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Scotland
Clava CairnsClava Cairn
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5 posts
Mains of Clava SW Ring Cairn |
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We stumbled over various large stones with possible cup marks in the meadow and found a couple of the same built into garden walls. http://www.flickr.com/photos/66391623@N03/sets/72157627435147864/ See what you think |
Posted by nix24th August 2011ce |
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It was -10 when we, the two Johns + me, visited the Clava Cairns. A walk down from Culloden, a sad place, warmed us up. All posts say what I would say except that there is a badly ruined ring cairn on the other side of the road opposite the car park entrance. Treaclechops has the right idea. Visited 24/12/08. |
Posted by drewbhoy24th June 2009ce Edited 25th June 2009ce |
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This site has just about everything you could wish for in one place. Stone circles, burial mounds, outlying standing stones, kerb cairns, cup-marked rocks and a very peaceful setting make this a place you could linger for hours. Although there are over 60 known 'Clava Cairns' as a type in this part of Scotland, (Corrimony being one) these are the originals the others were named after. Three beautiful cairns in a wooded river valley, each surrounded by their own Stone Circle. Although all of the cairns are now roofless, this does enable you to see and understand their construction better. Different coloured stones were deliberately placed for effect, and several stones were decorated with 'cup-marks' for reasons we can only guess at. All in all a wonderful site, and I can think of no-where better for your final resting place. |
Posted by Chris6th October 2006ce |
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A pleasant, 1.5 mile walk will take you from the Culloden visitors' centre, down past Clava Lodge and Mains of Clava to this lovely fantastically well-preserved site. If you're going in summer, you'd be advised to visit early in the morning or late in the evening, as this is a 'coachloads of tourists'-type attraction. Two graves, a ring cairn and the 'kerb cairn', plus numerous other stones of all shapes and sizes. Excavations in 1828, 1857 and 1858 found bones and pottery in the NE cairn, flint flakes in the ring cairn, and bones in the SW cairn. Prof. Thom found that the entrance passages align exactly through two stones in the ring cairn with the midwinter sunset. (Source: 'A Guide to Ancient Sites in Britain, Janet & Colin Bord, 1978). I arrived there at about 9am at the height of summer (although it was a traditional Scottish summer day - gray, drizzly and very still), and was only joined by a few other quiet people, who soon left me on my own for a good forty minutes. By 11, when I was returning from Miltown of Clava, the place was heaving with bawling children, amateur photographers, loud tourists and disinterested coach drivers. The site extends on beyond the boundaries of the Historic Scotland 'official fence', in one direction into easily-accessible fields, and in the other, into people's gardens (also easily-accessible, but I wouldn't recommend it!) and beyond to the Miltown site. Two lovely graffiti'd stone picnic tables are available next to the car park if you need to take a break. This site suffers badly from litter, so if you're feeling charitable, bring a litter bag and pick some up. Historic Scotland don't seem to be doing it (although I did see one of their representatives driving around so they're not entirely neglecting the site). If you're looking for something else to do, it's worth having a walk down to the rather imposing viaduct. |
Posted by taras 4th August 2006ce |
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5th March 05 What a beautifully preserved, peaceful and interesting site. A standing stone in a field on the right just before the car park welcomes you as you arrive. Two passage graves, a central ring cairn and a kerb cairn, with another dilapidated cairn and enigmatic ruined chapel (?) 10 mins walk to the west at Milton of Clava. My favourite stone has to be the split 'crocodile' stone in the circle around the SW cairn (see images). I had the place to myself for a while this morning and it was pretty special. Now a variety of folk have passed through, all obviously impressed with the power and artistry of this place. (See the link to the leaflet below for practical info, then just get here and soak up the atmosphere of this perfect resting place). |
Posted by danielspaniel9th March 2005ce Edited 9th March 2005ce |
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10-9-03 After the French tourbus left, there were only two other cars here – not too bad for this site, but it was nearly sunset. A lovely place, purposefully peaceful. The trees make the sunlight stripy. Although the site has obviously been prepared to be enjoyed by as many visitors as possible, the atmosphere is still wonderful. Spend as much time as possible here. Disabled access: There are two large gates to allow easy access but when I visited they were padlocked. The remaining access is a swing-gate into a small fenced area created by the locked gates, which would allow a wheelchair inside, it’s tight but it looks like an experienced driver could squeeze through the space. Once inside the site, a path has not been cleared so the ground is quite uneven, but firm. At the far end, there is a kissing gate out to the road. .o0O0o. |
Posted by pebblesfromheaven12th September 2003ce |
| This is a very cool place. It's almost too idyllic, and wonderfully evocative. If you believe in faeries and other spirits, this is where they live. And it's a pretty marvellous place to spend eternity, so I recommend a visit. |
Posted by treaclechops31st August 2003ce |
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Very near, in fact practically next door to the battlefield (Culloden), is the ancient site of Clava Cairns. Burial chambers thought to date from the 3rd or 4th millennia BC. There are three of them and there all very impressive, cups marks can be found on various rocks and the place is in surprisingly good condition. Again we were blessed with the timing of our visit. We were the only people there, if we’d have had time we would have loved to have stayed a little longer. This post appears as part of the weblog entry From Rum to Rodel, our search for all things historic
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Posted by notjamesbond1st July 2003ce |
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The Cairns of Clava (22.8.2002) I bought a short leaflet on The Cairns of Clava at the National Trust shop at Culloden Battlefield. This was written by Edward Meldrum in 1983 and is described as 'a delightful leaflet' by Aubrey Burl in his 1995 book, 'A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany'. If you can find it it's well worth a read, and describes not only the main 'show site' at Clava but also briefly mentions some of the other clava-style cairns in the area. The short drive from Culloden wasn't as well sign-posted as expected (both sites are in the care of the National Trust of Scotland), but rest assured, once you reach the little single track 'Clava Bridge' over the River Nairn you are getting very close. The site was full of tourists jumping around on the cairns, but it was still an amazing place in a sexy woodland glade. |
Posted by pure joy26th November 2002ce |
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Balnuaran of Clava on BRAC |
Posted by rockartuk2nd February 2011ce |
RCAHMSA enlightening view from the 'Hi-Spy' camera. |
Posted by Rhiannon8th April 2006ce |
Historic Scotlands Balnuaran of Clava LeafletExcellent 6 page leaflet with lots of background on this site. It has all the info detailed on the site sign boards - and more! |
Posted by danielspaniel 9th March 2005ce Edited 9th March 2005ce |
PSAS 88Excavation report of this and other clava cairns. Plans of this site on pdf pages 17 and 23. |
Posted by greywether10th December 2003ce |
Latest posts for Clava Cairns |
Mains of Clava SW (Ring Cairn) — Images (click to view fullsize) |
   
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Posted by thesweetcheat19th December 2010ce |
Mains of Clava SW (Ring Cairn) — Miscellaneous |
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Detailed description from Scotlands Places: A circular earthwork SE of the guardianship enclosure, which is currently recorded as a 'hut circle', was examined by small- scale excavation and proved to be the remains of a ring-cairn. Four of the outer kerb stones still survived, together with a broad bank of rubble. It seems likely that the monument was constructed in two phases. The first involved the construction of the cairn from surface boulders. In a later phase the interior was excavated and soil was piled against the outer kerb of the monument. This material included a small amount of cremated bone and contained a number of sandstone slabs - a feature which was also recognised in the ring-cairn within the guardianship enclosure. Sponsors: Historic Scotland and Reading University with assistance from Highland Archaeology Service. R Bradley 1996 http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/index.php?service=RCAHMS&id=14259 |
Posted by thesweetcheat 24th October 2010ce |
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