Quick Summary
Smoo Cave is an active cave fed by the Allt Smoo stream, and it's open to the public 365 days a year. You can explore the main chamber and the viewing platform in the second chamber for free, or take a guided tour by inflatable boat to see more.
- Cost: Free to visit. Tours are £15 for adults and £5 for under 16s (cash only)
- Time needed: 30 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on whether or not you do the cliff walks and the tour as well
- Parking: Free lot just off the NC500 route, next to public washrooms
- Bathrooms: Yes, next to the main parking lot
- Best for: Geology, waterfalls, and a break from the usual Highland scenery
- Heads up: After heavy rain or high southerly winds, the waterfall can be too powerful to stand near, and tours may not run
Where To Stay Along The NC500 (2026 Guide)
Click here for discounts and booking tips!What Is Smoo Cave?
Smoo Cave is a fascinating place geologically. I can't give you a proper explanation of the exact formation because it's quite complicated, and it was raining so hard when I visited that I wasn't able to join a tour. But the key point is that these are actually two cave systems that have eroded to the point where they've joined up.
The main cave, the one you walk into when you arrive, was formed by the sea. The inner chambers were slowly chipped away by fresh water, as Scotland's ample rainwater worked its way through.
The tour explains much more about how salt water and fresh water carved the cave, and how different rock types create alternating permeable and non-permeable layers that guide the way water drains through it.
Geology aside, it's just a pretty dang neat sight, and it's really cool that you can walk right up and touch the wall and feel the spray of the water on your face.
Where Is Smoo Cave?
Smoo Cave is on the north coast of the NC500, near Durness. It's right off the main route, so you don't need to take any detours to reach it.
Where To Park For Smoo Caves
The caves are easy to reach. The closest parking is just off the main NC500 route, and it's right next to public washrooms, which is a nice bonus on a route where bathrooms can be few and far between.
If that lot is full, there's free lay-by parking a little further up the road, less than a minute's drive away. If you park here, you'll need to walk back to the washrooms before starting the walk down to the caves.
When Can You Visit Smoo Cave?
The cave itself is fully accessible 365 days a year, so you can visit any time. The guided tours run seven days a week, with seasonal hours:
- June, July, and August: 10 am to 5 pm
- April, May, September, and October: 11 am to 4 pm
What To Expect At Smoo Cave
The amount of water in the cave changes the experience a lot. When we visited, it had been raining on and off for a few days, so the waterfall inside the second chamber was incredibly powerful. Nobody could stand on the viewing platform for more than a few seconds without being soaked by the spray. We couldn't bring our camera in, and the best footage we got was a few shaky seconds on an iPhone that still soaked the phone. That isn't normally the case.
Normally, you can walk into the second chamber, look around, and watch the waterfall pour down from the natural ceiling. Sometimes the waterfall even slows to a trickle.
Two things affect how much water is in the cave:
- Rain: Much of the Allt Smoo's catchment area is in the mountains, so it sits on impermeable rock that sheds rainfall easily, so most of the rain that falls in the area eventually flows into the cave.
- Wind: The Allt Smoo is fed by Loch Meadaidh, about 2km southwest of the cave. A strong southerly wind can push extra water over the loch's dam and into the stream, and the cave can flood even on a dry, sunny day.
Smoo Caves Tours
When the water level is lower, you can take a tour through the second and third chambers, and it's the only way to reach the third chamber. The tour starts in the main chamber, and you cross a wooden walkway to the lake chamber. From the viewing platform, you climb down a ladder into an inflatable boat, and your guide takes you across the waterfall section into the third chamber.
There, you get out of the boat and walk up a natural stream passage, using stepping stones where needed, to reach the inlet sump. The cave technically continues from here, but under the water, so this is where you turn around and head back to the main chamber.
Along the way, you'll learn about the geological and human history of the cave, and your guide will share a few fun facts. The tour takes about 30 minutes.
- Price: £15 for adults, £5 for under 16s
- Payment: Cash only
- Age limit: No dogs, and children under 5 are not admitted
Can You Swim At Smoo Cave?
