'The Caveman Cometh': Grampian Speleological Group to celebrate 57-year link with Elphin community

Published: 19:00, 09 November 2023

| Updated: 08:26, 16 November 2023

Grampian Speleological Group (GSG) presents ‘The Caveman Cometh’ – a celebration of the club’s 57 years in the Elphin community – on Saturday and Sunday, November 18-19.

Beautiful landscape panorama of Creag nan Uamh also called Inchnadamph Bone Caves. The 'Bone Caves' of Inchnadamph contain relics of Eurasian lynx, brown bear, Arctic fox, reindeer (dated to 47,000 BCE), the only evidence of polar bears so far found in Scotland, and human skeletons dated to the 3rd millennium BCE. The skeleton of a bear thought to be 11,000 years old or more was removed from the caves in 2008. The bones were found by cavers in 1995, deep in the Uamh an Claonaite system and have been examined by the National Museums Scotland to determine the age and species. It is presumed the animal died while hibernating, and that its body was later washed further into the underground network.

An exhibition about GSG opens at Elphin Hall on the Saturday with members of the club available to chat.

GSC founder Alan Jeffreys will give a talk entitled ‘What else can we do?” at 2.15pm on that day, and Dr Tim Lawson will give a presentation at 3.15pm about caving and the Assynt caves in particular.

A short caving trip is being held on Sunday, weather permitting, for local residents and those interested in joining the club. Equipment will be provide. Email pete@nwhgeopark.com if you would like to attend any of the events.

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