drewbhoy

Just before the big brae heading through Moulin & Kinnaird to Pitlochry, on the A924, pull in before (Kirkmichael side) or after (Pitlochry side) the Knock Barrie wood. Head straight north from the gatehouse, you’ll find a track, to what looks like the area’s highest point. An ideal place for a prehistoric site, in this case a Four Poster Stone Circle.

Arrangement of boulders in rectangle, 5m between stones N/S and 2m between stones E/W. Largest stone A 1.6 x 1.4 x 0.8m glacial erratic, B 1.3 x 0.6 x 0.45m rounded glacial erratic, C flat stone covered by moss 1.3 x 1.30m, D covered in moss 0.8 x 0.8 x 0.25m. Small outlier on E and W sides. Located on low flat raised piece of ground.

Pinched from Canmore, the site details. Coming down from Braemar, it was a scorcher, by the time we’d almost reached Pitlochry an atmospheric mist had descended.

A great wee site to start proceedings.

Visited 23/07/2021.

At Coylumbridge, take the road the heads to the Cairngorm Ski Centre, Glenmore etc before taking the road to the Badaguish Outdoor Centre.

I walked north eastish over the outdoor cycle tracks to outskirts of a wood and followed the Allt Feithe Moire burn back to near its beginnings in the east somewhere above the Coire Bogha Choinnich cairn. Fairly treacherous underfoot due to bog, fallen trees and deep holes lurking filled with water. Thankfully I didn’t have any falls.

The site is 7m wide and 1m tall appearing to houked. However due to the vegetation it is impossible to see what is in the cairn’s centre, it is possible to see what appears to be kerbs on the south west arc.

Being in the Cairngorms, the views are tremendous even over to my pointy friend Castle Hill, which had some of the darkest clouds I’d seen during summer. Naturally as I made my way back down I was drenched, no waterproofs would have been able to cope. As I made my way back along the A95, the car was just about able to cope. Two hours later, it wouldn’t have, as water from the hills and streams had flooded the road, flood alerts concerning the Spey had also been broadcast.

Great views, nice wee site.

Visited 10/07/2021.

Delbog is one of these lovely cairns found often in the Grantown on Spey area, most of which are on the North or West side of the River Spey. This site, like Coire Molach, is to south of the river and the south west of Nethy Bridge. Getting here is complicated but here goes.

On Nethy Bridge’s west side is Duackbridge, take the road that heads south, keep going ignoring the first minor road as the (wider road) veers south west, however take the next minor road south then take the next road that heads west. Just before this comes to a stop, take the road heading south before finally stopping at a cattle grid. Plenty room to park.

Go on the track heading south, then take the first grass track heading west, when I was there the first deer gate was open, follow the small fence till its end as its meets another deer fence, jump this, head south south, jump the Allt Ruigh Challich burn to immediately jump another deer fence. From here head south west through a clump of trees , a bog until you see a gate, follow the field until the end of the small promontory, head south east and another gate appears. Over that then head south, climb a small fence and jump the Craiggowrie Burn. Climb the small ridge in front and a further 200 meters south will take you to the cairn.

Sheltering underneath Craigowrie, the mountain, Delbog Cairn has fantastic views over to the Aviemore, Carr Bridge and Grantown on Spey areas. Plenty of stone work can be seen at the site which is 10m wide and 1m high. There appears to be the remnants of a cist in it’s centre.

It also has company, several cairns are nearby, however a return visit is required as somehow I managed to delete the photos of those nearby sites.

Still, no damage done, back by same route I arrived.

Visited 10/07/2021.

I headed north and uphill from the main cairn at Coire Molach. The first thing I spotted, apart from numerous canes, was an odd shaped tree growing in the middle of a cairn. The site’s footprint surrounds the odd shaped tree which appeared to me to be half dead and half alive.

This site is about 7 metres wide and is 1m tall, and has been houked. Some larger stones might be a displaced kerb. Stones are clearly visible to east and moss/green leaf covered in the north west.

I headed back to car in a circuitous route spying three more cairns. It is a safe bet that the whole ridge might be covered in prehistoric monuments.

Visited 10/07/2021.

As you are about to enter Nethy Bridge from the east side, B970, take the road signposted Tomintoul heading south, keep following this past the school, past the houses veering east. Keep going until you reach the signpost marked Dorbrack. Just after Muckerach there is a gate with plenty room to park.

Luckily for me this gate was open so I followed the track heading east until the trees came to meet it. At this point head north west. The cairn, well disguised by heather, is next to the beginnings of a stream. It can also be identified by the small cane stuck in the houked out centre.

Despite some damage the cairn still sits at ten metres wide and is 1 metre high. Tramp hard enough and you will feel stones beneath your feet.

