Images

Image of Carn na Croiche (Chambered Cairn) by strathspey

Looking South across what remains of Southern section.

Image credit: Graham Grant
Image of Carn na Croiche (Chambered Cairn) by strathspey

Looking North West. Outline of outer circle just visible.

Image credit: Graham Grant

Articles

Carn na Croiche

This Scheduled Monument is actually quite difficult to find in the heavily afforested slopes of Cnoc Navie.

Enter the plantation from the Scotsburn road and follow a forestry Commission track around the southern slopes until it comes to an abrupt end. (The last mile of the track is not shown on the latest OS map).

Directly uphill and North of the tracks end is an old dry stone dyke. Follow this steeply uphill through very rough terrain until you are on the western spur of the summit of Cnoc Navie.

The remains of Carn na Croich lie about 200m west in a small clearing surrounded by Pines of varying maturity.

The monument has been well robbed out (dry stone dykes!!) but the outer circumference of the cairn can be easily seen.

The central chamber depression can be seen but individual stones are difficult to see due to a deep covering of moss and heather.

Its isolation in a very quiet, atmospheric and secluded spot makes this a worthwhile site to visit.

Its also a cracking walk through some excellent Pine, Larch and Birch woodlands – but be warned, its virtually all uphill.

Folklore

Carn na Croiche
Chambered Cairn

From The Statistical Accounts (see link):

On the summit of a wooded hill called Knock Navie, there is a cairn called Carna na Croiche, i.e. the cairn of the gallows. The tradition connected with it is, that some men who were travelling, being weary and faint with hunger, as they passed Achnacloich, stopped and asked the woman who had charge of the laird’s dairy for some cheese and milk to allay their hunger, offering at the same time to pay for it. She, however, refused to give it; upon which, the men took it, laid down money for it, and went away. The woman immediately informed the laird of the circumstance, who being a man of a fierce and savage disposition, sent after the travellers, brought them back and hanged them on the spot now marked by the cairn.

Sites within 20km of Carn na Croiche