Since my last visit a fence has been placed around the barrow to protect it. Weeds and nettles are growing wild and slowly taking over. It looks great.
An information board has been placed nearby as well. All of this is a big improvement.
Latest Fieldnotes
July 26, 2016
July 24, 2016
Allt Nan Tighean (AKA “Aucheleffan Stones”)
Site visit 20 July 2016
Parked the car at Kilmory Church and walked in via Cloined Farm (and Pottery). The route starts as the well surfaced farm road and deteriorates a little afterwards. It was twenty three years sinced I’d walked the route and yet the Beech Hedge on either side of the first 400 yards after the Pottery still seemed strangely familiar. On a particularly muddy stretch of pathway I was suddenly aware I was not wearing my walking boots... but had instead set off in the pair of comfy suede shoes I’d been driving in. I could see the well-metalled forestry road a little ahead, it was too late to walk back and change footwear now. The route up ahead was gonna be excellent so I carefully picked my way through the mud and puddles and made good headway after the Forestry Commission road started. Easy going for three or four kilometres, through Aucheleffan Farm and on up to the stones.
The continued clear-felling of forestry on the South of Arran has opened up the site beautifully, revealing a stunning view down across the South of Arran and across to Ailsa Craig. The view back up the hill doesn’t have any such wow factor.
The clear felling has also revealed a few more stones a hundred yards due South of the Aucheleffan four poster. One in particular is an earthfast upright monolith about 1 and a half metres high and squared, tapering towards the top (in a typical Arran fashion).
In 1995 another four poster was reported about 200 metres South East of Aucheleffan Stones and is named on Canmore as “Aucheleffan”. Due to high bracken and the mess of clear-felled Sitka Spruce debris this other four poster was not to be seen on this visit.
July 22, 2016
Head east from the Meams Farm cairn basically following a track made by cows. This leads straight to the battered remains of the Balnagarrow cairn. Nothing much to see except a couple of kerbs remaining in place in a site which once stood at over 10 meters. Still it has good views to the north of Kirriemuir and eastern Angus.
With that done it was over to Castle Hill for yet more wonderful scenery.
Visited 12/7/2016.
To the north east of the ring cairn you can see the top of a small hill. On this there is a 17 meters wide cairn which stands at just under 1 meter tall. Several boulders mark a kerb on the east. In fact several boulders are at the rest of the cairns edge but most of the stones seem to have gone except for some in the centre.
Once again a very easy walk, of no more than 200 meters, if you are on the correct hill.
Visited 12/7/2016.
Meams Hill ring cairn was a totally unexpected but wonderful discovery after making a pretty big mistake. In a return to climbing the wrong hill form I climbed the wrong hill. From the Caddam Stone I headed west and then headed north at the junction. Just after Meams farm there is a quarry with plenty of parking space. Thinking that Meams Hill was heading east up the track I promptly climbed and looked all over the hill finding nothing except quite a few left overs from glaciers. At this point I looked at the OS map and discovered I’d gone wrong. I should have taken the next track east which is fairly flat and had two other cairns.
The track is in pretty good condition and starts by going through what looks like a graveyard for torn down barns. Once past that keep going until the trees, the remnants of Meams Wood, with the ring cairn on a small rise being slightly to the south of the track.
This cairn has 18 boulders all of which are earthfast forming the outer circle, still standing proudly looking all over Angus. The inner circle, still there, is covered in grass sitting amongst the cairns 10 meter diameter. Like a lot of sites nearby this area is covered in prehistory, 2 cairns further east and a fort and hill to the west.
With the map reading skills returned to normal these proved fairly easy to find. Great site!!!
I headed west from the Gallows Hillock heading past previous hikes and visits. It will easier to give the directions from Kirriemuir than give a huge list of wee villages and roads. From Kirriemuir head north on the B955 and take the third minor heading west. This leads past the north side of the Hill Of Redhall. After passing the trees pull into the first gate on the south side of the road. The cairn sits further to the south.
This cairn must have been some size and it still sits at 25 meters by 2 meters high. Nowadays it is turf covered with one or two stones poking through. Damage has been done by the usual houking and various excavations. Finds included a couple of cists, necklace, armlet and an urn. Set amongst beautiful it has wonderful views to the north west in an area teeming with prehistory.
