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Chambered Tomb
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Lost for words, to be honest. I last came here in 2000, completely unaware of the existance of a chambered cairn upon the floor of this truly stunning bay. Clearly I had to return some day, although perhaps a decade was a tad too long to wait. But that is all academic now. I'm here.
A well made track slants down the hillside, from a large parking area beside the B8007, to the lush pasture which adjoins the curving beach at water's edge. The monument is located at the sea-ward end of a prominent copse of trees and, at first, appears as simply a jumble of stones. However I then catch on... what we have here are the pretty substantial remains of a chamber, with two large facade orthostats, one standing, one fallen, to its right. Ah, I see. And what an idyllic location!
Moving towards the shoreline, a prominent standing stone stands (luckily) beside what I take to be the remnants of a church. This is not as great detective work as you may at first suppose, for the stone is actually defaced by - sorry! - I mean, features..... a cross in bold relief, the attendant enclosure containing two gravestones dated 1730-odd, these bearing quite excellent images. Since I have no reason to suspect the standing stone is not Bronze Age in origin, the continuity of human spiritual practices at Camas nan Geall is breathtaking.
I walk the beach and poke my head inside a deserted, roofless dry stone building... my mind reels at the enormity of the human experience here. Hey, the chambered cairn may not be the finest, even on Ardnamurchan, but you will not be disappointed with a visit to Camas nan Geall.
Don't forget your bucket and spade, too!
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Posted by GLADMAN
14th June 2010ce
Edited 14th June 2010ce
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