Visited: June 20, 2019
One of a cluster of broch mounds in Westerdale, Caithness, Tulach Buaile a'Chroic though rather bland in itself, stands in an attractive location on the bank of the River Thurso.
It has been reduced to a grass-covered mound some 3.5 metres tall, with only the minimalist evidence of masonry. A number of stones protrude from the upper southwest side of the structure, and may be remnants of a foundation course, while there is a small exposure of larger blocks on the northwest flank.
Not a broch to rave about, but the ambiance of the setting is undeniable.
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Visited: June 17, 2019
North of Loch Brora, on the lip of a gorge on the Blackwater River, stands a hidden gem of a broch, Caisteal na Coille, sometimes dubbed 'Castle Cole'. For the determined walker it would be possible to set out from the same starting point as for Carrol Broch broch. But this would mean a round trip of some 28 kilometres.
I decided to investigate a shorter alternative by driving through Brora where, immediately north of the River Brora, a minor road signposted 'Balnacoil' heads northwest, hugging the eastern shore of Loch Brora for 13 kilometres (8 miles). Your target is a left-hand bend on the road from which an estate road (marked by two prominent boulders, one on either side) heads to the right into a patch of woodland. There may be space for verge parking for a couple of cars here. If not, you should be able to park close to the bridge (red marker) over the River Brora, 700 metres farther on.
The estate road (yellow track on the map below) provides easy walking for just under 4 kilometres, by which time you should be level with the broch (white marker on map).
As you near your target, you will see ahead a small stand of a dozen or so mature trees just to the right of the track. By now you will see the broch and must make a decision on the best point to leave the track and start crossing towards the broch. I found no evidence of any footpath leading from the road to the broch and surmise that this is simply because it is so rarely visited.
Now comes the hard bit, crossing some 300 metres of blanket bog, firstly downhill, followed by a climb up to the mound supporting the broch. But the effort is certainly worth it ...
Caisteal na Coille stands within an almost level grassy platform on the summit of a small hill that drops vertically into the valley of the Black Water, the northern tributary of the River Brora. The broch is constructed from rectangular sandstone slabs rising to at least a dozen courses at the entrance and twenty or more on its eastern side. On the western flank, which falls down to the river as a cliff, the walling is rudimentary (unless, of course, it was never more than a low boundary wall, since an approach from that quarter would be deemed impossible?)
The entrance is capped by a massive, roughly triangular lintel not dissimilar to those at Dun Dornaigil in Sutherland and Caisteal Grugaig in Glenelg, and leads to an entrance passage almost four metres long. To the east of the entrance lies a large guard cell, now uncapped, and the rampart beyond it shows indications of an intramural gallery. A striking feature of the internal walls of Caisteal na Coille is the number of cupboard recesses on display.
This broch is very much one for the connaisseur, and a visit to it is an experience to be treasured.
Further information relating to this structure can be viewed on the Canmore website.
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Visited: June 18, 2019
The Caithness village of Keiss can boast three brochs in its vicinity: Keiss South (K), Whitegate (W) and Kirk Tofts (T).
Whitegate is a probable solid-based broch, located on the shore northeast of the village of Keiss and about 175 metres farther on than Keiss South broch (marker 'W' on the map below). It is totally ruinous and was overgrown with long grass at the time of my visit.
All that there is to be seen are a few stretches of walling courses, an entrance passage and a chamber set back in the walling opposite the entrance passage.
There is a considerable amount of additional information on the Canmore website, particularly with respect to recent excavations at the site.
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Visited: June 18, 2019
Nybster broch stands on a cliff-girt headland, protected on three sides by vertical sandstone cliffs and by a ditch that cuts off the promontory on its landward side.
The site is signposted just south of the village of Nybster, and there is a car park from which a good footpath heads south for 450 metres to the broch site. As you approach the broch, the first thing you will see is Mervyn's Tower, a monument built of rough stones by local farmer John Nicholson to commemorate the work of Sir Francis Tress Barry who excavated the site in 1895-6.
Canmore states that Nybster is: 'a site of major signifcance in the study of the development of the broch in that it comprises the ground-galleried block-house of a pre-broch promontory fort, a solid-based broch, and a post-broch settlement. The block-house, which displays broch-like features, including a passage checked for two doors, is probably to be dated not much before the first century BC if not within it'.