Glorious views of the Cairngorms and to the North West. Canmore say there are several more possible burial cairns. I spied 4, one of which was easily identified.

Visited 10/07/2021.

There are two other rocks with cup marks at Brae Of Revack :

NJ0364524514 Slightly to the east, Canmore days 5 cups, I think there 6, one very slight mark near the group.

NJ0361924518 To the north westish of the main stone, Canmore says 2, I say three. 1 well preserved cup mark with two that are hard to spot.

I would think there is a lot of rock art in the area, yet to be discovered Not to far away on the north side of the Spey, is Laggan Hill, home to 3 cairns and on its western flank, loads of cup marked rocks.

Visited 10/07/2021.

I was given permission to park at Auchernack Farm by the owner, she was very proud of the site and certainly knew all about the cup marks. From the farm I headed south east following track until a small stables. Once past the gate keep following the track until you see a track heading up into the wood. Take this track and follow it until it’s end. Over the gate, look east and over the next gate.

The pylons are actually good for directions, head east in their direction, once the land evens out the cup marked rocks can be seen.

This rock has 23 marks, I counted in the hope of finding more but. Superb views over the Cairngorms.

Visited 10/07/2021.

Taking the circular route back to Glenbuchat I followed the minor road at Bellabeg until I reached the sharp corner which sees the road and Water of Buchat head south. Just before the corner there is plenty room to park near the ford that crosses the burn.

From there I headed north passing Upperton Farm on the track that follows the Waulkmill Burn. The track heads straight north then veers north west. After about 500 meters heading north west head north east, jumping the Waulkmill Burn, and this should straight to the ring ditch houses described with the photos.

Great views, especially of Ben Newe.

Visited 12/04/2021.

Sadly there is not to much to be seen of the souterrain on Tom Breac as it has been backfilled. However some stonework can be seen and the outline is reasonably visible. It is a fairly safe bet that the site is in good condition underneath the earth and turf.

With it being the Easter holidays I parked at Strathdon Primary School. Follow the track that heads north on the west side of the school, veer west, when the track reaches a dyke, then north on a track that is just about visible. The site is in the biggest clearing that looks east over to the Hill of Cummerton.

Not much to see, but at least it is there.

Visited 12/04/2021.

I parked on the west side of Ben Newe, where two forestry roads meet to get onto the minor road, just to the south of Eastertown.

Heading east I jumped the burn, near the dam, and followed the track as it headed north as it ends it turns into a walkers track and heads east. This section for about a 200 meters was tricky as it was covered knee deep in snow.

Keep going uphill, following a fence and old dry stane dyke until you meet a larger track. Cross this and follow the track to the summit.

Unluckily for me the water in the well was frozen. Stunning views especially to the west where the Cairngorms were covered in snow. When the wind dropped it was warm, when windier it was freezing.

Good to return to Ben Newe via a different route.

Visited 12/04/2021.

Follow the directions as to the nearby kerbed cairn, this cairn, probably one of the biggest in the woods is almost 8m wide and 1 m high. Sadly the burial cairn has had a bit of houking but it still retains something of its original shape.

The moss on the stones plus the trees make this place feel very old, there are plenty of cairns in here, many nearby all around 6m wide. You could easily spend weeks looking for them.

Probably more important than what it’s given credit for there are up to 80 cairns in the woods. Bring wellingtons, plenty of boggy bits.

Visited 4/01/2021.

From the mound at Woodbine Cottage, I headed north on the track until it met another track heading west. A nice sunny day by now and excellent tracks for walking on. Keep going and follow this track as it veers south west until it meets another track, this time heading east. Follow this for about 500m then head cross country and south. Despite the marshy conditions, no accidents.

The site is contained within a tumble down dry stane dyke. It survives as a stony, partially turf covered mound being over 1m high in places. Some damage has occurred which will explain the dykes in the area. Trees block what would have been tremendous all round views. This must have been a superb site at some stage, it still is despite the damage.

To get back to where I parked I headed back to A93, to the south, jumping over a couple of wee burns on the way then headed east.

Fine site!

Visited 4/01/2021.

Woodbine Cottage is situated within the Crathes Castle Policies. I parked about 1 mile west of Crathes Village, on the A93, and walked up the tarred road past the cottage until a crossroads. Head into the North East and the woods, the monument is only about a 50m walk.

It is oval shaped being 10m by 5m and reaches a height of 3m. An impressive setting with good views south to the hills on the other side of the River Dee. According to Canmore it is orientated north to south.

Fine site, fine views.

Visited 4/01/2021.

On a changeable wintry day I started at the Ferrar West Cairn across the road from the better known Ferrar Cairn. I parked the car in the lay-by that overlooks the Balnacoil Airstrip, to the west of Aboyne on the A93. From there I headed to the Deeside walkway, heading west, and at the first set of gates climbed over into the field containing the site.

