After the service, we divided into two groups, the less able-bodied to visit the
museum and the reconstruction of an iron-age round house, both of which
were in the centre of the town, the rest of us to go to St Ninian’s Cave which
we were warned would involve some scrambling over rocks.
Being a glutton for punishment, I joined the latter group as did the other
three from St Oswald’s. I should say here that Lesley-ann had at least one
thing with her that was both practical and looked like something that might
have been carried by a medieval pilgrim, i.e. a long walking pole.
We got back on one of the coaches, at which point several of us started on
our packed lunches, and were taken to the start of a path leading to the
cave.
The initial walk down to the beach was along a path through very pleasant
woodland. It was when we reached the beach that we faced the really
difficult part of the day. Said beach was sloping and consisted entirely of
loose shingle. It was very difficult to keep one’s footing and I was expecting
to fall or twist my ankle with every step but as far as I know there were no
casualties. At the end of the beach there was indeed a short scramble over
some rocks but this wasn’t too bad compared to the shingle.
I have to admit that the cave when we reached it was a bit disappointing: it
was not a big cave and there was nothing in it to actually connect it with St
Ninian. He may well have sheltered
there but there was nothing to indicate
this.
I had read that there had been an
archaeological dig which had revealed
the remains of a building which might
have been the “candida casa” or “white
house” which St Ninian is alleged to
have built but there was no sign of that.
I wondered whether the people who
had visited the museum had seen this
but none of them mentioned it.
There were some home-made wooden
crosses that people had put together
around the cave entrance and one
large one was some way up the cliff next to the café. Emily climbed up to
that but I decided not to push my luck! There was a lovely view out to sea
from the cave with some mountains in the distance which I was told were on
the Isle of Man.
Having managed to get back to the coach safely, we returned to the centre
of Whithorn where we rejoined the rest of the party.
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