Without doubt, Nybster is a complex side, and readers wishing to learn more about it can find copious details of the various structures and finds on the Canmore website.
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Visited: June 18, 2019
The Caithness village of Keiss can boast three brochs in its vicinity: Keiss South (K), Whitegate (W) and Kirk Tofts (T).
Kirk Tofts broch is situated immediately behind Keiss cemetery, on the A99 immediately north of the village (marker 'T' on the map below). There is ample parking for the visitor in front of the graveyard.
My first impression of the area was of a field thick with ferns, nettles and rampant vegetation, and I could make little progress through it. Returning to my car, I recalled that my hillwalking gear was in the boot, and fitted out with sturdy boots and gaiters, and a walking pole for balance, I returned to the broch.
My initial view was hardly inspiring. After negotiating the field of nettles, I saw ahead a section of drystone walling which I initially took to be a mere remnant of a destroyed broch. But I pressed on, and on reaching this wall, realised that it was an exposed section of the outer wall of the broch, with a well defined entrance passage. Even though this wall must have been close to two metres tall, I did not realise that there was an entrance passage through it until I was right beside it as it was completely concealed by rank vegetation both in front of and within it!
Once through the entranceway, most of the interior is defined by walling many courses high, and generally close to two metres tall. Unfortunately, thick vegetation, mainly rampant ferns growing everywhere, undoubtedly conceals many of the finer points of construction. According to Canmore there is much to see at Kirk Tofts, including two intra mural stairways, but these were not evident to me. Doubtless a visit in early spring, before plant growth has commenced, would prove more rewarding.
When visiting the site, great care should be taken as the terrain is everywhere very uneven beneath the all-concealing vegetation. A walking pole is a valuable asset in maintaining balance.
For those interested, the Canmore website provides a wealth of information relating to the structure of Kirk Tofts broch, the finds discovered within it and the various phases of its occupation, describing it as: 'one of the best examples of a 1st phase broch (1st centuries BC and AD), re-used during the Broch II phase (2nd, 3rd centuries AD) and again during the post-broch era'.
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Visited: June 18, 2019
The Caithness village of Keiss can boast three brochs in its vicinity: Keiss South (K), Whitegate (W) and Kirk Tofts (T).
Keiss South broch, also known as Keiss Harbour broch, is just a 250 metre walk from Keiss harbour back to the hairpin bend on the access road where a signpost indicates 'Keith Shore'. From here, just follow this path for a short distance over the grass to the obvious fenced-off enclosure (marker 'K' on the map below). To enter the area, follow the fence anticlockwise and you will find a gate adjacent to the field boundary north of the broch.
There is a great deal of information about Keiss broch on the Canmore website, including the fact that, as recently as 1910, the internal broch wall survived to a height of about five feet. This hardly seems the case now, the broch having endured severe robbing over the years, and little masonry remains on view.
The entire area is hummocky and was largely obscured by long grass at the time of my visit. Although nothing remains of the entrance passage, its location would seem to be signalled by a dip in the grassy ramparts that surround the broch to its east. Standing at the north of the structure, the impression is of a shallow, grassy saucer with just a small section of walling, three courses high, peeking through the obscuring vegetation. Almost certainly, walling courses do exist beneath this cover, as exemplified by the exposure of masonry in the rampart of the eastern internal wall of the broch.
Painted Pebbles
Interesting finds discovered by Sir Francis Tress Barry during his late 19th century excavations of Keiss South broch were small pebbles painted with spots and lines. Although their function is unclear, it has been suggested that they may have been used as gaming pieces or as charms. Barry exhibited these painted pebbles during a talk to the Society of Antiquaries of London on May 26, 1898. A watercolour painting of these pebbles is shown on the Canmore website.
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Visited: June 19, 2019
The remains of Dun Chealamy stand on the top of a grassy mound which falls steeply around most of its perimeter. The broch is in near total ruin, Canmore stating that it "was badly damaged in a search of stones for building a bridge and a dwelling house" in the early 1900s. To add insult to injury, the stones of the broch have again been plundered to erect a cairn in front of it (an event not elsewhere reported as far as I can determine).
It's so sad that even in this relatively remote spot there are people who show our national monuments no respect!
As for Dun Chealamy itself, there still remain short segments of both internal and external walling several courses deep, and there is an exposed section of a mural gallery which also reveals several courses of architecture. But that's about it and the structure has been so badly ravaged that there is not the slightest trace of an entrance passage.
