Latest Fieldnotes

Visited 5.6.12

It’s a fair old hike uphill to reach this Chambered Cairn (15 minutes) but it is certainly worth the effort.
By the time I reached the metal door to the Cairn I was breathing hard.
I was glad I decided to leave Sophie and Dafydd in the car!

Although this site is better preserved than the Blackhammer Chamber Cairn it still suffers from the same lack of atmosphere.
This is of course due to the same large concrete cover/ lighting etc.

As with most of the sites I visited on Rousay I had the place to myself.

There are 9 standing stones remaining with the same bright green lichen prevalent.

This site is still worth visiting but you will need to be reasonably fit to do so.

Viewed from the Knowe of Yarso Chamered Cairn.
5.6.12

From the Knowe of Yarso the remains of the Broch can be clearly seen as a prominent mound near a farm and the loch. A dry stone wall runs across the site.

Canmore states:
‘The remains of a broch of which little stonework is visible. The north arc is represented by a curving grassy mound about 2m high. Stone built boat houses are constructed against the broch on the east and west sides. There are some indications of an outer bank’.

Visited 5.6.12

The stone is easy enough to spot – on the main road – next to a garage.

It is approximately 2 metres tall.
It is a gnarled old thing.

Visited 5.6.12

A short distance west from Taversoe Tuick Chambered Cairn and also sign posted with a small parking area.

Another easy site to access.
Access into the chamber is through a metal sliding hatch and down a small metal ladder.

The remaining walls are about 1 metre high and there are 10 large stones standing.
The chamber is well lit but it lacks the atmosphere and quality of Taversoe Tuick.

There is however a large glass window which allows you to see how the retaining walls were constructed which is pretty good.

As with Taversoe, the views are wonderful.

This is one of those places that you feel you must visit but it is not one of the best of the Rousay sites. At least it is still here and deserves to be seen.

Visited 5.6.12

Taking a clock-wise route around Rousay from the ferry on the B9064 (as most people do) this is the first site you come to.

The site is signposted and has a small parking area.
A rough stony path leads up to the Chambered Cairn. It is only a short walk.

Myself and Dafydd pulled back the heavy wooden door and we climbed down the loose metal ladder.

I sat on the stone shelf in a side chamber and all was silence. It was very atmospheric.
I looked around and admired the stonework and the bright green lichen covering the stones.

The second, lower chamber is accessed from the opposite side by sliding back a metal hatch.
This chamber is small, damp and muddy but equally finely constructed.

This is an excellent site to visit and affords cracking views over to the other islands.
I watched a ferry plying its trade in the distance.

One of many ‘must see’ sites on Rousay.

Visited 5.6.12

My first Rousay site.

Coming off the ferry (well done to Karen for her expert reverse driving onto the ferry!) we turned right as everyone else turned left.
Before hitting the more famous prehistoric sites of Rousay I wanted to check out this Chambered Cairn.

We parked on the road (B9064) just south of the Cairn and I jumped over the barbed wire fence and walked up to the site – through the heather.

The Cairn is approx 1.5 metres high x 15 metres across.
It has clearly been dug into and has bushes growing all over it.

There was one stone still standing in the centre of the Cairn which looked like it may be the side of a cist? Several other stones were seen sticking out of the ground.

There are lovely views out across the water to the other Orkney Islands.
There was no wind and the water was calm.

Although this Cairn wouldn’t be at the top of your Rousay sites to visit it is worth a quick look if you have the time.

Canmore states:
‘Cobbie Row’s Burden: An Orkney-Cromarty round cairn situated on a hillside (55 m OD). It is circular, some 52 ft in diameter and 4 ft high. Part of the interior has been removed and in the side of the resultant hollow, but in the centre of the cairn, the tops of five upright stones can be seen. They represent two pairs of divisional stones with a back-slab behind. The outer part of the chamber and the passage cannot be traced at present’
Visited by A S Henshall 1959.

Visited 5.6.12

This was my last site on my day on Rousay before heading back to catch the ferry.

There is plenty of room to park on the road leading to Faraclett farm and the public footpath leading around Faraclett Head is well sign posted. There is also an information board.

Follow the footpath uphill but you then need to come off the permissive path and head east.
It took me a while to find the stone as I was expecting it to be on the higher ground when in fact it is at the bottom of the hill.

This is a very large stone which wouldn’t look out of place in Avebury!
It is about 7ft tall, 5ft wide and 2ft deep. It is covered in moss and green/yellow lichen.
The stone has a large crack running through it.

It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the parking area to get to the stone but the effort is well worth it.
You pass through fields full of sheep/lambs and there are decent coastal views to be enjoyed.

It is a bit of a drive from the main sites on the south of Rousay but if you have the time I would certainly recommend a visit.

Visited 5.6.12

You can’t miss it when heading down to Tingwall to catch the ferry over to Rousay.
The Broch is right next to the road but the other side of a barbed wire fence.

The Broch is now a very large mound (approx 4 metres high x 50 metres long)
There are lots of stones sticking out of the grass.

