Images

Image of Auchagallon (Stone Circle) by Howburn Digger

Auchagallon Cairn looking South towards Machrie. The King’s Caves are around the furthest headland. Note the ancient tidal fish trap off of Machrie Point at centre right.
The golf course clubhouse (its toilets and tea room are very handy) is in the centre of the picture (cars parked outside) and Machrie Water Foot Standing Stone is in the field behind the white walled house in the mid left of the picture. October 2010.

Image credit: Howburn Digger

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Auchagallon

Visited 2.7.15

Directions:
Signposted off the A841 (Historic Scotland site.
5 minute walk up track from parking area.

In keeping with the rest of the day it was raining. But as the site is quite exposed I also had the strong wind to contend with. However, there are good coastal views to be had although the mainland was shrouded in mist and cloud.

The site is well maintained and has the customary information board. What does strike you about this site are the different types of stones which presumably was deliberate? The information board states the site has never been excavated.

This is an easy site to visit if you are on Arran and well worth it. Who knows, it may not even be raining when you come! :)

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Auchagallon

The site is only a couple of hundred yards from the road – you can spot it from the coast road if you look up the hillside. There’s room to park to the side of private lane leading up past the cairn, then a short walk uphill through the gate (there’s a sign asking people to use the lane rather than climbing across the field).

Great place to take a picnic if the weather is good.

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Auchagallon

The main thing that struck me about this place was how different all the stones are. Red ones, smooth ones, grey ones, crinkly ones, quartzy ones, allsorts. A couple of them looked to have possible cups, but on closer inspection, these proved to be totally natural.

Halfway up a hill seems an odd spot for such a thing, but there must have been a reason, makes it easier to get to for one thing. If you’re passing from Machrie to head to Ardrossan or Brodick (or vice versa), it’s worth stopping and making the short hop up from the road.

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Auchagallon

This was the first site we visited on our trip to Arran. Vicky had been before but it was my first time and I wasn’t about the let the inclement weather ruin my fun.

What a beautiful place this is – the views out across the water are stunning and the site so easy to access. However, it really did rain – and rain – and rain some more. Gave us lots to talk about in the car though, whilst trying to dry off a bit – kerb cairn or circle first?

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Auchagallon

Issues of precedence try to fog me but it is only subtext.

What came first? The kerbed cairn (as the marker would have us believe) or the circle itself to be filled in by a burial cairn, last resting place for some bronze age glitteriati, hunched double in a clay box.

My money is upon the latter, if a kerbed cairn then about half of the stones are missing seemingly alternately, that would nae happen. Why nick only half the good stuff.

Either way it matters not, what is obvious is that someone saw this place as a portal to elsewhere after life. Frankly its easy to see why.

Forming a clear marker on the node on a boundary on sacred land, the source of food and life of love and hope. overlooking the fertile waters of the sound. resounding off the wooded hill sanctuary across the way, warmth, security.

Our predeceesors must have valued what we do, there is an unbroken thread, I pootled off in my motor car.... connected, just as lost.

Steg little

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