With the exception of the magnificent Na Clachan Bhreige, stone circles on the Isle of Skye don't reveal themselves at all easily. This one, at Boreraig, requires an initial three mile walk-in over an admittedly good path, starting from Kilchrist Churchyard on the Broadford-Torrin road. Boreraig was once a thriving community, but was destroyed during the Clearances: only the roofless ruins of homesteads remain.
Looking uphill from the shore at Boreraig, a number of stone dykes can be seen dropping down towards the coast, a standing stone prominent in the foreground. Boreraig Stone Circle lies less than 100 metres uphill from this stone, between the two farthest east (i.e. right hand) dykes, and slightly nearer the left hand one.
But you may well have a lengthy search to locate it because the circle is well hidden. None of the stones remains standing and several are completely concealed under thick coatings of moss and lichen. Indeed, it was only by persistent prodding with a walking pole that I realised that some of what appeared to be mossy mounds were, in fact, large prostrate stones.
Boreraig is an eerie place with ruined buildings scattered across the hillside. It is highly atmospheric, and well worth the effort of a visit for the coastal scenery and the nearby Promontory Fort of Dun Boreraig.
The Canmore record suggests standing stones, rather than a circle:
On a gently rising grass-covered slope about 100 yds from the N shore of Loch Eishart and near to Dun Boreraig are two standing stones in juxtaposition, one, 4ft 1in in height, 1ft 9ins in breadth, and 6ins in thickness, which stands erect facing the loch to the S, and another, which is recumbent, 3ft 8ins long, 2ft 6ins broad, and 5ins thick. The stones occuoy the summit of a slight mound.
The slight mound is composed of boulders placed around the base of the slabs. According to local tradition the stones mark the burial of a body or bodies washed ashore, a custom common on Skye.
"About two miles beyond Heast was the stone circle of Boreraig, as usual well defended by duns and, again as usual, close by the circle is the ruin of a little Celtic church, Teampuill Chaon, Chapel of Congan or Comgan."
- Otta F. Swire, Skye: The Island and its Legends, 1961, p. 231.
Log in |
Register
0 discussions
Show map (inline Google Map)
Add an image 
Posted by LesHamilton
Posted by thesweetcheat
Posted by TomBo
Top of page