Carnbaan

Also known as:
Lenihuline Wood
Nearest town:
Rothesay (9km ESE)
OS reference:
NS006693
OS sheet:
63
Latitude:
55° 52' 31.49 N
Longitude:
5° 11' 16.21 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Carnbaan (Chambered Tomb) by Rhiannon

From ‘The Isle of Bute in the Olden Time’ by James K Hewison, 1895.

Image credit: JKH 1895
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Jun 2, 2016
Image of Carnbaan (Chambered Tomb) by GLADMAN

Nature has thoughtlessly elevated the capstone into a luxuriant masterpiece of form

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

Like the lateral, the SW chamber is virtually intact, the mossy capstone moved to one side.

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

South-western chamber... looking along the very significant length of the monument.

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

Lateral chamber... enough on its own, to be fair.

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

The lateral chamber, intact, with cap stone merely slipped a-side. Apparently there were once more.

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

North-eastern chamber..

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

Remains of chamber to NE....

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

Looking approx SW along this – quite frankly – magnificent example of a chambered long cairn. So good even Greywether was impressed.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 31, 2016
comment 3 comments
Image of Carnbaan (Chambered Tomb) by greywether

Looking SW over the NE chamber which has been partly destroyed by a wall. The capstone now lies at an angle.

greywether
greywether Jun 7, 2004
Image of Carnbaan (Chambered Tomb) by greywether

Looking NE up the cairn over the two-compartment SW chamber.

greywether
greywether Jun 6, 2004

Articles

Carnbaan

thelonious
thelonious Jun 17, 2018
comment 2 comments

07/06/2018 – Last full day on Bute and we had a tricky decision to make. Where to go? It was a choice between heading north to visit 4 chambered cairns on the coast or heading to Scalpsie Bay and have a walk over a few tops with 1 chambered cairn. Both looked good but we went for Scalpsie Bay, just for the walk really.

Early afternoon found us back at the car and in need of a coffee shop. The one at Ettrick Bay was so fine we decided to go again. Parking at the south end of the bay we walked along the lovely beach to get there. It’s a great area for a stroll or paddle in the sea.

Refreshed I looked at the time, it was just past 3. Still thinking about the cairns to the north we started walking the coast road towards them. To visit all four cairns would have been about 8 miles and than another 1 to get back to the car. I was tired already from the morning visit to Bicker’s Houses cairn so I thought the walk to see any was too far. An hour later we were closing in on the first cairn. Bit stupid really as my feet were killing. I did like Glecknabae cairn though.

The next cairn wasn’t far so on we went again. Up hill now, it’s well signposted. The approach to the Carnbaan cairn is lovely through a wood. The sunlight through the leaves and branches was so nice.

When first getting to the site the size of it didn’t immediately become apparent. Probably like most visitors my attention went straight to the central chamber, it’s great. It’s only after you start walking about does the size and length of this long cairn reveal itself. It’s massive with chambers at both ends as well. The setting in the trees is lovely but the undergrowth hid things a little. Tricky place to photograph too.

The cairn is positioned close to a stream where just on the banks is a massive stone. I wondered if this was once part of the cairn just a short distance away.

It was getting late now and the car was a long way back. The last two cairns would have to wait for another trip. Always good to have a reason to come back. My feet moaned most of the way back. A long day out and I was sore by the end but well worth it. Tops cairns round here.

comment 2 Comments

Carnbaan

greywether
greywether Jun 6, 2004

As promised, I’m back.

In the short time since my last visit, new access and a waymarked path have been put in.

And it was a better site than my reading had led me to expect. Not really overgrown at all.

The length of the cairn is perhaps the most impressive feature of the site but the three chambers still hold interest.

Visited 10 May 2004

Carnbaan

greywether
greywether Mar 8, 2004

For access, see Glenvoidean.

Unfortunately, time and the restricted winter ferry timetable meant this one had to be dropped from my recent trip. Infuriating when you’re standing at the bottom of the track and another half hour would have done it.

It’s a Clyde long cairn (53m long) which, from all accounts, although overgrown, still has three chambers with capstones visible.

I’ll just have to come back.

Folklore

Carnbaan
Chambered Tomb
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Aug 26, 2009

On the western shore of the isle, near Scarrel Point*, exists a cave designated “The Piper’s Cave,” which the natives believed to be the opening to a subterranean passage through Eenan Hill to Carnbaan or Achavulig (Ach-a-bhuilg), where its exit was. Supernatural beings inhabited this dark retreat, which no mortal dared enter. A bold piper essayed this forlorn-hope, and was heard by his friends gaily piping underground until his slogan became hushed in the depths of the mountain. As he passed under the hearthstone of Lenihall farmhouse, he was heard lamenting that he had not a sword-hand as well as two for his pipes, and he would have routed the ogres and demons attacking him (“Da lamh air son a Phiob agus lamh air son a chlaideamh.“). Then the music ceased – forever.

*Is this near Michael’s Grave? Quote from ‘The Isle of Bute in the olden time” by J K Hewison, 1893.

Sites within 20km of Carnbaan

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