Balnaguie

Nearest town:
Fortrose (9km ENE)
OS reference:
NH628547
OS sheet:
26
Latitude:
57° 33' 41.75 N
Longitude:
4° 17' 37.15 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by thesweetcheat

Huge upright, 1.85m high, forming the south side of the western (inner) chamber.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 22, 2013
Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by thesweetcheat

From the SE, with the remaining stone of the south section of facade in the foreground.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 22, 2013
Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by thesweetcheat

Showing the distance between the stump at the NNE edge of the cairn and the chamber. Some monument this must have been before the mound was robbed away.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 22, 2013
Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by thesweetcheat

The broken stump is at the NNE extremity of the original cairn. A low bank of rubble curving away to the right is all that now remains of the mound.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 22, 2013
Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by thesweetcheat

General view of the structure from the north. The two widely spaced stones set apart on the left are remains of the original facade. The slab at the left-hand end of structure is the north side of the eastern chamber. The next stone (in front of the tree) is the northern portal stone, marking the division between the two chambers – its southern pair is underneath the oak tree. The remaining stones to the right are the sides of the western chamber. The viewpoint is within the perimeter of the original cairn, which would have been absolutely massive.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 22, 2013
Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by thesweetcheat

Seen from the driveway to the east. Ask at the house, the people are very friendly.

Image credit: A. Brookes (20.10.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 22, 2013
Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by greywether

From the rear of the chamber (looking E).

The N portal stone between the two chamber compartments can be seen. The S one is under the tree!

greywether
greywether Nov 12, 2004
Image of Balnaguie (Chambered Cairn) by greywether

The rear compartment of the two-compartment chamber.

A portal stone at bottom centre. The tilted backstone would be 2.1m high when upright.

greywether
greywether Nov 12, 2004

Articles

Balnaguie

Hob
Hob Aug 11, 2005

This place would have commanded a fantastic view if there were no trees about. You can’t see much of the surrounding area due to the trees and the house, but it’s in what I believe they call ‘a prominent position’. It would have been visible for quite a distance I’d think.

There are a few larger stones lurking about in the field, some down the bottom of a steep slope that forms the western edge of the field. Another is about 50m to the north, these may have been part of the structure, I don’t know enough about these kind of monuments to pass judgement on the matter.

What I do know is that it has a nice feel, and the Oak doesn’t detract from the place at all. In fact, I’d love to see the place in the winter, it would look fantastic in the snow at sunset.

The folks at the house were more than happy to allow access, providing visitors ask.

Balnaguie

greywether
greywether Nov 12, 2004

There are some really big stones at this Orkney-Cromarty cairn – large enough not to be dominated by the tree which grows out of the chamber.

Mostly chamber stones remaining with the hint of a facade.

Access. Easy. Ask at house. Cairn to W of the drive.

Visited 31 October 2004

Sites within 20km of Balnaguie

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