Not much to see unfortunately, the site has been flattened until only the footprint remains, being 6m wide and 0.3 high. Perhaps there is a hint of a kerb on the north side. The wintry conditions made it easier to spot but maybe harder to photograph. A near neighbour seems to have been removed altogether.

Visited 04/01/2021.

After finding the cairn on Droop Hill, it proved to be a frustrating day of climbing hills, finding nothing i.e. three cairns on Banff Hill all gone.

It proved to be a similar story for the cairn on Shakil Hill, slightly to the north of the nearby Gourdon Long Cairn (also known as Bikmane).

From Shakil Hill I got an interesting angle to look at its famous neighbour, worth the short walk to the top, use the gate near the masts. Also from the top of Gourdon to look back and see the top of Shakil.

Always nice to visit Gourdon, pity about Shakil.

Re-visited 27/12/2020.

Head for Glenbervie Church and take the minor road heading north, pulling in opposite the entrance to Inches Farm. At the bottom of the hill it was dry however as I climbed up cows had churned the track into a mudbath, once beyond the collection of small barns follow the track all the way to the top. Conditions were drier and a small snow shower made sure I was properly awake.

As usual in these parts there is a wind farm surrounding the trig. Head for the trig and head straight north, you should walk straight into the cairn. There are lots of small cairns. The largest is over 6.5m wide and part of it is still 0.4m high. Sadly a lot of agricultural damage has occurred and a lot of the smaller cairns have been destroyed completely.

A great place for a cairn with great views to the numerous and better preserved prehistoric sites all around.

Worth it for the views.

Visited 27/12/2020.

The final stop of the day lead to the burnt bound at Drumquhil. From the Gallows Hill burnt mound follow the track downhill to the wood, then follow the trees heading south west. Once clear of the trees the site is in a clearing which has been aptly burnt.

It is approximately 9m wide, with a hollow which can hardly be seen because of the vegetation, it is there. No surprise this site as there are many hut circles in the area.

With that, it was time to climb back up the hill and get back to the car before darkness approached. As the sun set, Morven, to the west, was bathed in a beautiful wintry light.

Not much to see but well worth for the scenery in well known and not so well known glens.

Visited 23/12/2020.

From the Gallows Hill cairn I headed up to the summit of Gallows Hill and down the other side to end up on a track. Head east and at a crossroads the burnt mound will be found. Sadly the track clips the monument, most likely the damage being caused by quads.

It is also very near the source of a small stream which trickles past it’s western flank. Despite the damage the mound still sits at almost 6m wide and is 0.5m high.

Visited 23/12/2020.

Heading east on the Rippachie Road from the A97 I parked at the first track heading south which has enough room for a couple of cars. From here head south and uphill following the track until a track heads west.

The site has taken a battering but it has left a 7m footprint with some kerbs still in place. Animal damage has caused a few holes. One thing beyond doubt are the views. Later on Morven would be stunning.

Nice wee site.

Visited 23/12/2020.

The remnants of a cairn remain on the north east flank of Bonlee Hill.

Perhaps a hut circle, but more likely to be a cairn going by it’s footprint and lack of hut circle normalities. It sits at 6m wide and is 0.4m tall. Stones appear amongst the burnt heather.

I would think there is a great deal more to see on Bonlee Hill, but it might be difficult to find.

Superb views north towards Dalrossach and Culquoich.

Visited 23/12/2020.

From Craig Glas head west through a low lying marsh until a small sream which has to be jumped, once up onto drier or firmer land you have reached the Lump of Bonlee. Heather burning has revealed several hut circles and a cairn in the area, perhaps more sites will be revealed with further burning.

NJ4004207911 could well be a small hut circle or a wee cairn that has been houked. It is 5m wide.

NJ4009507733 possibly another houked out cairn.

NJ4005007769 One of the better preserved hut circles, it sits at almost 9m wide.

NJ4000407775 Another quite well preserved hut circle, this one is just over 6m wide.

Visited 23/12/2020.

To be honest there isn’t much to see at the cairn at Craig Glas, however it is situated amongst some beautiful scenery.

I parked at Pronie Loch, walked south on the A97 until a gate with a track heading west. This track meets a smaller track which heads to the top of Craig Glas, stunning scenery as Morven towers to the west, to the north Dalrossach & Culquoich, the south has Deecastle and east has the prehistory laden Cromar area.

The site is on the west side of the hill and is difficult to spot as it is well hidden by the heather. However it’s position is given away by the cairn’s central point poking through the vegetation. Kerbs appear to be on the north side.

It’s a beautiful day, better head over to Bonhill, via a marsh.