A very easy walk on tractor tracks with the cairn clearly visible from the road.
Visited 12/7/216.
July 20, 2016
From Balzeordie follow the minor road rest then double back at the junction at Tigerton (pronounced Tigger). I pulled in about a 1/2 mile along this road. The cairn is situated in the wood to the north.
This is a very beautiful site and amazing that it is still there at all. After jumping the fence and basically doing all the usuals through the fir trees, hands and knees etc. the cairn is found at the small hills summit. Set in a bonny wee clearing the cairn has a wonderful atmosphere. A great place to contemplate the world.
The cairn is almost 11 meters wide and at its highest is 1 meter. Some rocks survive in the hollowed out centre suggesting a once possible cist. Also some rocks survive round the outer edges giving a hint of a kerb.
For me, a beautiful place!
Visited 12/7/2016.
Leave Edzell on the southern minor road heading south west signposted Menmuir. At the crossroads with the Catheruns head south then take the first west. The entrance to Balzeordie Farm is the first farm track north. Ask permission if going for a wee look.
From the aerial photo on Canmore the fort can be seen in the cropmarks north east of the Balzeordie Farm. On the day of my visit tatties covered the site so no indicators for me.
Fortunately the farmer was a source of good information. When ploughing the soil is often a different colour due to fire ash etc, it changes colour when drying to show where any defences would have been and to the north the Catheruns look down on the site. Possibly this was an outer fort for its higher neighbours. He also said that the farm name means Geordie’s farm. Natural defences are in the north east with a gentler slope to the south.
One thing the farmer didn’t know was about the cairn on Gallows Hillock, my next stop.
Visited 12/7/2016.
July 18, 2016
Keeping heading north west on the Glen Esk road until the track to Waggles, a wee farm on the eastern side which overlooks the road and River Esk. Just before the farm the artificial mound can be easily spotted.
There are great views of all the surrounding mountains, hills and further up Glen Esk. As Mr Mann suggests there are indeed kerbs poking through the turf of the 20 by almost 3 meters high mound. As usual the site has been houked, in the south west this time.
Sadly on the way from The Burn I had a look for the Auchmull cairn which for me led to the ‘no trace’ description. As for the Waggles, its still waggling away nicely.
Visited 12/7/2016.
From Fettercairn take the B966 west until the sign pointing north indicating Glen Esk. Go past the first minor road, heading east, and pull in shortly afterwards at the crossroads of two estate roads. The road to the west leads to gardens of Burn House. Look for the garden wall, follow the track and where it heads south westish keep going straight on. This will lead to a clearing where two large stones can be seen. These might or might not have anything to do with cairn but it certainly helps finding the site.
Sadly there isn’t to much to see here. Intermittent kerbs remain in the much trashed site. Cairn material surrounds the tree which has taken up residence in the middle of the monument. It measures very approximately at 20 meters and is 0.7 meters at its highest. Another site for the ‘back in the day’ category.
Visited 12/7/2016.
July 17, 2016
Visited 13th June 2016
The Knap of Howar is somewhere that captivated me as soon as I saw it in the papery TMA. A finely preserved ancient house seemingly perched at the edge of the world, inviting exploration. So it was with no little sense of excitement that as an anniversary treat Ellen had booked us a flight to Papay and a visit was on the cards.
Flying to the island is an experience in itself, and a flight from Kirkwall actually costs no more than taking a car on the ferry to the outer islands, but the small size of the aircraft and limited number of flights mean that it gets fully booked very quickly, so it pays to plan ahead and book well in advance. This meant we had to take a gamble on getting a good days weather, but fortunately this gamble paid off handsomely.
After only twenty minutes in the air, the Orkney’s spread below, verdant islets amongst the shimmering sea in this beautiful clear weather. After landing on Westray we get to stay on the plane as it makes the world’s shortest scheduled flight to Papay, a mere five minutes, barely seeming to get airborne before putting us down again in this remote rural enclave.
The Knap of Howar is only a few minutes walk from the airfield, and after disembarking along with the two other passengers aboard the tiny eight-seater aircraft we turned one way down the road along the spine of the island whilst they headed off in the opposite direction, and within minutes we were alone.
It’s hard to describe just how peaceful it is, there’s no sound of vehicles, and no-one else in sight, only the calls of the birds and the gentle susurration of the sea. It’s also distinctly warm, especially so for Orkney, and I begin to regret bringing my coat.
