Save this place and discover nearby attractions with NextOnTrip
In the app you can add it to your favorites, see what else is worth visiting nearby on the map, and earn a badge for your visit.
The app is available for iPhone and Android.
About this place
Paviland Cave, also called Goat's Hole, sits in the limestone cliffs of the Gower Peninsula between Port Eynon and Rhossili, near Swansea in south Wales. It is among Britain's most important Ice Age sites and a protected monument (Cadw Scheduled Monument GM504).
Why is Paviland Cave famous?
In 1823 the geologist William Buckland dug up a skeleton stained with red ochre. He took it for a Roman-era woman and it became known as the "Red Lady of Paviland". Work by William Sollas in 1912 showed it was a young man of the Upper Palaeolithic, buried with ceremony. Radiocarbon dating puts his death at roughly 33,000 to 34,000 years ago, making it the oldest anatomically modern human skeleton found in Britain.
What will you see?
The cave is a tall opening in a sea cliff. Most of the archaeological deposits were cleared during early excavations, so there are no displays or finds on site. You come for the setting: rugged Gower cliffs, open views over the Bristol Channel, and the sense of standing where people sheltered when the coastline lay far out from today's shore. The skeleton itself is not kept in the cave.
How do you get there, and when?
According to the Coflein record (RCAHMW), Goat's Hole can be reached only at low tide. The simplest plan is to park at Rhossili and follow the coastal path, since there is nowhere to leave a car near the cave. Check tide tables before setting out and leave a generous margin for the return. Visitors have been cut off by the rising water and forced to wait on the rocks for the next ebb. The ground is uneven and slippery, so wear sturdy footwear, and skip the trip in rough seas or poor weather.
Frequently asked questions
Can I visit Paviland Cave at any time? No. Access works only at a suitable state of the sea, during low tide.
Will I see the Red Lady there? No. The skeleton was removed in 1823 and is not displayed in the cave. You see the site itself.
Was the Red Lady a woman? No. Buckland thought so, but later study showed the burial was of a young man.
Where should I start the walk? At Rhossili, from where a coastal path leads to the area. There is no parking beside the cave.
Nearby places
Earn badges for the places you visit
Download NextOnTrip, discover new places and check off your trails.