But the views from the broch down to Strathnaver are extensive, and in its day this broch would have been a formidable fastness.
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Visited: June 18, 2019
Though highly impressive when viewed from the air, Thing's Va broch has few redeeming features when visited on the ground.
Aerial view of Thing's Va (Image: Caithness Broch Project)
Thing's Va sits atop a low hill just west of Thurso, as illustrated above.
The best starting point for a visit is a lay-by on the A836 at OS: ND 0867 6923.
Walk down the road (towards Thurso) for about 400 metres, and a few metres farther than the gated loop of old road, you will find a gate to a field. Inside the field, a good path heads southwest up the field through mainly grassy terrain with a sprinkling of gorse. You can just make out the broch on the horizon ahead.
If you count the drystane field dykes to your left as you pass them, Thing's Va is on the right just after the 4th dyke. The walking distance is a shade over a kilometre.
Sadly, there is absolutely nothing particularly impressive on the ground at this site these days. The broch rises as a grassy mound within a recently emplaced surrounding fence. Annoyingly, although there is a gate for visitors, whoever installed it drilled the posthole for the securing bolt somewhat on the small side: I couldn't budge the bolt and had to clamber over the gate.
The entrance passage to the broch, heavily overgrown, is still discernable, and there are a few sections where fragmentary masonry protrudes. Also visible is what could be a guard cell as a deep pit in the turf, and here and there can be seen short sections of walling.
Canmore provides considerable information concerning features that have been observed in the past, but with this recent (2007) caveat: "A recent survey showed that most of the features described by the Commission are not now visible".
Historical Note
Thing's Va broch is a drystone, hollow-walled structure built by the Middle Iron Age inhabitants of Caithness. Much later, some time after the mid 9th century CE, the remains of the broch were used as a meeting place by Norse incomers.
The name "Thing" comes from an Old Norse word meaning a "meeting place", and variants are found in place names elsewhere, such as Tingwell in Shetland and Dingwall in Ross & Cromarty (source: The Public Information Board at the site of Thing's Va).
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Visited: April 18, 2019
National Monument 45018 in the Evertsbos
This area of the Evertsbos woodland contains a group of grave mounds, described in the official monument list for the Anloo district as "seven or eight mounds". There seems some doubt as to the actual number, but as I walked the paths, I encountered the six grave mounds indicated on the map below. They all sit close to paths between 100 and 300 metres south and east of Hunebed D11: you don't have to go searching for them as they are easily spotted from the paths.
All six grave mounds can be visited, along with Hunebed D11 in a circular walk from either Anloo in the north or Eext in the south. A leisurelly hour and a half should suffice. Mounds 1, 2 and 3 are the most impressive, all rising to around two metres. The other three barely reach a metre in height.
The non-intuitive numbering of the mounds is the assignment given by Museum 'Oer', located in Ulft, Netherlands. This link displays two further maps showing the locations of the mounds, plus a photograph each of mounds 1-7.
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Visited: April 18, 2019
Galgwanderveen, also known as Braamsplas, is a small kettle-hole lake dating from the last Ice Age. Renowned locally as a fishing lake for carp, it is located 2.5 kilometres south of Anloo and 1.5 kilometres north of Eext.
In the woodland surrounding this lake are five Late Stone Age grave mounds, of which this splendid example (marker 'G'), located just a few metres from the water's edge is by far the most impressive, rising to almost four metres in height.
The best approach by car is from the village of Eext (at bottom right of the map above), as there is a convenient car park just 200 metres southwest of the mound.
Note
There are grave mounds in several different locations in this area of woodland (the Evertsbos), each identifiable by virtue of its National Monument number.
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Visited: April 18, 2019
In a clearing in the Evertsbos woods stand two impressive grave mounds, situated 90 metres apart. The smaller western mound rises to almost two metres in height, but is dwarfed by its near neighbour, which probably exceeds three metres tall.
Both are symmetrical, grass-covered mounds, free of rampant weeds and young trees, so must in all probability be well looked after by the Boswachterij Anloo (Anloo woodland management).
To reach the grave mounds, it is a pleasant walk of 1¾ kilometres from Anloo, through woodland, until the trees thin significantly on the left. To track your progress, count the forest tracks you pass on the way.
