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April 14, 2025
Photo taken from the North end looking towards the road from Adderbury to Bloxham (L to R).
Image credit: PJR
Taken from a pile of logs next to the track on the south west. The walls of Castle Dounie in the middle.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Visited early April on a windy, overcast morning . Easy to find as signposted from Ashbourne to Buxton Road and parking up a farm track. Honesty box or pay the man a pound for adults, children free. A nice stroll up a stony track to the henge. A wonderful place that holds its magic. There are two entrances through the bank in roughly SE and NW alignment, ditch crossings and a ring of fallen stones with some larger ones in the middle, one of which attracts offering which it was nice to see were largely biodegradable.
It is interpreted as a stone circle surrounding a central arrangement but I’m going to suggest, based on seeing many ruins similar, that it was a dolem surrounded by kerbstones and covered by a mound inside the henge. The site is close to several barrows, mostly removed and rifled by “The Barrow Knight” a local Victorian amateur who dug a lot of barrows. While digging the one in the next field (see separate entry) he discovered a Neolithic burial and when his tunnel collapsed a Bronze Age cist with grave goods including a Jet necklace was revealed. This is interesting because the early burial mound predates the henge and a long time later it was reused and a new barrow constructed on top, similar to Waylands Smithy for example, so these monuments evolved over time as each wave of settlers stamped their presence on this obviously important place. A beautiful, peaceful place where I had only buzzards for company. I recommend a visit and will be back on a future, better planned tour of this area.
Visited early April on a windy, overcast morning . Easy to find as signposted from Ashbourne to Buxton Road and parking up a farm track. Honesty box or pay the man a pound for adults, children free. A nice stroll up a stony track to the henge. A wonderful place that holds its magic. There are two entrances through the bank in roughly SE and NW alignment, ditch crossings and a ring of fallen stones with some larger ones in the middle, one of which attracts offering which it was nice to see were largely biodegradable.
It is interpreted as a stone circle surrounding a central arrangement but I’m going to suggest, based on seeing many ruins similar, that it was a dolem surrounded by kerbstones and covered by a mound inside the henge. The site is close to several barrows, mostly removed and rifled by “The Barrow Knight” a local Victorian amateur who dug a lot of barrows. While digging the one in the next field (see separate entry) he discovered a Neolithic burial and when his tunnel collapsed a Bronze Age cist with grave goods including a Jet necklace was revealed. This is interesting because the early burial mound predates the henge and a long time later it was reused and a new barrow constructed on top, similar to Waylands Smithy for example, so these monuments evolved over time as each wave of settlers stamped their presence on this obviously important place. A beautiful, peaceful place where I had only buzzards for company. I recommend a visit and will be back on a future, better planned tour of this area.
Saxons’ Lowe from the South West
Taking the long way round I approached from the north.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The dun, in the clearing, taken from Cnoc-an-t-Samhlaidh (Summer Hill)
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The slight depression in the middle is the front door on the east side of the dun.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
The north wall, the island of Eilean Traighe almost immediately below, Eilean Dubh slightly further out.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Directions to Cairnholy 06
Take the signed Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn turn off the A75 at NX 51646 53037 (///bound.hotel.scrubbing) between Creetown and Gatehouse. Go past the first left turn, instead take the 2nd left for Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn then bear left at the Y junction after c. 100 yards. Continue up the lane to the carpark at Cairnholy. Walk W along the farm track for c. 150 yards to reach a gateway on the right. There is an interesting recumbent stone c. 20 feet W of the gate. Head to a gate in a stone wall c. 80 yards NNE. Follow the path NNE from the gateway for c. 130 yards then walk W for c. 50 yards to a grassy mound in the field. This is listed as Cairnholy Cairn on TMA. Walk NNW for c. 50 yards to a gate in a stone wall. Head NNE for a pair of small clearance cairns c. 100 yards from the gateway. Cairnholy 03 is a large stone on the W edge of a clearance cairn at NX 52000 54282 (///larger.fairway.subplot) c. 35 yards N of here.
It is possible to extend your walk to visit Cairnholy 6 & 7. Cairnholy 6 is located c. 140 yards ENE of Cairnholy Sheepfold in a drainage ditch running parallel to a stone wall. Cairnholy Sheepfold is located at NX 51721 54902 (///critic.jetted.nutty) in the NW corner of a grass field containing a large clearance cairn. Cairnholy 6 is located at NX 51871 54968 (///maker.blunt.downfield).
Cairnholy 7 is located in a grass field containing a large clearance cairn and Cairnholy Sheepfold in the NW corner. Cairnholy 7 is carved on a narrow rock ridge aligned ENE-SSW, c. 75 yards SSE of the sheepfold and c. 30 feet ENE of the stone wall. Cairnholy 7 is located at NX 51758 54840 (///gossiped.cook.valued). My route is viewable as Cairnholy 3,6 & 7.
Directions to Cairnholy 07
Take the signed Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn turn off the A75 at NX 51646 53037 (///bound.hotel.scrubbing) between Creetown and Gatehouse. Go past the first left turn, instead take the 2nd left for Cairn Holy Chambered Cairn then bear left at the Y junction after c. 100 yards. Continue up the lane to the carpark at Cairnholy. Walk W along the farm track for c. 150 yards to reach a gateway on the right. There is an interesting recumbent stone c. 20 feet W of the gate. Head to a gate in a stone wall c. 80 yards NNE. Follow the path NNE from the gateway for c. 130 yards then walk W for c. 50 yards to a grassy mound in the field. This is listed as Cairnholy Cairn on TMA. Walk NNW for c. 50 yards to a gate in a stone wall. Head NNE for a pair of small clearance cairns c. 100 yards from the gateway. Cairnholy 03 is a large stone on the W edge of a clearance cairn at NX 52000 54282 (///larger.fairway.subplot) c. 35 yards N of here.
It is possible to extend your walk to visit Cairnholy 6 & 7. Cairnholy 6 is located c. 140 yards ENE of Cairnholy Sheepfold in a drainage ditch running parallel to a stone wall. Cairnholy Sheepfold is located at NX 51721 54902 (///critic.jetted.nutty) in the NW corner of a grass field containing a large clearance cairn. Cairnholy 6 is located at NX 51871 54968 (///maker.blunt.downfield).
Cairnholy 7 is located in a grass field containing a large clearance cairn and Cairnholy Sheepfold in the NW corner. Cairnholy 7 is carved on a narrow rock ridge aligned ENE-SSW, c. 75 yards SSE of the sheepfold and c. 30 feet ENE of the stone wall. Cairnholy 7 is located at NX 51758 54840 (///gossiped.cook.valued). My route is viewable as Cairnholy 3,6 & 7.
