Cateran Hole

Cateran Hole is a cave about thirty-five metres long cut into the gritstone of Cateran Hill in Northumberland. It lies four miles north of Eglingham on farmland above a shallow crater. A line from the tall mast behind the farm to the left-hand edge of the wood points the way to the entrance. Inside, cut steps lead down into an easy rift passage that soon narrows. The passage runs between two large gritstone walls that slope inward overhead. The cave is known for a protruding ceiling block thirty metres in that forces a sandy crawl into a small chamber. In very wet weather the crawl may flood briefly, but it is usually dry. Beyond the block the main fault continues, though further digging is unlikely to open much more passage. The cave is reputed to have been a smugglers’ hiding place in the past. Locals once claimed the cave linked Chillingham Castle with Hepburn, though the direction does not match. The carved stone steps inside point instead toward the castle. Above ground the surrounding moors are protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The cave remains a quiet spot reached by following a simple bearing across farm tracks.