Fingals Cave Scotland

Mendelssohn Visited Fingal’s Cave in 1829 and Wrote a Concert Overture About It

He was 20 years old. The acoustic quality of the waves inside the basalt cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa affected him enough that he composed Die Hebriden (The Hebrides Overture) in response – widely considered one of the finest pieces of concert programme music. The opening theme captures the motion of the water inside the cave in a way that is obvious once you have heard both the cave and the music. That is a fairly specific testament to a place’s particular quality.

Fingal’s Cave is 227 metres long and approximately 20 metres high at the entrance. The cave is formed from hexagonal basalt columns of the same volcanic origin as the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland – both are part of the same ancient lava flow from approximately 60 million years ago. The columns at Staffa are clustered and fractured into the cave walls and entrance, creating a structure where the natural basalt functions like the pillars of a cathedral nave. In calm swell, the sound inside is a low rhythmic wash amplified by the shape of the space. In rough weather, the cave is audible from outside.

Getting to Staffa

Staffa has no regular ferry service. The island is reached by wildlife and island tour boats from Oban, Mull, and Iona. The main operators are Staffa Trips (from Fionnphort on Mull), Turus Mara (from Oban and Mull), and Bowman’s Tours (Oban). Crossing times range from 30 to 40 minutes from Fionnphort to 2.5 hours from Oban. Puffins nest on Staffa from April through July and many tours combine a Staffa landing with puffin watching.

Boats typically allow 45 to 60 minutes on Staffa. A raised walkway provides access to the cave entrance; in calm conditions visitors can walk into the cave itself on the natural basalt ledge at water level. In rough seas, landing is not possible and the boat circles from the sea. Book early in the season – summer places fill quickly and tours cancel on short notice for weather.

Mull as the Base

Most visitors to Staffa base on Mull. Tobermory on the northeast coast is the main town: the brightly coloured harbourfront buildings are immediately recognisable and the town has the island’s main concentration of hotels and restaurants. The single-track road from Craignure to Fionnphort (for the Staffa ferry) is 56 kilometres and takes at least 90 minutes in good conditions.

Iona

Iona, five minutes by ferry from Fionnphort, has early Christian heritage predating most of the British Isles. The monastery founded by Columba in 563 CE was the source of the Book of Kells and the mission that Christianised much of northern Britain. The medieval abbey was rebuilt in the 20th century by the Iona Community, which still operates it. The abbey grounds include ancient grave markers for early Scottish kings and possibly Macbeth. Iona has no cars except those belonging to its 170 permanent residents. A day trip from Fionnphort covers the abbey and the white sand beach on the west side with time to spare.

June and July have the most reliably calm weather for boat crossings and the longest daylight hours. Bring waterproof layers regardless of forecast.