Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a large and complex hall where some of Scotland’s first farmers gathered for festivities.
drewbhoy
An extensive Iron Age settlement established more than 2,000 years ago has been unearthed following a rare sword find, archaeologists have revealed.
After hunting about for various cairns on the south of the A836 it was time to drive along the road to park near Ardvannie’s Chamber Cairn, slightly to the north. At almost 26 meters wide and 1.6m tall, it would take a large tree to protect it. A beech provides the large tree which seems to be trying to protect the chamber, situated on the cairn’s south west.
As usual the cairn has been damaged, the access road has removed a chunk on the east side, field clearance has been dumped on top (also around the edges) along with the usual stone removal.
A bit of a ‘what if’ but also enough to let an imagination conjure up an image of what it once looked like.
We would see this site again later in the day, completely accidentally, of course.
Visited 31/03/2025.
Ardvannie Kerb Cairn still survives despite the occasional visit from cows. Several kerbs remain in place and surprisingly not noted by Trove (Canmore) are the remnants of a cist situated in the middle of 6.5m wide cairn.
A superb view of Dun Creich to west and lovely views over Dornoch Firth add to site. The nearby pond much more recent.
From the chamber cairn at Ardvannie we headed west and pulled in at the first gate on the south side of the A836. Over the fence, head west following the pond until it’s end, head south then back east on the pond’s south side. This will lead straight to the site.
Be warned, if wet weather this will be a mud bath, however, for us it was dry and more of an ankle breaker.
Visited 31/03/2025.
Planning permission has been granted for construction of a large solar farm located near “nationally significant” Bronze Age rock art.
For many years it was believed that burial at the an ancient Irish passage tomb was the preserve of kings and other dignitaries, who represented a dynasty that practised incest.
A project to dig up a prehistoric ritual site described as “Cornwall’s ancient sacred heart” is set to go ahead after it received funding.
As we walked along Stolinskie and myself talked about sites that could have easily avoided being damaged with a bit of care. Within minutes the Cambuscurrie Wood cairn would provide the, sadly, the perfect example of our conversation.
The cairn is quite literally next to the track, the south side of the cairn looks that it has been completely removed. They speak of large stones on the north side, they maybe are there but are now completely covered in vegetation and dumping of excess earth. The south side has been cleared of vegetation – to allow better views of the track.
A bit of a tragedy, a ‘what if’.
Still, good fun heading back down to the road, washed away paths, steep banks, head high vegetation, the much awaited appearance of ‘jabby stuff’ and paths on the maps that didn’t exist. As usual, eventually a track was found ironically leading us straight to where I had parked.
Visited 31/03/2025.
Heading east through woods and clearings we found the forestry track that would lead straight to the long cairn on Edderton Hill.
It has taken quite a battering. A lot of walls have been built using stones from the cairn, even worse a 2 meter gap has been chopped through to allow a track, now overgrown, to the woods nearby to the north. Plenty of space to go round – baffles me.
What remains is a cairn that stretches over 60m in length, some of it turf and heather covered with the width being 14m in places especially in the east. Other parts are reduced to 7m in width, its height no more than 1.5m.
Easy to spot on the north side of the track.
Visited 31/03/2025.
After the Morangie visit we headed west leaving the A9 at the Dornoch Firth Bridge roundabout to follow the A836 heading further west. We parked at the first available place that resembled a lay-by next to the beginnings of an old forestry track. From here we headed uphill and south west, reasonably steep and plenty of vegetation, cutting through marked and unmarked tracks to reach a track of sorts which seemed to find a way through small gorges to eventually reach a clearing. At the southern end of the clearing is the impressive Red Burn Cairn.
It’s measurements are impressive as well – 23m wide and 4m high with superb views to north over the Dornoch Firth. Canmore suggests a cist on the north side but a lot of the stones could suggest that. On the west side a stone that might possibly have stood seems to be having a rest. Elsewhere some serious houking or a possible trench has taken place. As with a lot of these places tracks have clipped the sides of the track – you’d think there would be plenty of room to get round. Much worse examples were soon to appear as we headed east.
However, this is a superb site, damage is restricted so plenty to admire. Also, fair play to the people re-building the the old ‘but and ben’. Great to see such restoration.
Visited 31/03/2025.
It’s not everyday you drive through Cullen, stop at the town’s Square and meet a new TMA’er with a pole and a copy of the The Modern Antiquarian stuck to the top of it. With Stolinskie safely on board we headed towards Inverness, north over the Kessock Bridge to stop slightly north of Tain.
We parked in a lay-by just to north of the famous Morangie Distillery, walked, west, past a huge stone with engravings (see Folklore) to the junction of two fields, next to the A9. Over the gate, follow the fence and dyke, jump over another fence then over a wee burn, the dun is straight ahead to the south. The dun can be seen from the A9 which in turn has superb views north over the Dornoch Firth and Edderton Sands.
