Wild Camping Underground | Overnight Cave Exploration in Assynt, Scotland

Explore one of Scotland’s most hidden landscapes with an overnight wild camp deep inside a limestone cave in Assynt, Northwest Highlands. In this video, I journey underground to discover ancient calcite formations that have taken thousands of years to grow, squeeze through narrow cave passages, and reach a remote subterranean lake. Cave camping pushes the concept of Leave No Trace to the extreme, demanding care, respect, and minimal impact in a fragile environment. If you’re interested in wild camping, cave exploration, Scottish landscapes, and lesser-known outdoor adventures, this is a unique look at life beneath the surface of the Highlands. Become a patron:   / middleofnowhere233   ... or make a one-off donation: https://buymeacoffee.com/middleofnowhere Music tracks featured in this video are: ‘Adrift’ by Hayden Folker:    • Video   ‘Solar Winds’ by Aila Scott:   / solar-winds-cosmic-horror-atmosphere-free-...   CAMERA EQUIPMENT USED IN THIS VIDEO: GoPro Hero 10 black: https://www.techradar.com/reviews/gop... Iphone 13 pro: https://www.apple.com/by/iphone-13-pro/ DJI Mic 2 Wireless Microphone: https://www.dji.com/uk/mic-2 Canon Eos 5D Mk III with 24-105mm lens: https://www.canon.co.uk/for_home/prod... Slik Sprint pro tripod (2015 version): http://slik.com/products/sprint-pro-i... Rotolight Neo 2 LED video light: https://www.dpreview.com/articles/794... OTHER PLACES TO SEE MY ADVENTURES/PHOTOGRAPHY: Website: https://www.middleofnowherephotos.com Instagram:   / fearguscooney   Facebook:   / feargusc   Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fearguscoone... About Me: Hi and thanks for checking out my videos! I’m Feargus Cooney, a photographer and amateur explorer who has been disappearing into the wilderness for most of my life. It’s my passion and my salvation from the stresses of everyday life. The main aim of my excursions/expeditions is to explore the relatively (and occasionally completely) unknown if I can - to get off the beaten path in some way and bring back photography of nature and wilderness. I’ve been filming my adventures since 1999, though am only a recent addition to using YouTube as a way of getting the experiences out there. During the COVID-19 pandemic my wife and I made the decision it was time to escape the stress of living far from any real wilderness and moved to northern Scotland, and that’s where most of these videos take place. It’s not as pure and unspoilt as some wilderness areas around the world but it can certainly be remote and wild. I also head off into more ‘pure’ wilderness around the world once or twice a year, and will occasionally add videos from my archive of trips I did in the past where the quality is high enough. Scotland has made a world of difference to my mental health. The space - and right - to roam here, along with a healthier attitude to freedom of access to nature than I’ve come across in most places I’ve lived has made entering this phase of my life a truly transformative one, raising me out of persistent cycles of depression and stress that have plagued most of my adult life. I’m passionate about nature and the wilderness and always have been, and I hope to share some of that passion with you. BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS! A WORD OF CAUTION: My videos cover experiences I have had and are not to be taken as guides or recommendations without proper training and experience. I’ve been spending time in the wilderness camping wild and doing the various activities I show for many years, and have made plenty of mistakes while refining my experience and know-how, some of which could have been very serious (!). Please seek appropriate training or go with someone more experienced than you before trying risky activities. #CaveCamping #WildCampingScotland #Assynt 00:00 Introduction 00:54 the entrance to the cave system 03:45 Into Darkness 06:59 Wondrous forms of nature 10:42 Underground lake 13:08 A tight squeeze to the end 15:25 Leave no Trace 19:50 Night without morning 21:14 Return to the Lake 22:50 Back to the light