Soon we reach a crossroads around which are clustered some historic looking farm buildings. One direction seems to lead towards civilisation, or at least a couple of houses and the Papay Community Co-op shop, the other, helpfully signposted to the Knap of Howar, leads through the farmyard. It all seems strangely quiet here, no sign of animals or people, but soon a fenced off part of the field near to the shore is visible, which obviously contains the structure themselves, and they’re every bit as good as I’d imagined.
The two buildings form a dwelling with attached workshop/barn, right at the edge of the sea. The low doorways and the way the buildings seem to settle into the ground are reminiscent of Skara Brae (minus the crowds), but here you are free to explore the interiors at will, and really get a sense of the place.
The interior is finely preserved, a large worn saddle quern sits opposite a recess in one of the walls, which I lean against and look out through the doorway to the sea. The thought of someone thousands of years ago bending down at this very spot to grind grain, with perhaps an occasional wistful glance outside just as I’m doing now, is really affecting. It’s also the little details you spot that really bring the place to life, such as a recessed shelf, the backing of which is a darker slab than the rest of the wall, a fine piece of flagstone covered with fossilised stromatolites, providing a rich textured backdrop against which to display some treasured possessions.
As Kammer says in his fieldnotes it is serene here, you feel completely cut off from the modern world, and I could happily hang out here all day, especially in such lovely weather. I settle for having a sandwich whilst sitting by the quernstone, and thinking of those people who would have spent their lives here so long ago. But the lure of possibly visiting an even more remote and exciting site soon pulls us on, as we set off in search of someone to take us across to the Holm of Papay...
Tom a Chaisteil basically means castle on a hill and this site is on the eastern side of Beinn Mhor (hill not cairn.) From Beinn Mhor cairn we walked eastwards until the small hillock and headed north. By this time the weather was closing in, underfoot conditions were boggy and overhead it had turned very cloudy and wet. Still we plodded north until the wee hill at the side of the big hill came into view. Another single tree, which sits in the middle of the fort on the wee hill, is what to aim for. We squelched past the eastern defences and entered the fort from the north.
The eastern defences/walls have fallen over the side of the cliff. Most of the rest of the circular wall can be seen but it is almost all in a fallen state. We approached from the north but the entrance is in the west. A trench, as mentioned by Canmore, is some 10 meters to the north. Not much remains except for a lonely tree located within the 33 by 31 meters fort. Like Hob we spotted circular features which could possibly have been hut circles. After a good look round, why are places so impressive in the rain and mist!, it was back to plodding across the heather to the forest gate from which we started.
From this gate the eastern cliff can easily be seen to the north west. This is a fantastic place regardless of weather and with that it was back down to the car at Glenbeg, the end of a long, injury free, but brilliant day.
Visited 9/7/2016.
Visited: July 1, 2016
Grafheuvel No 13 in the Westerheide is one of the most attractive of all. It’s also the one the casual visitor is most likely to miss as it stands in a sheltered tree-lined glade just off the main heathland. Although not actually hard to find (if you are looking for it), it cannot be seen from the main path that follows the tree-line. It lies almost equidistant between Grave Mounds 9 and 7.
This barrow is a symmetrical grassy dome, rising to about 2 metres, and with a spread of approximately 15 metres.
Visited: July 1, 2016
Grave Mound 12 on the Westerheide has, despite a probable height of two metres, an extremely low profile as it rises very gradually. This is the most extensive mound in the heathland, with a width that I estimated to be at least 30 metres.
Visited: July 1, 2016
Grafheuvel No 11 in the Westerheide is small and inconspicuous. Completely heather covered, it could well be mistaken for a mere undulation in the heathland, rising to about 2 metres and around 10 metres wide.
Visited: July 1, 2016
Westerheide 10 is the most easterly of the grave mounds in this area, and is found on the edge of woodland, 300 metres along the main path north through the reserve and approximately 50 metres to the left.
This is a low, grassy mound, struggling to attain a height of one metre, and rather less than ten metres in width.
Visited: July 1, 2016
Grave Mound No 6 is the most northerly in the Westerheide, and a walk of 1½ kilometres from the starting point beside Mounds No 8/9. It’s a shapely grassy mound that must be close to three metres high and about 14 metres wide, easily seen on approach. Almost the entire approach is on good paths and only the final 50 metres requires a tramp through heather.