The walls of the dun still stand at over 2m wide and in some places the turf covered walls reach 1.5m. As usual field clearance has dumped on the site, however this doesn’t hide the site’s 15m internal width. Sadly, a lot of stonework has been removed to build ‘dry stane dykes’, there are plenty marking nearby fields.
A nice and easy way to start the day. That would slightly change later on. :-)
Visited 31/03/2025.
The Stonehenge World Heritage Site is big – so big, it is actually split in two, with much of it around Avebury.
People have lived and worked in the area long before they were ever declared a World Heritage Site – so when someone needs to build something, how do you make sure it will not negatively affect the much loved sites?
I drove my car right up to the The Bothy and parked beside plenty of other cars. In the distance I could hear shooting so it was reasonable to assume another ‘pheasant shoot’ was finishing.
The gathering clouds I’d spied in the North East on the Hill of Edzell had ventured south to add the perfect covering of snow at the stone circle. It must have been thirty years since my last visit, another winter’s day, it was good to be back – almost nothing had changed including the snow.
No going over the Cairn O’ Mount for me on the way home, the snow gates had been closed.
Visited 04/01/2025.
NO 57808 70052 – Edzell 5
This cairn is south west of the trig and slightly downhill. At one time this must have been impressive, sadly like most of the sites on the hill it has taken some severe punishment, it has been houked and field clearance dumped on top. Like the cairns nearer Laurencekirk the majority of stones appear to be pebbles. Still, it survives at almost 7m wide and is 0.3m high.
NO57863 69957 – Edzell 4
Continuing south west to the next cairn. Weirdly the next three cairns all appear to very similar in size being over 8m and 0.3m high. More pebbles are mixed in with the cairn material which also has seen field clearance dropped on top.
NO57575 69845 – Edzell 3
Similar in size to its near neighbour, Edzell 4, it is 8m wide 0.3m high. It might have been larger going by the size of the footprint. Canmore says irregular shape, perhaps for a square, it looks reasonably circular to me and seems to have less field clearance thrown on top. Stunning views north, to the north east many miles away cloud was building up.
NO57520 67696 – Edzell 2
Several kerbs remain in place, at the this the furthest south west of the cairns. I normally have a go at people who put fences through the middle of sites, here they deserve some applause as the fence is at least a couple of metres away from the west side – so fair play. These ancient people must have only had a tape measure that went to 8m, as yet again the site is that width and is 0.3m, as usual, high. Look closely and small ditch marks the east edge.
There appears to nothing be ‘that special’ about any of these sites but given the location and the fact that there are quite a few sites on the ridge that has superb all round views perhaps it was a significant place.
On my way down I headed back up to the trig then followed a track on the east side of a Christmas Tree wood that would head, south, back to the road near Edzell Castle. I’d also hoped to have a look at the ground north of the castle to see if there were any hints or remains of a fort. A good idea – except the people with red flags and their pals with guns were shooting at birds in the area.
Back to the car, time to go visit an old friend.
Visited 04/01/2025.
This was to prove an interesting and exciting climb. Parking at Edzell’s Old Parish Church I headed uphill, north, in the field to the west of Drummore Hill. A beautiful day, very little snow and no wind – very decent hill walking conditions. Keep going until clear of the trees and a track will be found. Follow this north until it ends, jump the fence and keep going.
All of a sudden I heard shouts in the wind, a saw a row of people in the field behind all carrying red flags along with two small tractors heading up and down the field, then I heard shooting – a pheasant shoot was following me up the hill. That ensured I sped up over the last field, jumped the fence and headed straight north via couple of fences to the trig.
The trig sits on top of fantastically positioned but ruined cairn. They couldn’t take away the views which today – absolutely stunning. There is earthfast kerb on the south and bits of cairn material – the remains of the 6m wide by 0.5 high site.
There’s a lot to see on this hill, better head south west.
Visited 04/01/2025.
In ancient times, the dead were buried in a cairn on this high vantage point. Islanders lit fires to send signals to passing vessels or kept lookout for friends or foes arriving by water. In 1615, on low ground to the south, the MacDonalds and Campbells of Calder clashed over ownership of the island, leaving behind a cannon ball and flints. Now the waters carry ferries to Islay and beyond.
From ‘Visit Gigha‘
Around 4000 years ago, eight or more people were buried in Càrn Ban. One was a woman, laid on one side with her legs curled up to fit into the small stone chamber. White quartz rocks and pottery urns were buried with her, perhaps because they were believed to be important in the afterlife. In 1792, four of these chambers or cists were uncovered by local people as they took the stone away to build dykes, but when they opened them, they were hit with an intolerable stench that gave them violent headaches.
