Glenvoidean

Nearest town:
Rothesay (10km E)
OS reference:
NR997705
OS sheet:
62
Latitude:
55° 53' 8.9 N
Longitude:
5° 12' 11.12 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Glenvoidean (Chambered Tomb) by GLADMAN

From the rear... as can be seen there remains lots of chamber detail, albeit diminutive.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 31, 2016
Image of Glenvoidean (Chambered Tomb) by GLADMAN

There are better sited chambered cairns... but not that many. Arran rises background.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 31, 2016
Image of Glenvoidean (Chambered Tomb) by greywether

N chamber viewed from behind the E portal stone. The stone to its left is a side stone to the first compartment of the chamber.

greywether
greywether Mar 9, 2004
Image of Glenvoidean (Chambered Tomb) by greywether

The NE edge of the cairn showing the well-preserved half of the facade and cairn edging along the E.

greywether
greywether Mar 9, 2004
Image of Glenvoidean (Chambered Tomb) by greywether

The two-compartment E chamber showing the portal stones and a slight curvature in from the cairn edge which the excavator took as evidence that this once stood alone in a round cairn before the whole site was incorporated in a long cairn.

greywether
greywether Mar 9, 2004

Articles

Glenvoidean

greywether
greywether Mar 8, 2004

You can visit the four chambered cairns on the W of Bute in an easy three-hour walk. To avoid repitition under each site, I’ve put the location directions for all four here with cross references at the other sites.

Drive up the single track road from Ettrick Bay and park in the small car park at Glecknabae

To reach Glecknabae, walk back down the road a few hundred metres to a gate on the left. The cairn is visible in front of the gate.

For the other three sites, follow the farm track to Kilmichael. After about 10 minutes, a signposted track to the right leads to Carnbaan.

To visit the other two, continue up the farm track. As you reach the first farm buildings, St Michael’s is in an unfenced field on the left.

For Glenvoidean, take the track on the right after the cottage just ahead of St Michael’s.

Glenvoidean is arguably the most interesting of the four but it is gradually being taken over by a gorse bush which not only spoils the understanding of the site but spoils the view over the Kyles of Bute.

It is a Clyde cairn with one axial chamber (at its N end) and two lateral chambers (E and W).

For more detail, see the captions to the accompanying photographs.

Visited 7 March 2004

Sites within 20km of Glenvoidean

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