As with all the chambered cairns we've seen on Arran, this one's suffered a lot of damage but is still well worth a visit as the size of the mound is still well defined.
Around 30m long and 5m or 6m wide standing in a flat clear field, it makes a big impression. To sit here and superimpose this scale of mound on Torrylinn and the others we've seen makes them even more impressive.
It's orientated on a roughly WNW/ESE axis. The top has been much dug into, and indeed it's not clear to me which end is which. At the east end there are several uprights poking up in the centre which strongly imply the chambers. At the west end there's a Batman ear shaped stone, the classic 'doorpost', recumbent. Plus, the mound seems a bit wider at the west end.
In the field boundary to the west lies a large stone possibly removed from the monument (or a former standing stone?).
About 25m to the north of the mound stands a stone, 7 feet high, Batman ear shaped, on a NW/SE axis, flat side facing NE. Less than a mile to the east, the ridge of the hill of An Tunna points straight at us, with an ancient earthwork a third of the way up marked 'fort' on the map.
The Monyquil monuments are on private land – ask at the house for permission.
A 2.5m high standing stone close to a rather ruined chambered cairn.
A wonderful location with hills on three sides and the open fourth side leading down to Machrie Moor and the sea.
Access. There is a convenient parking space just off the main road on the farm road. You need to go up to the farmhouse to get the footbridge across the stream. There was no reply when I called.
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Posted by greywether
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