From ‘Visit Gigha‘
Since the Bronze Age or earlier, Carragh an Tairbeirt standing stone has marked the narrowest point of Gigha, tall enough to be seen from the sea from both east and west. The name might be familiar – there are several places named Tarbert (An Tairbeart or Tairbeirt in Gaelic) across Scotland, on narrow necks of land where boats could be drawn or carried from water to water. The stone marks this isthmus, but it’s likely to have had deeper meaning. Was its placement linked to cycles of the Moon or to the midsummer sunset?
Local legend knows it as the Giant’s Tooth, pulled and thrown by a giant with toothache. It’s also known as the Hanging Stone, where people convicted at nearby Cnoc an Eireachdais – the Hill of the Assembly – were hanged from the cleft at the top. Or perhaps you prefer the story of betrothed couples who shook hands through the gap for luck.
From ‘Visit Gigha‘
A small group of people lived near Ardaily aroud 1,500 to 2,500 years ago during the Iron Age. They had a great vantage point from which to trade and fish and keep a watchful eye to the west. Dùn an Trinnse is just one of at least seven forts scattered along the length of Gigha. Another – Dùn Chibhich – sits on top of the little hill on the far side of Mill Loch and Dùnan an t-Seasgain sits to the left of the track leading back to Druimyeonmore.
From ‘Visit Gigha‘
With its strong stone walls, built partly along the edge of a 10-metre cliff, this was perhaps Gigha’s most imposing ancient fortification. It is said to have belonged to Chibhich (or Keefie), the son of a Norse king, whose story is entwined with the Irish legend of Diarmuid and Gráinne. Gráinne was daughter to the Irish king. Escaping marriage to the aging warrior, Fionn MacCool, she fled north with her lover, Diarmuid, but on Gigha she fell for Chibhich. Diarmuid fought Chibhich, killing him, and the latter is said to be buried in a grave south of the summit.
From ‘Visit Gigha‘
BODACH & CAILLEACH
At noon and night these stones are said to walk the heaths of Gigha. To us they are the Bodach and Cailleach, the old man and old woman in Gaelic. The Cailleach, the smaller stone, is the goddess of wilderness and winter. They may have links to pre-Christian Ireland over 1,500 years ago – Irish sailors still placed offerings here in the 19th century. But they are not alone. Similar-shaped bodachs are found in Perthshire, while other bodachs and cailleachs are woven into Highland and Hebridean landscapes. Tradition tells us that our Bodach must always face Ireland and that it’s bad luck if he falls – so tread carefully!
From ‘Visit Gigha‘
Scientists in Spain say they have discovered the oldest full human fingerprint after unearthing a rock which they say resembles a human face and suggests Neanderthals could make art.
I’d been meaning to visit the Auchmull cairn many times having gone past the site on numerous occasions.
As usual Mr Sheriff’s notes in Canmore don’t give much away, the four small cairns he mentions are at best field clearance cairns but more likely just to be dumped stones.
However, the main cairn remains despite some bad treatment. It still sits at over 12m wide. One kerb appears to remain in place with, perhaps, others scattered all over the place.
The winter weather makes the shape of the cairn easy to spot, it still reaches over 0.5m in height, thankfully no wintry showers at this point.
Nice way to start 2025.
Visited 04/01/2025
The weather remained cloudy and the wind had picked up for the last visit to a prehistoric site on the this trip Colonsay. Follow the track as it heads south west from Dun Tealtaig. Uragaig is easy to spot with its distinctive shape.
Apart from the entrance on the east, a natural causeway some of which has collapsed, the rest of the fort is surrounded by steep cliffs and guarded by some sheep.
It seems to be a fort of extensions, nature had been kind to the builders providing them with what looks like spare rooms, to me at least. They also made use of the ridge on the east side and built a wall – 60m in length and survives, still standing at just over 0.5m and 2m wide. Inside this wall there are several hut circles and other traces of buildings, probably built at a later date.
So that was Colonsay, guess we’ll be back.
Visited 15/08/2024.
Once again we parked at car park at Kiloran Bay, this time walking uphill along the minor road heading west until the road ends at the cottage with the same name as the fort.
At the farm follow the fence north east, jump the gate and a small climb takes you to the site. Nature has provided the defence except on the south / south-west which must have provided the entrance.
A wall, best preserved on the south, surrounds the 46m by 48m site which also contains some hut circles.
A windy place with good all round views especially to the north and Kiloran Bay.
Visited 15/08/2024.
Stunning Scottish isle is only place in Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found
The isle is home to the site of Cladh Hallan, where rare Bronze Age burial discoveries reshaped British archaeology.
Dig Alderney has discovered part of an Iron Age round house in its latest excavation.
Initially, the most recent dig had not revealed much archaeology but this latest find will offer a target for future excavation
Researchers are uncovering more remnants from the Iron Age in Alderney.
A dig which is taking place at Les Huguettes on Longis Common is exploring more of a second roundhouse structure that was found on the site in 2024.
The fort is behind the trees, we landed in the small bay.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
Taken from the road heading east from the village of Ford.
Image credit: drew/AMJ
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