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Scotsburn Wood West

Chambered Cairn

<b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by greywetherImage © greywether
Nearest Town:Invergordon (8km S)
OS Ref (GB):   NH721767 / Sheet: 21
Latitude:57° 45' 42.53" N
Longitude:   4° 8' 59.87" W

Added by greywether


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<b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by strathspey <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by strathspey <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by greywether <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by greywether <b>Scotsburn Wood West</b>Posted by greywether

Fieldnotes

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Owing to the unanticipated (duh!) excellence of the nearby Kinrive cairns.... consuming much more time than I reckoned ... I ended up kipping overnight at Newmore Wood in order to facilitate a megalithic foray into Scotsburn Wood this beautiful, sunny morning. Well, I might never come here again, you know? No time like the present. So, parking up to the east at Dalnaclach, as suggested by Greywether, I duly follow the track skirting the southern fringe of the wood, heading west. Upon negotiating a stile set overlooking extensive buildings in the valley below, I veer right to ascend a forestry track defining the western localised limit of the wood... assuming that makes sense? The chambered cairn lies a little way up this track, just within the trees, that is more or less to the north. Not that there is any indication of its existence to the (increasingly exasperated) traveller whatsoever. At least in late Spring.

Yeah, it looks 'relatively easy' upon the map. But appearances are often deceptive. Suffice to say I struggle... greatly.... to find the monument, only succeeding after a number of 'sweeps', and then after having blundered into the presence of Scotsburn Wood East first of all, this happy eventuality allowing me to fix my position and take a bearing.

In retrospect my difficulty was not surprising, the monument more or less completely engulfed by vegetation, so much so that camouflage netting would've probably made it more visible! Having said that, once located, I found myself revelling in the unkempt state of this hidden gem of a site boasting a quite substantial surviving chamber. As for cairn.... I didn't see much evidence, although, of course, that could have been hidden under the extensive vegetation. Tell me about it. But no matter. Persevere to find this 'un since I reckon it is the ideal companion to the better defined site to the approx north-east, that obligingly set within its woodland clearing. Yeah, there is no clearing here, it being no small feat to see the monument for the trees. But I can live with that.
GLADMAN Posted by GLADMAN
29th August 2013ce
Edited 29th August 2013ce

Visited this site on my way to Scotsburn Wood East and felt a wee bit disappointed. The entire site has gained a good covering of ferns and heather since Greyweathers visit in 2004 and individual stones are difficult to see. Virtually all the remaining stones are hidden by ferns and this gives the main (and only) indication as to the stones' positions.
Visited 3rd Dec09
strathspey Posted by strathspey
7th December 2009ce
Edited 7th December 2009ce

Set in a forestry clearing, this is a good example of the features of a typical Orkney-Cromarty passage and chamber - not much of the cairn survives.

The less well preserved Scotsburn Wood East also sits in the forest at NH726768 but was not visited due to an outbreak of CBA.

Access. Several possibilities but we parked at NH733763, followed the Right of Way west for about 1 km then N up the rather wet forest track. Easy walking but two stiles to cross.

Visited 1 November 2004
greywether Posted by greywether
11th November 2004ce
Edited 11th November 2004ce