Note
There are grave mounds in several different locations in this area of woodland (the Evertsbos), each identifiable by virtue of its National Monument number.
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Visited: April 18, 2019
National Monument 45012
Located just within the boundary of woodland east of the village of Anloo, Liesakkers is a rather unremarkable grave mound, at most reaching a metre in height (red marker on map).
It has clearly been neglected for a long time as it is overgrown with saplings.
Access is straightforward. Just follow Molenberg, the obvious road with a right-angle bend in it to the edge of the woodland, where a rough path follows the tree line. Then it's just a matter of following the edge of the cultivated area until you reach the corner of the woodland. The mound is just a few metres into the trees.
Note
There are grave mounds in several different locations in this area of woodland (the Evertsbos), each identifiable by virtue of its National Monument number.
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Visited: April 18, 2019
National Monument 45013
A set of three grave mounds (grafheuvels) stand just inside the margin of woodland on Kerkweg, about 900 metres south of the village of Anloo, in the Dutch province of Drenthe. From the junction just south of the church in Anloo, briefly follow the road to Anderen, then follow the left turn on to Kerkweg, as shown in the map below.
On reaching the woodland, continue until you arrive at the second track heading east (left). You should now be in sight of the first of the grave mounds (marker G on the map). The other mounds follow on a north/south line, almost shoulder to shoulder with each other.
The mounds are all about 1½ metres in height and of considerable breadth. Unlike others in the vicinity, they appear well looked after: i.e. no saplings and scrub growing over them.
Note
There are grave mounds in several different locations in this area of woodland (the Evertsbos), each identifiable by virtue of its National Monument number.
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Visit to MuzeeAquarium Delfzijl, and Hunebed G5
Visited: April 16, 2019
I had been intending to visit the MuzeeAquarium in Delfzijl for some time to view Hunebed G5 at first hand, but was forced to wait several years due to the relocation of the museum some 100 metres inland from its former location close to the coast. This was necessary because the Dutch had embarked on a project to raise and strengthen the sea dykes of the region, and in its original location, the MuzeeAquarium was 'in the way'.
Hunebed G5 takes pride of place in a hall devoted to minerals and archaeology. It stands almost two metres tall, and was considerably larger than I had imagined. It is set against back-lit murals that depict the community of the hunebed builders at the time of its construction, around 3400 BCE.
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Visited: September 23, 2018
Dun Borve, situated at an altitude of 180 metres on the hillside just east of the village of Borve, was probably the final outstanding broch I had yet to visit on the Isle of Skye. All too often it had been bypassed en route to other sites to the north and west of the island. But it proved somewhat trickier than I had anticipated.
There was no problem parking at the farm as advocated by Gladman (blue marker), but where was that stile? The hillside now seems to be isolated by high fences and padlocked gates, with 'Danger do not enter' signs attached. So I walked down the road west into the community of Borve, a few metres past the first two houses, to find the moorland just two grassy fields distant: and there were convenient gates for access (white markers on the map above).
Entering the first field from the road, head diagonally left almost to its far corner, where an open gate leads to the second field. Then head diagonally right to its far corner where another gate leads out to the hillside. Thereafter it is just a 400 metre walk to the broch. Time taken, about 15 minutes.
Although Dun Borve is an almost featureless pile of long displaced stones at close quarters, it is well worth venturing up the hillside from where it offers its most striking profile. Down at the broch, the only major structure is a row of a few large outer foundation blocks on the southwest. As stated below, the exercise is well worth the effort for the views the broch offers.
By the way, if you are using an up-to-date map of Skye, the A856 is no more. Both the former A856, and the section of the A850 from Portree to Borve, were reclassified as the A87 when the Skye Bridge opened in 1995.
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Visited: June 26, 2018
About a kilometre north of Bettyhill on the north coast of Sutherland stand the ruined remains of Clerkhill Broch. The prominent mound where the broch once stood is now fenced in and is private property. Part of the mound on the east has been excavated, and a house built, while on the very summit now stands a rotary washing dryer.
Even Canmore has little to say about Clerkhill other than that it is:
" a possible broch in Farr, Sutherland, consisting of a turf-covered, quarried mound on the end of a ridge, the east half of which has been removed to make way for the outbuildings of a croft. On the west side is a part of the basal course of the outer wall of a broch-like structure forming an arc about 9.0 metres long."