Visited 5.6.12

On the way to catch the ferry to Rousay we stopped off to have a look at the Grain Souterrain.

We called into the jewellers to pick up the keys (the staff were very friendly and helpful) and we drove the short distance (300 metres) to the site (well sign posted).
Historic Scotland provided a torch but I think the batteries needed changing!
Fortunately we had brought our own head lights.

Dafydd and myself climbed down the steps and into the main chamber.
I was just about able to stand up straight – Dafydd had no such problem.

Although it was warm outside, down here you could see your breath.
The Souterrain is well constructed and has 4 large uprights supporting the roof.
Drips of water trickled over some of the stones.

This is a very easy site to access – don’t be put off by having to ask for the keys – and is well worth a visit when in Kirkwall.

Viewed from road 6.6.12

The most southern of this barrow group is visible from the road.
It appears to be approximately 1 metre high x 8 metres across.

Canmore states:
‘A group of 13 barrows situated at the SW end of a prominent ridge. The largest and most southern is undoubtedly the barrow which contained the single short-cist cremation. The urn cannot be located’

Visited 5.6.12

We passed the Broch several times as there was a family of short eared owls nesting along the road and Karen spent many hours trying to take photos of them!

The Broch is right next to the road and a simple climb over the gate and you are on top of it.
There is room to pull over next to the Broch. The Broch is approximately 1.5 metres high.

The circular shape of the Broch can be made out and I was able to see 5 layers of remaining stonework. There is lots of loose stone strewn about the area.

This is a very easy ruined Broch to visit and worth a quick stop when in the area.

Visited 4.6.12

My initial impression was one of being surprised at how large the circle is.
I knew this was the 3rd largest in Britain but it still surprised me.

I visited the circle several times over the week in sunshine and rain; afternoon and evening.
Sometimes there were coach loads of people present, other times just a couple of people.

Another surprise is how difficult it is to photograph the circle due to its size and the fact it is built on a slope.

A footpath runs around the circle while the rest of the site is covered in heather.
Several small signs request you stay on the path to protect the site.

The standing stones are impressive although (in my opinion) not as impressive as the ones at Stenness. I wasn’t expecting to see the large cracks in most of the stones or the way the cracks had been filled with cement to help protect them.

A sign next to one stone states that it was struck by lightening in 1980. The lump of stone broken off lies next to the still standing section and it is blackened by the lightening strike.

As impressive as the stones is the surrounding ditch. This must have been a massive undertaking in its own right.

I enjoyed my visits to Brodgar and it is an obvious ‘must see’ site but somehow it didn’t have the ‘wow’ factor for me. I think I was still influenced by the stones at Stenness.

Visited 6.6.12

This chambered cairn is easy to visit as it is right next to the Ring of Bookan Henge.
We parked in a passing place and I hopped over the locked metal field gate and walked straight up the track to the top of the hill – 5 minute walk.

The cairn is well mangled and stands approx 1.5 metres high x 10 metres across.
There are lots of stones sticking out of the grass.

There are great views from the cairn overlooking the Ring of Brodgar, Ness of Brodgar etc.

View from the road 6.6.12

Three cairns are visible from the road.
They each looked to be approximately 2 metres high x 10 metres across.

I didn’t try for a closer look as the field in which they stand was full of cows with their calves.

Visited 6.6.12

The top of the Henge is just visible from the road.

We parked in a passing place and I hopped over the locked metal field gate and walked straight up the track to the top of the hill – 5 minute walk.

The Henge was a lot better preserved than I was expecting and I walked right around the circumference of the ditch, which is still fairly deep.

No coach loads of visitors here!

Visited 4.6.12

There are several cairns which can be seen from near the Ring of Brodgar.

The largest is approximately 2 metres high x 20 metres across and has been clearly dug into.
I also spotted 4 smaller mounds each approximately 1 metre high x 15 metres across and 1 slight ‘bump’.
The cairns were covered in rough grass.

Canmore states:
A group of eight tumuli to the SE of the Ring of Brodgar (HY21SE 1) was visited by the Commission in August 1928. (Seven were published in 1881 on the OS 25"map 1881 1st ed. and six in 1903 on the OS 6"map 1903 2nd ed.)
They varied from 17 ft to 36 ft in diameter and from mere inches up to 3 or 4 ft in height. Three showed signs of excavations.
F W L Thomas 1852; RCAHMS 1946.

These possible cairns or barrows are as described by the Commission except that weathering and cultivation have affected their outlines. Where sufficient remains, they are grass-covered mounds of stone or earth and stone, some of them flat-topped, and they vary from 4.5m. to 12.8m.in diameter and up to 1.1m. in height. No finds have been reported from any of the group.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (RB) 24 April 1966.

Visited 3.6.12

My 1000th field note!

Like the nearby cairn, easily seen from the minor road to the north.

The stone is approximately 2 metres high and thin looking.

Visited 3.6.12

Easily seen from the minor road as a grass covered mound with several stones sticking out.

The cairn has clearly been dug into at some point in the past.

