Showing 1-50 of 130 posts. Most recent first | Next 50 
Visited: April 5, 1990
This broch, Dun Ard an t-Sabhail, which has a superb outlook towards the Skye Cuillin, was visited almost by accident at the conclusion of a circular walk from Fiscavaig to Talisker Bay and back. We followed the coast to Talisker Bay then elected to return by the overland short-cut.
On the way, we noted from the map that this broch lay close to our path, so we made a short diversion to investigate. Though ruinous, considerable remnants endure to be interesting—and the views, particularly in the direction of the Cuillin, were simply superb.
More details are available from RCAHMS.
That was over 20 years ago and, sad to say, I haven't been back since. I'll try to get some more definitive photos of the broch on my next visit to Skye in September.
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Visited: May 26, 2013
This site is not the easiest to reach, entailing a walk of several miles, either over moorland from Kilchrist Church (Cill Chriosd), or by coastal path from Camas Malag via Suishnish. But on a fine day, both walks are enthralling, through scenery to die for.
Dùn Boreraig was an ancient promontory fort located near the deserted village of Boreraig on the north shore of Loch Eishort. The situation of the dùn is tremendous, accessed by a narrow neck of land, and otherwise guarded by sheer cliffs on all sides.
There is very little to see of the original fort, from which it is assumed all the stonework had been robbed in ancient times, possibly to construct the dykes and longhouses of the village of Boreraig, sadly, in its turn, largely destroyed during the Clearances. From the south, all that remains to be seen is a shallow saucer of land, completely overgrown by grass. From the landward side, a grassy hump guards the area. But the outlook from here, particularly towards the sea cliffs in the west and the island of Rum make the visit so worthwhile.
There is more information about this site at RCAHMS.
Note: This site is not to be confused with the other Dun Boreraig (this one is a broch) on the northwest coast of Loch Dunvegan in the north of Skye.
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Visited: May 26, 2013
From NG 551 177 on the Torrin-Elgol road, shortly before reaching Kirkibost, a path leads off through a gate to the left (south) into the woodland that embraces the ruins of Kilmarie Stone Circle. There is sufficient space to park a car without blocking the gate.
Follow the path, which heads southeast, through a gate then across a high embankment (below which a stream flows through a culvert) till it divides after about 400 metres. Take the right-hand path, and the site of the stone circle is about 20 metres farther, on the right-hand side.
The site is clear of trees but rank shrubs and vegetation make it difficult to view. There are several large stones as well as a nice pair of small upright stones to the north of the site. No actual circle can be discerned now as everything has been much disturbed.
RCAHMS suggests that the site may in fact have been a hut circle.
A bonus is to be had if you follow the path almost to the coast then branch left when you exit the woodland above the foreshore. A walk of a kilometre or so brings you to the rather splendid Dun Ringill.
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Visited: May 25, 2013
The remains of Clachan of Kirkton Stone Circle, sometimes referred to as Lochalsh Stone Circle, lie on the slopes of Angel's Hill at Kirkton, a community close to Auchtertyre on the A 87.
The hillside was covered in flattened bracken and short grass when I visited, raising the hope that any large stones from this circle would be easy to spot.
But stones of any description were hard to find and it took me some time, carefully quartering the ground, to find what I was looking for.
All that seems now to remain of this circle are two bulky, prostrate stones, buried to a considerable depth in the ground. Both are approximately 2 metres in length, with about half a metre standing proud of the earth. It seems likely that much more lies below ground. The two stones lie almost on a north/south line, the southern one being slightly the larger. The northern stone is largely obscured by the surrounding gorse bushes and bracken.
More information is available at RCAHMS.
An insight into the history of both Angel's Hill and the Stone Circle is posted on the Lochalsh Parish Church Blogspot.
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Visited May 26, 2013
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.
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Visited September 5, 2012
Hunebed D9 Annen is actually only half a hunebed. Even when first recorded as long ago as the early 1700s, this passage grave had already lost its western half to stone robbers. Only the eastern section consisting of two pairs of sidestones with their capstones remains.
Unusually, this hunebed stands in a built-up area, on Zuidlaarderweg in the northeast of Annen. Bus line 58 from Assen to Groningen passes through Annen and stops just across the road from this hunebed: the name of the bus stop is, helpfully, Hunebed. If you are traveling with this bus, just keep checking the video display until the bus reaches this stop.
The hunebed was excavated in 1952 when over a hundred pieces of pottery dating from the Funnel Beaker Culture of five thousand years ago were unearthed. When this investigation was completed, concrete markers were placed flush with the ground to indicate the positions of the missing stones.
Reference: Dolmens in the Netherlands by Hans Meijer.
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Visited 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Following the damage to Hunebed D45 Emmerdennen, the pieces of the shattered stone were removed and joined together once more using steel pins and epoxy adhesive at a cost of €20,000. The restored capstone was replaced on its sidestones in early December 2011.
The work has been carried out to a very high standard. The join is almost invisible: indeed, unless you actually look for it, it is unlikely that you would notice it at all.
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An original news report on the incident (dated July 11, 2011) can be found here, including a photograph of the split capstone.
The text of the article translates as follows ...
"In a woodland area near Emmen, a hunebed has been badly damaged. According to the State Forest Management, vandals had lit a fire under one of the capstones. As a consequence, the stone, measuring 3 by 4 metres split in half and fell into the grave.
"A walker discovered the destruction to the prehistoric monument this morning. Forester Geerling Kruidhof said that the vandals had been irresponsable. A serious accident could have occurred as children regularly play among the stones.