July 16, 2016
Standing overlooking Holy Loch, an aesthetically pleasing north-westerly protuberance of The Firth of Clyde, I’ve been wanting to visit this particular Adam’s Grave for some years now. Hey, seems bits of the poor, fabled sucker must have been interned all over the place back in the day. But there you are; that’s what you get for crossing Yahweh. Or rather parasitical priests making a living out of superstition and ignorance. However the site has hitherto proved difficult to fit into a practical Gladman route heading north to The Highlands... until I find myself on the way to Bute this year.
The weather conditions are not ideal. I understand the small craft pootling up and down the loch below were, once upon a time – up until 1992, anyway – subject to accompaniment by the menacing presence of nuclear submarines of the US Navy, no doubt with Denzil Washington or, if you were really unlucky, Gene Hackman at the helm? Guess we’ve Mr Gorbachev to thank for that no longer being the case... although the way Putin’s going, who knows what the future might bring? Anyway, such is the torrential downpour this afternoon that a megalithically-inclined traveller may be forgiven for casting envious glances at occupants of distant marine craft. At least of the surface variety. However since I’m finally here it would be pretty dumb not to grasp the opportunity, taking the minor right hand turn (heading south on the main A885) just before the school to park up near a (signposted) picnic site.
Lacking boat, I set off on foot following the road north westwards past some waterworks (yeah, very funny) whilst noting the monument, beyond to the right, standing proud upon a hillside seemingly devoted to matters of an exclusively equine nature. The field gate is unfastened, fences ‘step over-able’.... the Clyde cairn (how could it be anything else sitting here?) sublime, well worth both the effort and the protracted wait. The cap stone, worn at a jaunty angle like all the best chambers, is a weighty slab of rock complemented by a pair of equally substantial portals. The overall impression is that of reassuring solidity, of being built to last which, needless to say, it has. The outlook toward the aforementioned Holy Loch is, for me, an integral part of an ethereal, multi-faceted vibe which seemingly hangs in the atmosphere like the mist threatening to subsume nearby woodland. Hey, even in a teeming downpour. I also think it is a stony sculpture of the highest merit.
Interestingly, as the Misc post states, the chamber was apparently the location of matrimonial rites in times gone by, thereby emphasising the significance attached to the site in local lore. Whatever other-worldly, metaphysical ‘authority’ was thought to reside here – whether or not Saint Munn had a say in matters is probably a moot point – clearly it was something not to be countermanded lightly.
Succinctly put, the monument that still resides here above the Holy Loch is – and always has been – a commanding presence within this landscape. A great place to be.
Big Mountain.
From Grantown On Spey take the A95 heading west and take the first minor road which heads in a north westerly direction. Keep going until the road runs out and it becomes a track. A few hundred yards up the track is Glenbeg hostel/farm which has plenty of parking.
We walked further up the track and kept going in a north westerly direction until it ends. This is fairly steep in bits but nothing to difficult. Also the tracks condition worsens but it is still in pretty good state by the time the forestry gate is reached which also marks the end of the trees and the beginning of the heather. Also by this time the usual recent weather had returned.
For the cairn follow track mainly south over a small hill then head west. Keep heading west over a small hillock, past some clearance cairns in the distance a green patch amongst the heather can be seen. Also look for a single rowan tree.
The cairn still sits at 15 meters wide and is 1 meter high. Unlike its near neighbour at Laggan the cist is situated underneath a jabby bush so no photos, sadly, but it is there. Shelters have been made from cairn stones along with nearby walls. Canmore say no kerbs but I disagree, three seem to survive on the north side. On a clear day this would be a beautiful site, on a foggy, rainy day it is an atmospheric place with Laggan Hills masts looming to the south west.
After some time quite literally soaking up the atmosphere it was time to locate Tom A Chaistiel, to the north.
Visited 9/7/2016.
Visited: June 17, 2015
This is a tight cluster of four barrows occupying an area of 60 × 50 metres.
Westerheide Mound No 2
The terrain in Westerheide provides excellent walking over short heather and grasses so, if you are confident of your directions, you can simply make straight for the mound. Alternatively, there is a choice of paths that will take you close to it.