Visited 3.6.12

The church is within a ‘dip’ and there was a short stretch of walling to be seen (4 course high) but I do not know if this is anything to do with the broch or more recent stonework?

The church itself is an overgrown ruin although the graveyard is well maintained.

Built onto the side of the church is a derelict shed with an asbestos roof which I kept well away from!

There are really good coast views from the church and a lovely looking beach to the north.

The Fossil Museum is not far away and worth a visit. They have a very good café.

Visited 4.6.12

The barrow is well mangled.
It is a short walk from the Ring of Brodgar car park.

A scruffy barrow covered in scruffy grass.
But still with us nonetheless!!

Visited 4.6.12

This Barrow is huge – approximately 30 metres across x 3 metres high.

An information board stated that it has never been excavated and it is thought that there may be a passage grave inside. The barrow is comparable in size to Maeshowe.
I see Wideford states it has been surveyed so the info board is out of date.

You get a good view of the Ring of Brodgar from the top of the Barrow.

I couldn’t see ant trace of the cist – perhaps it has grown over?

Visited 4.6.12

This Barrow is huge – approximately 30 metres across x 3 metres high.

You get a good view of the Ring of Brodgar from the top of the Barrow.
As has been said the edge of the Cairn is right next to the edge of the loch.

Access is over a gate from the Comet stone.

Visited 4.6.12

Although there were a fair few people milling around the Ring of Brodgar I was the only person taking the short walk to say ‘hello’ to this stone – which is a shame.

The stone is on a small mound (approx 1 metre high x 10 metres across) and is approx 2 metres tall x 1 metre across.
The stone is covered (for a change) in yellow lichen.
There are two stones sticking out of the ground at the stone’s base.

Fried, fried. Take it in the side. Yeah, tell me about it. You might say the act of sheltering beneath the capstone of a chambered cairn in order to escape the overwhelming direct effect of the sun’s solar energy – and not the usual, inexorable... and rather wet... result of convection – is a rather alien concept to this perplexed amateur antiquarian. And that would be putting it mildly, indeed. But ‘tis the case alright. Glen Beag swelters under an impossibly blue sky this afternoon and I’m only too happy to take advantage of the shade afforded by this excellent megalithic structure.

Now I’ve been to Glen Beag before – a decade or so ago during one of my earliest trips to Alba – in order to check out the pair of wonderful brochs that are Dun Telve and Troddan. But curiously I never ventured that little bit further to just before the road’s terminus at Balvraid; in retrospect that was no bad thing, the ommission duly presenting me with a good excuse to return, then? Needless to say it is worth the effort. Not only is the capstone supported by a couple of large orthostats, themselves resting upon a deceptively substantial cairn.... but the landscape context, standing above the lively, crystal clear waters of the Abhaim a’ Ghlinne Bhig, the towering crags of Druim na Daise themselves rising above to the approx south, is truly exquisite. And since the road is a dead end – in just the ‘physical’ sense, you understand – only the locals, or the very inquisitive traveller will pass by to momentarily disturb the vibe. Hey, this is the kind of sun-bathing I can do.

I swear you could spend all day at Balvraid ... if it wasn’t located within a Glen Beag also featuring the remains of three brochs and rock art, that is. Next on the agenda is the highly recommended extension to Dun Grugaig about a 1/4 mile further along the valley..... hey, it’d be rude not to.

Now if this had have been one of my beloved upland cairns... this particular Citizen Cairn’d would have been performing cart-wheels of un-restrained physical abandonment... metaphoric cart-wheels, of course. Jeez. Give me a break. But no. Sadly the massive cairn which now surmounts this hilltop, boasting an equally monumental vista towards Portree and The Red Cuillin, represents the totally shattered debris of what was apparently once a great broch. Yeah, let’s not beat about the bush.... it is totally wrecked, only the additional, outer defence line betraying the defensive nature of the site.

What a pity. In such a wondrous location even a hint of a surviving broch would have been, well.... I’ll leave the adjective up to you. However, having said that, and to paraphrase the great Eric Morecambe, most of the constituent parts of the broch are still here. Just not necessarily in the right order! Hence a substantial degree of vibe still lingers, like the ghostly spirit loathe to stop frequenting the favourite ‘haunt’. And of course there are the exquisite views. Yeah, I’d recommend a visit.

I approach from the mind-blowing, seemingly totally forgotten chambered cairn at Kensaleyre; however since I’m not exactly ‘structured’ in my wanderings, I guess most will probably venture out from Portree; if so, take the first turning to Borve on the A850 (to the right) – that is before the junction with the A856. Follow the road uphill to the right and park in the farmyard. I met the rather tough looking farmer here... as you might expect... who was only too happy for me to visit as long as I moved my Sassenach arse so he could move his tractor around unhindered. In short, I reckon he shares the vibe, you know? The indefinable love of what makes this land what it is. Told me he would love to see the broch excavated and restored to give some impression of what once stood here. Anyway, if he’s not around a stile allows access uphill... then trend right and the shattered broch is impossible to miss.

Oh, and don’t forget the pretty decent stone row ‘in town’.