My initial, map-less attempt to find this monument from Achnagoul I ends in an embarrassing retreat back down the hill to the car in order to remedy the situation. Huh, 'mountain man pathfinder', indeed... As I do so, however, I spot the farmer working in the field. 'Hmm, suppose I'll discover if what G and Postie said about his attitude still holds true', I think to myself as I boldly make contact. In short, it does.... for conversation makes it clear the man harbours a deep appreciation of what he has here in his care and of the tradition he is upholding. No need to ask permission, just show the land and his ownership due respect and you are welcome here. How refreshing, downright intelligent and proper Scottish is that?
I jump in his Defender for a lift back up the hill and, once over the forest gate, head approx north, taking care to err on the side of left and so avoid my previous mistake. After one 'false alarm' - hell, this doesn't look much - I arrive within the monument's clearing. Wow! This is much more like it. Exquisite.
A large chamber, partitioned into two sections lengthwise (or technically perhaps two linear chambers?) is entered via a fine, curving facade of orthostats. Heavilly overgrown with moss and fern, a little poking around in the undergrowth - I mean 'serious academic investigation', of course -reveals said facade to be much more extensive than I first thought. So much so that, if I didn't know better, I'd have assumed I'd found an Irish Court Tomb (a point also made by G in his notes, it must be said). The vibe here is so incredible this early evening that thoughts of moving on are immediately discarded. Nature has taken a large step to reclaiming this tomb, but in a far more subtle manner than Auchnaha across the water! Somehow the artificially-created environs of Achnagoul II feel right and I do not even mourn the loss of a horizon. How strange is that? Strange, but true. The same sentiments as finding such a beauty so close to one of Scotland's finest.
Finally, I get to the last of the 23 chambered cairns in mid Argyll which I had planned to visit - all but four of them for the first time.
A good one to end with and not before time too as it's taking longer and longer to cut away the surrounding bracken and then do the trampling down dance.
This Clyde cairn has been cited as bearing more than a passing similarity to Irish court cairns not just because of the U-shaped court but also in the way the divisions between the compartments have been constructed.
From Achnagoul I, enter the forest by the gate in front of that cairn but do not follow the obvious track in the forest as it will take you too far E. You need to head N for about 100m. No obvious track that I could see - even on the way back - but the forest is not too thick and the clearing in which the cairn lies should soon become visible.
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Posted by GLADMAN
Posted by greywether
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