On approach, this green grassy mound—the southernmost of the group—stands out well against the heather, and looks rather bigger than it really is because it is perched on a natural rise in the terrain. There is actually a path that traverses it. The barrow is between 2 and 3 metres tall and some 15 metres wide.
Visited: July 1, 2016
Westerheide Mound No 3, the northernmost, is a substantial mound almost 3 metres in height and about 20 metres in width, and a virtual twin of Mound 2. The barrow is between 2 and 3 metres tall and some 18 metres wide.
Westerheide Mound No 4 is a small barrow, barely one metre tall and about 5 metres wide.
Westerheide Mound No5 is another diminuitive barrow, about 1½ metres tall, lying just a handful of metres southwest of No 4. It’s about 5 metres in width.
Visited: July 1, 2016
This is a fairly conspicuous Grave Mound, rising from the heath to a height of approximately 2½ metres. Its lower slopes are clad in heather but it has a conspicuous broad, green and grassy summit.
The map shows the walking route from the entrance to the reserve, a distance of 650 metres on good paths followed by a 50 metre walk across short heather.
Visited: July 1, 2016
Hoornboegse Heide is an area of heathland in het Gooi Nature Reserve, situated on the southern margin of Hilversum, popular with walkers, many exercising their dogs. It is easily accessible by following Utrechtseweg for 1.6 kilometres south of the city then heading to the right along Horneboeglaan. This is a narrow woodland road serving several properties on its south, but after 500 metres the trees to the north peter out and the heath (heide) is revealed.
Almost immediately two huge mounds come into view, Grave Mounds No 1 and No 2, which are so close together that they virtually overlap. The pair are fenced off, but I estimate both to be around four metres high and in the region of 20+ metres wide.
No more than 100 metres to the north, Grave Mounds 3 to 6 stretch in an east-west row. All are smaller heathery mounds roughly 2 metres tall, none exhibiting any noteworthy characteristics.
Finally, another hundred metres or so to the northwest, is Grave Mound No 7. This is wholly unspectacular and, were it not for its surrounding fence, would almost certainly disappear into anonymity as just a low vegetated undulation in the heathland.
The numbering of the mounds follows the maps of the area prepared by Museum ‘Oer’, located in Ulft, Netherlands.
July 15, 2016
Pool Of Heather.
From the car park at the foot of Dun Davie I walked back up thru the village and crossed the busy dual carriaged A9. Climb the fence and head east until the field ends. Look down and the promontory fort can be seen. Jump the fence at this point and head back north following the fence line until the ground evens out so heading east is possible without falling down the hill.
Head south towards the promontory which was defended by a wall of which very little remains. Keep heading south and some trees mark the start of the internal fort. I originally thought there had been ramparts but the site is naturally hollowed out. Steep cliffs are also at the southern end which drop straight into the River Nairn. Hard to describe the views here as the scenery is wonderful but only direction of any distance that can be seen is south. Take care this is a dangerous place with no fences at the cliff edge.
With that it was the climb back up and over to other side of the A9 where my travelling companions had taken advantage of missing my useful information and had a nap instead.
Visited 9/7/2016.
From Mid Craggie we joined the B9154 and headed west reaching the A9. Head north until the first minor road west which leads to the small village of Daviot, with its picturesque white church. Go past the church and just before the entrance to the quarry there is a car park.
The fort looms overhead to the west and I wonder if a Clatchard Craig will happen here as the quarrying seems to be gobbling up the whole hill. For the moment the section with the fort is still there. Take the track from the car park and proceed uphill looking for a not so well used path heading to the top of the hill and fort. The path stops at a fence with warnings for anybody daft to enough the climb the fence at the forts eastern and southern edges.
Underneath the fern bits of rampart still survive surrounding the oval shaped fort. The trig is situated in the south west area of the almost 30 meters by 18 meters site.
Superb all round views from this defensive position including the Craggie Cairns to east and the busy A9. Funnily enough the one site that can’t be seen is the promontory fort Poll An Fhraioch, my next stop.
Visited 9/7/2016.
New find from yesterday .From a side glen of Glen Lyon .Considering it ‘s length and later historical period finds ,it has very little prehistoric discoveries .
A prominent rock spotted from above and some distance away proved to be worth investigating .Some of the exposed markings were difficult to capture but those that were under moss were in much better condition with pick marks still evident .