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Visited: June 29, 2018
Just a few hundred metres from the village of Reay on Scotland's far north lies one of the largest brochs in Scotland: Achvarasdal. After heading east on the A836 out of Reay, the road dog-legs sharply northward. Almost immediately, turn right following the road for about 600 metres and park outside the woodland surrounding Achvarasdal Care Home. It's just a short walk along woodland paths, following 'broch' signs, to the broch.
Achvarasdal Broch is, in area, one of the largest in Scotland with a court diameter of 9.8 metres. The interior of the broch was excavated during the latter part of the 19th century, but the external wall face was not cleared, and remains concealed beneath a sizable vegetated mound. The walling, which rises to 1.6 metres above the central court, is composed in the main of quite small slabs of light-coloured sandstone, giving an appearance rather like brickwork. Achvaradsal has a most impressive, quite narrow entrance passage, a little short of 4 metres long on its east-south-east.
At the time of my visit, the broch was besieged by a major infestation of Giant Hogweed. Even with a walking pole fully extended above me, I could not quite reach the hogweed's flowering heads, which must therefore have been at least 4 metres tall. Achvarasdal is one of the brochs promoted by the Caithness Boch Project, whom I contacted about the problem. They replied that they were aware of the situation and would be taking measures to tackle it. I'm pleased to report that, just three weeks later, I was sent a photograph showing that clearance work had begun. Hogweed, however, is not easy to erradicate, particularly if it has been seeding the area for years, so it may take several seasons to render the site hogweed-free.
You can read much more about Achvarasdal Broch on the Canmore website, including details of finds from the site.
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June 5, 2017
Driving north through Strath Halladale, it is difficult to miss the huge bulk of The Borg looming above on your right, standing atop a mound 38 metres tall and about 200 metres distant. It is an impressive edifice built of large rounded boulders, many of which now form a mantle of tumble all around it.
Although much of the broch wall has degenerated into a field of tumbled blocks, there are still some sections where the structure endures, particularly so in the west where neat courses can be seen rising to a height of three metres. At the other extreme, to the north, the walling has all but disappeared, creating an opening into the central court.
The entrance passage, now largely blocked by debris, lies a little east of south, and can be traced through the entire thickness of the broch wall, and most of its lintels remain in place.
The Borg is most certainly a worthwhile stop on the route north, not least because its elevated position affords splendid views along Strath Halladale.
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Visited: June 25, 2018
Just 1½ kilometres north of The Borg, off the A897 as it passes through Strath Halladale, a minor road branches left across the Halladale River towards a walled cemetery. Trantlemore broch lies a kilometre farther on on the right-hand side of the road.
There is very little remaining to be seen, just a vegetated rise about a metre and a half tall in a field a few metres east of the road. On the southwest of the structure a section of vegetated wall can be recognised, but little else. There is no sign of an entrance passage.
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Visited: June 26, 2018
Langdale broch lies about a kilometre from Syre, just north of of the Langdale Burn and 400 metres walk from the road. It stands on the top of a prominent, steep sided grass covered knoll about 40 metres tall, commanding a superb view of the surrounding countryside.
The broch, built from large boulders, is very dilapidated now and little structure of the outer wall facing remains. But the interior walling is still fairly well defined round most of the structure, standing a metre or more high and almost 5 metres wide, though detail of the facing is largely hidden under rubble.
Access is straightforward from immediately north of the farm, where a 4-bar stile gives access through the fence to a steep grassy slope that follows the stone wall round the farm area to a gate, beyond which a path heads past the broch.
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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:
Stone Circles of NE Scotland
Here you will find both Google and Bing maps displaying more than 100 sites of stone circles, the majority in my native Aberdeenshire. The markers on the maps are clickable, to reveal a photo of the stone circle and a link to their Canmore Site Record.
A menu at the side of the maps allows you to zoom in to any individual circle, viewing its environs as a zoomable aerial photograph (Google) or an OS Map (Bing).
Hunebedden
I've since extended my interest to the megalithic remains in The Netherlands, where there are some magnificent passage graves known as hunebedden (giant's beds). Despite the fact that The Netherlands is essentially flat and sandy, these 5000 year old monuments from the Funnel Beaker Culture are often found in exquisite woodland settings, nearly all of them in the province of Drenthe. There are almost limitless opportunities for delightful walks between small villages, taking in a diversion to a hunebed here and there.
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