No. Even when the waterfall isn't a roaring force of nature, the underwater currents are far too strong to be safe. The area by the second chamber is fully fenced in at the viewpoint, so nobody is tempted. With the freezing temperatures in the cave, I'd be surprised if anyone was.
Can You Bring Your Dog To Smoo Cave?
Yes! Like most of Scotland, this is a fully dog-friendly stop. We saw lots of dogs enjoying all the interesting smells and sensations the cave had to offer.
Dogs can't join the tour, though. The boat is inflatable, and the undercurrents are strong, so sharp claws and flight risks aren't allowed on board.
How Long Does It Take To Visit Smoo Cave?
The whole experience can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half.
It only takes about 10 minutes to get down to the caves from the parking lot. So if you just poke around the main chamber and the viewing platform for 10 minutes, you can be back in your car in around 30 minutes.
But if you join a tour, it adds on about 30 more minutes, plus sometimes a bit of time waiting for the next tour to begin.
And lastly, if you add on a coastal walk, you will be adding on another 20 to 30 minutes depending on your hiking pace and the number of photos you stop for.
The coastal cliff trails start from the mouth of the cave, and they are a really pretty walk and a fun contrast to the claustrophobic and confined space in the cave. Just be warned that if it's been raining, some of these trails turn into full-on bogs.
Are The Smoo Caves Worth It?
I would say it's certainly worth a stop regardless of your interest level in caves and geology. It's a neat thing to see no matter what, and since it's a short walk with no driving detour required, it's one of the easiest stops along the route.
I will say, I wasn't as impressed by this stop as everyone else seemed to be. We camped in Durness the night before, and quite a few people we chatted with mentioned how much they enjoyed the caves.
Maybe this built up my expectations too high? Maybe the water levels being so high ruined the experience of the inner chambers? I'm not totally sure. I still enjoyed myself, but I didn't feel the same sense of awe as I did at stops like Dunrobin Castle or the Duncansby Stacks.
But do at least the 30-minute time commitment of checking out the main chamber and the inner chamber viewing platform. If you have the time and budget, the tour is highly spoken of, although I didn't get the chance to join it myself.
The cliff walks are nice if you're keen, but there are much better cliffside walks along the NC500, and these ones get especially muddy in the rain, so they are a bit skippable.
Where To Go After The Smoo Caves?
If you're taking the NC500 counterclockwise, the next obvious stop is Durness. The town is small and doesn't have much more than a few spots for food and a pub, but it's still a cute place to stop, and there's a well-stocked Spar if you're running low on supplies.
Just outside Durness, you'll find Balnakeil Beach, a stunning white sand beach with amazing dunes and a great trail that leads out to the headland. If it's a cold and windy day like it was for us, head to Cocoa Mountain for some respite. This popular cafe, on the way down to Balnakeil Beach, is famous for its incredible hot chocolate.
If you're doing the route clockwise, I'd suggest making Tongue your next stop. It's a cute little town with not much more than a few hotels and a general store, but the real selling point for me was Alba Bakery. This farmhouse bakery serves amazing coffee and baked goods, and there's a little farm shop if you want to pick something up for the road.
Where To Stay Near Smoo Caves?
There are quite a few nice options right in Durness that put you a quick drive or a short walk away from the caves.
These are the top options in town:
Mackay's Rooms
Check Availability
Wallaby’s
Check AvailabilityAnd if you're on a tighter budget, the Youth Hostel in town is quite nice as well:
Durness Youth Hostel
Check AvailabilityFinal Thoughts
Smoo Caves is a free, easy stop that offers something different from the rest of the NC500. Its two cave systems are joined together, with a main chamber carved by the sea and inner chambers shaped by fresh water. You can see the main chamber and the viewing platform at no cost, or take the 30-minute boat tour for £15 if the water level allows. Bring cash for the tour, check the weather before you go, and be ready to get a little wet. Dogs are welcome in the cave, but not on the tour, and swimming is not an option.
If you're still building your route, this is just one of many highlights along the way. Check out our comprehensive guide to the 21 best things to do on the NC500 for everything you need to plan the perfect trip.
FAQ
Is Smoo Cave worth visiting?
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