Wemyss Caves, FifeWe recently visited a set of caves along the coast of Fife, located near the villa

Wemyss Caves, FifeWe recently visited a set of caves along the coast of Fife, located near the village of East Wemyss. There is three caves in total, known as ‘Wemyss Caves’. Apart from the fact that caves are fascinating places to visit, these cave also have a historical significance. Two of the caves have prehistoric Pictish carvings on the walls. The first one, called 'Court Cave’, is the longest and has a few of these carvings. It was also used as a court in the Middle Ages and later on by miners for illegal gambling. Note the cup and ring marks on the wall, which are a common feature all throughout the Pictish areas. The next cave is called 'Doo Cave’ and was primarily a cave to keep pigeons for meat and eggs and still has the pigeon holes lining the walls. The third and last cave, Jonathan’s Cave, is larger but not as long as Court Cave and contains more Pictish carvings, including the well-preserved carving of a bull, which was my personal favourite. On top sits MacDuff Castle, built by the Earls of Fife about 500 years ago. The caves used to connect to the castle and were occasionally used to smuggle moonshine down to the coast, presumable to be transported away by boat. Nearby is a visitor centre and museum, which is open from April to September, and offers guided tours of the caves. Since we visited in Winter, it was not possible to get a tour, but I would consider coming back in the summer for a more in-depth explanation of the carvings. Of course it is essential to avoid touching the carvings. Unfortunately, over time many graffiti were added around and even on top of the carvings, making it more difficult to discern what is ancient and what is modern. Footage of our cave exploration here.  -- source link

More pics about