Achinduich

Nearest town:
Dornoch (25km ESE)
OS reference:
NC58450084
OS sheet:
16
Latitude:
57° 58' 27.75 N
Longitude:
4° 23' 36.78 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by A R Cane

Outer and inner arcs of the ruined concentric stone circle with just seven stones remaining and yet it still seems to exude some charm and dignity!

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Nov 15, 2017
comment 2 comments
Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by A R Cane

Looking back across the Strath Shin Valley. The inner arc stones are really tiny.

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Nov 15, 2017
Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by A R Cane

A possible outlier to the circle beyond?

Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
A R Cane Nov 15, 2017
Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Just an arc of this stone circle survives; but these are quality stones. The power lines suggest time lapse to me ........

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 11, 2017
Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Power pylons intrude.... but at least manage to maintain a discrete distance.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 11, 2017
Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

An additional orthostat (centre right foreground) stands above a depression within the arc. Surely too slender to be part of a ‘clava style’ inner kerb, instead Burl reckons this was a concentric stone circle.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 11, 2017
Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

An outlier? Or erratic? For what it’s worth my scrawled notes upon the map record a bearing of approx (make that very approx) 142 degrees from outlier to centre.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 11, 2017
Image of Achinduich (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Just an arc of what might well have been a concentric ring remains.... but it is enough.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 7, 2015

Articles

Achinduich

thelonious
thelonious Jun 1, 2019

25/05/2019 – We’ve driven past this one a few times. Never really felt the right time to visit. We had got moving early as the rain was due. Coming through Lairg we decided to stop and have a look. Good parking in the layby to the north on A836. Just a short walk along the road to the gate leading to the rough pasture where the circle is. I liked the little climb up to the stones. Only half the circle left and a few small stones hinting at an inner circle. I liked this one.

Achinduich

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 27, 2013

It’s probably fair to say that, although standing overlooking the River Shin a little way south of Lairg, the proximity of the A836 and power lines will ensure the ruined stone circle of Achinduich will not sweep the visitor off his/her feet in the manner of the not too distant Cnoc an Liath-bhaid. Perhaps this is for the best since the rough moorland site was seriously boggy – nay, underwater! – on the occasion of my late May visit. OK, I could have done with the wash, but.......

Ruined? Well yes. Although the monument appears a classic upland stone circle when approaching from the road, presenting an enigmatic profile when viewed from what could be an outlier – or perhaps erratic (?) – I was nevertheless perplexed by my inability to find any credible trace of orthostats aside from the surviving arc.... either in situ or now lost. In addition, a slender upright standing just within the arc beside a shallow depression, far too slender to be the remnant of a kerb, suggested some internal burial, perhaps within another northern Scottish ‘U’ shaped stone setting. Burl, however (page 157, Stone Circles of the British Isles) cites an ‘Auchinduich’ in Sutherland as being a ‘concentric’ stone circle. In retrospect that seems far more plausible, duly providing a logical explanation for the elegant orthostat within. Yeah, guess I’ll go with that, then. Note also the radial setting of the uprights to circumference – as at Cnoc an Liath-bhaid – which is an interesting idiosyncrasy, is it not? Clearly the local inhabitants wanted to be different... at right angles to tradition... whilst still keeping up with the neighbours.

So.... all in all Achinduich is, to my mind, a fine hang.... Yes, the presence of the aforementioned pylons is not ideal, but then again by no means prohibitive, the views, save that of rising hillside to the east, pretty expansive with skyline peaks, not to mention the great Ord passage graves, adding additional vibe. Field systems and hut circles also surround the site, neatly answering the question ‘so who built this and gathered here, then?’ Yeah, worth a visit if obscure monuments more or less guaranteeing solitude for a while are your thang. They are mine.

If Achinduich appeals, head south from Lairg on the A836 and, a little before the buildings at Achinduich farm (funnily enough), keep a look out for an official layby below pylons striding across the low hillside to your left. Either park here, or beside access to a metal field gate a little way past, the circle standing, unseen, beyond the obvious pylon top left. There are a couple of fences.... not forgetting those field systems.... en route, but nothing to cause any trouble.

Oh, and don’t forget the nearby (and rather good) Achany chambered cairn, Ord passage graves and the River Shin ‘circles!

Sites within 20km of Achinduich

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