Showing 1-50 of 9,629 posts. Most recent first | Next 50          
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A magical cairn to finish the last day of October, Carn Challard. Canmore doesn't say to much about this site, only saying that it's possibly a ring cairn.
To me, it looked like a normal upland cairn for the area. It is approximately 16m wide and its 1.5m tall. As usual its been houked and trees are growing in the damaged area.
From Carrbridge I walked on the minor road heading west past the railway station, what looks like an industrial estate until I reached a track heading north west which eventually crosses the River Dulnain via the beautiful Sluggan Bridge. Just after the bridge follow the river east until the deer fence and follow it uphill until its junction with another fence. At this point, it is relatively easy to get over. On the other side follow the fence west, which leads straight to the cairn.
Despite being fairly difficult to reach, a tremendous site.
Visited 31/10/2019.
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Torran Ban is a beautifully located fort, resting in the neuk between the hills of Tom Mor (north) and Clais Gharbh (east) next to Ballinlagg Wood.
Plenty of parking just before the farm at Ballinlagg near a track that veers east giving wonderful views south to the Cairngorms.
As you arrive at the fort watch for the sign that puts occupation possibly starting at the late Bronze Age. Keep following the track until a gate is found, a track of sorts leads to the forts front door. No defences surround the top of the fort which is an empty 44m wide, natural defences north and east are steep. Defences that remain are to the south and west with fairly wide ramparts that taper away as they reach their outer edges.
I loved this place, completely unexpected and when you see it an obvious place for a fort. Superb!
Visited 31/10/2019.
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Head west and uphill from Balnallan cairn and you'll come across another deer fence, you will also come across an unrecorded cairn. It was also had the first hint of winter with a small sprinkling of snow.
The cairn sits at 4m high and is 0.5m high, some kerbs remain and the centre has been houked. Possible evidence of a cist remain, sadly its stones have been removed probably to be used as small lintels.
A nice small cairn and a report sent to Canmore.
Visited 31/10/2019.
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Just to the west of the Mains of Dalvey, on Speyside (A95), there is a minor road heading south. Take it and pull in just as the west side of the road becomes treeless. At the south end of the field there is gate, cross the field and head up the short but steep climb to the west. Head slightly south, at the top, until a place is reached where the deer fence ends. Cross the field heading north west to another gate and simply follow the fence south for a few metres until you walk straight into the cairn.
Discovered in 1989, the cairn is apparently undisturbed being 10m wide and over 1m high. Some kerbs remain on the south side. After a wee look round I ventured uphill and west for a short distance to discover the remnants of an unrecorded cairn.
A beautiful place to start the day.
Visited 31/10/2019.
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The last site of a day that consisted of long walks and beautiful scenery. Beautiful site cannot be applied to the Hill Of Cally, despite stunning views it is a tragedy of huge proportions, in short a disgrace. It would be better, in my opinion, to completely remove the site than leave it like this :-(
The cause of this clear, it is the meeting place of four fences and a gate. A track has been ploughed through the eastern half, the north west quarter has been flattened but kerbs still stand, this in turn is a bog and cows trample all over the remaining kerbs. Only in the south west does the cairn retain some of its original size, at least ten kerbs remain in place, almost a miracle. Sadly even here is a shambles with rusting gates thrown on top. Out of the 45 kerbs mentioned in Canmore I counted 22, the cist cover seems to be still there but the other kerbs have been flung over the fence to the east. The one thing the carnage couldn't destroy was the view, especially to the south east to the Lomonds in Fife.
It all started well, parking just to the north (about 1 mile) of the Bridge of Cally to have wee walk through some barns before meeting the Old Military Road. When I reached the second wood I headed west and uphill, few fences to jump but nothing too difficult.
Informed Canmore, but I don't think they can do much.
Sad end to a lovely day.
22/10/2019.
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Just west of the Parkneuk Stone Circle I pulled into a very large passing place. Luckily just a few yards down the road there is a gate which I promptly climbed and headed west and uphill. As the track ends it becomes more of a fire break which leads straight to the White Hillocks or Heatheryhaugh cairn.
Almost hidden from view the small cairn nestles in the west side of a junction in the forest. It is now turf covered keeping the stones in the 7m wide site hidden from view, the site stands at 0.4m tall.
I like wooded sites, they tend to be peaceful and sometimes not having a view is a good thing, you can just appreciate the site itself.
Nice place.
22/10/2019.
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At over 17m wide and almost 1m tall this must have been an impressive site going by the size of the kerbs, six of which still remain in place. The site is certainly impressively located with magnificent views south and west. Several displaced kerb boulders have been scarred by ploughing. The upright slab in the middle of the cairn was found by tripping over it.
Leave the Happy Hillock, head south east (downhill) and go the roads end, I parked at the junction. There are paths leading uphill which lead straight to the site. However, be careful, there are many paths. One leads up the side of a quarry, one is very steep, the correct one heads west swinging round the steep / quarry obstacles.
Lovely site!
Visited 22/10/2019.
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After visiting Drumderg, head south east, downhill, on the minor road until just beyond Tullymurdoch Farm. Look west at this point and the cairn will be spotted, an easy walk with just one fence to jump.
At one time this was a very large site being over 21m in width, now it is surrounded by an equally ruinous dry steen dyke. A large slab in the middle of the cairn maybe all that remains of the rumoured three cists. Some cairn material still pokes thru and what might kerbs might well be field clearance.
Still after seeing some of sites on this days hike, the Happy Hillock is aptly named.
Visited 22/10/2019.
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Showing 1-50 of 9,629 posts. Most recent first | Next 50
Still doing the music, following that team and getting lost in the hills! (Some Simple Minds, Glasvegas, Athlete, George Harrison, Empire Of The Sun, Nazareth on the headphones, good boots and sticks, away I go!)
(The Delerium Trees)
Protect your heritage!
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