"State Forest Management have closed off the dolmen, a National Monument, for security. Damage is valued at 15,000 euro. It is not yet known if the hunebed will be restored."
The Netherlands has 54 hunebeds, of which 52 lie in Drenthe.
Video
There is a YouTube video showing the repaired stone being replaced here .
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Visited May 19, 2013
Hunebed D42 Emmeres lies west of the city of Emmen, about 2½ kilometres walk from the Central Bus and Railway station. If travelling on foot, head west from the station until you reach the main road, Odoorneweg. Follow Odoorneweg northwards for just under a kilometre (takes 12 minutes walking), then follow the first road left, Sluisvierweg. Follow this for a kilometre to Schietbaanweg, and turn left (south) down this road. By now you should encounter 'hunebed' signs as you walk the 400 metrtes to the end of the woodland.
Here a path heads left, through the last of the trees, and takes you to the hunebed which lies in the clear, on the corner of the wooded area.
This is not one of the most magnificent hunebeds, having clearly been greatly robbed over the centuries. It is believed that this passage grave originally boasted nine capstones: only four remain today, and two of these are fallen. It was restored in 1960 and, if you look closely, you will see the concrete imprints that were set into the ground to mark the positions of the missing sidestones.
The most notable feature of D42 Emmeres is the mighty oak tree that rises from the middle of the hunebed.
Reference: Dolmens in the Netherlands by Hans Meijer.
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Visited Sept 9, 2011
D44 Emmen Westenesch can hardly be called a hunebed, though it is still a classified National Monument. Long since, most of the stones comprising this megalithic burial chamber were robbed, leaving behind this remnant consisting of just two sidestones and a single capstone: the poorest hunebed of all.
It is interesting to learn that this is the only hunebed that stands on private property: all the other hunebeds are under state care. D44 can be found at the side of the Schiebaanweg track leading to the Westenesch farm.
To see the Westenesch hunebed, you will have to walk from Emmen (the nearest buses can drop you off at the Frieslandweg Bus Halt on the edge of town, on the N381 highway). Walk along the footpath/cycleway just north of the road for almost exactly a kilometre until you reach Schietbaanweg (just after you pass a single, prominent tree). Carefully cross the highway and head south to the nearest farm buildings. The first time I visited this hunebed, I couldn't find it - until I turned back the way I'd come. The hunebed nestles neatly in the angle between the first two farm buildings on the right of the road. You won't see it until you are level with it.
An interesting 'accessory' is a standing stone immediately behind the remains of the hunebed, which features a horizontal row of five drilled holes: perhaps an abortive attempt to break it up.
Reference: Dolmens in the Netherlands by Hans Meijer.
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Visited May 19, 2013
Hunebed D26 Drouwenerveld is one of the more interesting of the Dutch Hunebeds, but a photograph taken from above is needed to show it at its very best. This passage grave is well preserved, with twin rows of 6 sidestones and 5 of its capstones still in place: its entrance passage is marked by two pairs of sidestones but alas without capstones. The hunebed was originally surrounded by an oval of 27 kerbstones, and though only half remain today, the positions of the 'lost' (probably robbed) stones are indicated by concrete slabs.
Starting point for a visit is the village of Drouwen. You can get there by car or bike, or by taking the No 59 bus from Emmen or Borger. The hunebed lies across the main N34 highway to the west of the village. Reaching the hunebed (by walking or cycling, though you can drive a car much of the way too) is not straightforward, as this region abounds with large fields growing high quality turf. The fields are surrounded by high fences and 'keep out' notices and cannot be crossed. There is no chance of a short-cut, so you have to weave a long circuitous route between and around them.
Starting from the Markeweg bus stop in Drouwen, walk a few metres south to Steenhopenweg and turn right (west) into it. After about 350 metres, you will meet signs indicating hunebeds to the left and straight ahead. Almost immediately, a clearing on the left of the road reveals the twin hunebeds D19 and D20. But to reach Drouwenerveld, continue straight ahead and through the underpass beneath the N34, for another 500 metres—then turn left (south) along Veldweg. Follow this dead straight road for just over a kilometre southwards, where it turns sharply right on to the tree-lined Lunsveenweg. Another 250 metres brings you to an area of woodland. Turn right here and follow the path north along the edge of the trees for 400 metres where you will find D26 Drouwenerveld sitting in a small clearing at the northeast corner of the woodland.
The Drouwenerveld hunebed was thoroughly excavated in the late 1960s, and revealed a wealth of artifacts (mainly pottery, axe-heads and beads) dating from the Funnel Beaker Era, 5000 years ago. These are on display in the Hunebed Centre at the nearby town of Borger.
Note: to return from visiting the Hunebed, it is advisable to retrace your inward route. There are a number of farm tracks leading off Veldweg that appear to offer short-cuts: they don't. All terminate short of the N34 and do not lead to either a bridge or an underpass to traverse this extremely busy arterial highway.
Reference: Dolmens in the Netherlands by Hans Meijer.
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Showing 1-50 of 130 posts. Most recent first | Next 50
A keen hillwalker most of my life, my interest was restricted when the need arose to care for an ageing parent.
With limited opportunities to travel far from home, I 'discovered' the world of stone circles, mainly in my native Aberdeenshire.
This provided the ideal opportunity for short walks of just a few hours duration, and resulted in me visiting many places of interest that I had never considered previously.
Website:
My Stone Circle Pages
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