat loggers left in place for about a week during August and September 2009, 10 & 11. Many of 13 sites recorded no activity, but some - Bone Caves, Rana Hole, Uamh Cailliche Peireag - 'probably' recorded some activity. Interpretation said to be difficult as recorders can be triggered by high winds & rushing water as well as bats.

Hydrographic Feeds: Allt a' Bheallaich

Hydrographic Resurgences: River Traligill