Stair Haven

Broch
NX209533

Also known as:

"Crow's Neith", Broken Castle and Stairhaven

Nearest town:

Stranraer (16km W)

OS reference:

NX209533

OS sheet:

Latitude:

54° 50' 31.98 N

Longitude:

4° 47' 22.28 W

Added to TMA by

broch the badger

Images (15)
Fieldnotes (2)
Links (1)

Images

The W side...plenty of undisturbed courses under that turf, probably

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

Another N view...note the smallness of the stones used in the entrance, surely a factor in collapse. Stairhaven car park in distance, complete with WC. (hello t/rusty Fiesta xxx)

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

Looking N up coast to Stairhaven, and, in L distance, the sand dunes at the head of Luce Bay, which contain many Neolithic axe factories with, iirc, Langdale connections..the weather constantly reveals.

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

Looking W – uppermost extant top step of intramural stairwell R lower

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

The intramural stairwell

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

Looking south.... Mull of Galloway on horizon R, with walling of intermural stairway in foreground

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

The start of a clockwise circular walk round...entrance at R

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

What greets you on completion of your ascent: the entrance on the NW side

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

Closeup of approach route: easy scramble up round L side of large blackened boulder in centre, then up ex-broch debris to site

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

Frontal view from seaward..the best point of access

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

The approach along the beach from Stairhaven..the stone chute from clifftop path to L ends in a mass of brambles etc. Sorry, beach at low tide IS only way. Step on the creamy brown boulders – barnacles give excellent grip. Incidentally the stone chute is whats left from a village clearance, heaved over the edge. Google the Master of Stair for other historical landowner activity....

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Oct 23, 2016

The broch viewed from the cliff above. A fine footpath onward from viewing point.

Image credit: Mike Purslow

spencer Nov 24, 2015

Image of Stair Haven (Broch) by broch the badger

Entrance

broch the badger Apr 10, 2007

View north

broch the badger Apr 10, 2007

Intra-mural stair

broch the badger Apr 10, 2007

Articles

Stair Haven

Broch

spencer Oct 18, 2015

Definitely only access from the shore, and at low tide. I had a walk a good way along the clifftop path which heads south from Stairhaven, and it is either precipitous or a mass of bramble and gorse. Ouch. Nonetheless I recommend a walk along the path as there is a good view down to the broch at one point and it helps to show the sites place in the land and seascape. Of the brochs seen in west Galloway I thought this was certainly the best preserved, even though that’s not saying much. Well worth a visit.. but do watch that tide.

Stair Haven

Broch

broch the badger Apr 10, 2007

We gained access by climbing from the shore below, only possible at low tide. The approach via the gully on the northern side is somewhat easier but not as exciting. It is maybe possible to climb down from the cliffs above but we didn’t check this out. There is enough remaining of a substantial broch to make the visit worthwhile and is a beautiful place just to sit and consider the original builders (and the in-coming tide). It’s not the best work I’ve seen but pretty neat nonetheless. There are no door checks or guard cells but there is some remaining intra-mural staircase. So it’s a broch all right and quite rare for this part of Scotland.