Visited 23/12/2020.

Linsidemore looks to be a very good site, however notices on the gates didn’t appear to be very friendly so settled for a road side photo, plus with the current situation it was better to settle for the view and then head back home.

The Canmore link will give details of the site.

On the north side of the A837, a couple miles west of the Shin Bridge, clearly visible from the road.

Visited 17/10/2020.

Creag Sron Chrubaidh was the last stop on a very good day and judging by the photographs it appears to be fairly light, it wasn’t and darkness was approaching fast.

The spectacular cliffs of Blair Nam cliffs provided a magnificent backdrop.

This is perhaps a kerb cairn, as kerbs remain in place but being a meter high, at least, and with it’s collapsed centre it is more likely to be a chamber cairn. Most of the stones are moss covered in the site which stands at 8m wide.

We parked at the car park Inchnadamph and walked south on the A837, before heading up the slopes of Blair Nam.

Great end to a great day.

Visited 16/10/2020.

On climbing back up to the crash barrier I looked back down to discover that according to Canmore, and myself later on, that I’d been standing on the Acadh Na H-aghan Long Cairn. It is the shortest of distances from the two nearby chamber cairns.

The site appears to be undisturbed mostly turf covered, however some patches of stonework are visible. It is 33m long, 14 m wide and at least 2m high. Hopefully more work will be carried out by these busy Assynt Hidden Lives people.

With that I hauled my legs back up the hill for a last look down. No tumbling to report.

Surprise site.

16/10/2020.

Like Mr G and Carl I climbed down the steep hill to the two sites, and like Mr G the encroaching dark light was becoming a factor.

Both sites are as previously described except that whilst looking around I thought I was standing on top of cairn to get a better view. So instead of climbing up and down once, I climbed up and down twice. The second time, to get a better view of this extra site

Visited 16/10/2020.

Sitting above the A835, after Elphin heading north, park nearer the bridge crossing the River Ledmore than at the site if heading south, much safer.

A fairly easy climb up a grass covered slope leads to the easily spotted site. However once on the flat watch out some marshier areas. The kerb cairn is over 4m wide and still has the remains of a cist. Look almost straight north into Cam Loch and the crannog ‘Eilean An Tighe’ can be seen. If I’d known this at the time I’d have gone for a look.

Great wee site!

Visited 16/10/2020.

The second crannog in Loch Borrolan is just to the north west of the motel and can be seen clearly from the road. With dry boots on I tried to wade across, in an effort to find a causeway, but eventually the water became to deep so giving up proved the best option.

It is small site, about 6m wide to my eyes and about 15m from the loch’s banks.

Another nice site.

Visited 16/10/2020.

After the trials of Alltan Nam Breac and the lesser trials of Aultivullin it was good to stop at the north end of Loch Borrolan for wee break. It is also a good place to go the shores of Loch Borrolan and have a look at the crannog.

The crannog is 14m and 1.2m high with its causeway, today, being submerged.

A nice site, with a near neighbour to the east.

Visited 16/10/2020.

Alltan Nam Breac was very difficult to find, Aultivullin was very easy to find. We made our way back to the gate but remained on the north side of the fence to follow it heading in a westerly direction. As soon as the fence heads south west keep going west, head through the trees to find a large clearing.

Aultivullin Cairn is in the middle of this de-forested section and has avoided being damaged.

It is 7m wide and about 2m high with several kerbs. Luckily it appears to be unscathed so possibly a chamber or cist remains under the stones and turf. Fortunately there are superb views to the east as trees have been cleared, pure fluke but gives an idea of setting.

Lovely cairn.

Visited 16/10/2020.

If Inchnadamph was easy to find then this was a complete opposite, a nightmare to find. We parked on the north side of the A837 in an area called Preas a Chrannaidh, it is an area in which there chamber cairns everywhere.

If you head north from the middle of the clearing you go uphill crossing a soggy field to reach a gate. At this point you think you’re luck is in as there is a clearing or fire break in the trees. Follow this for about 500 or 600 meters but at some point you have to head east as the site starts to go further away. This is were the real problems start. Forest agriculture has created a maze of water, tree root holes, very few drier parts so I’ve no real directions to give, as we fell, tripped, ended up waist deep in bog, went round in circles, except to say, try to keep heading east. Eventually you will see a clearing, we had to crawl the final few metres, in which the site is housed.

I love cairns surrounded in trees, they have a unique atmosphere, the lichen adding to sense of real age, and despite all that had befallen us loved this site as well. The large cairn is 12m wide and over 1m high. It appears reasonably intact but probably isn’t a chamber cairn despite being surrounded by them. To east and south are steep slopes, if you walked north you would walk straight into a chamber cairn.

After a good look round it was time to head west and somehow find the clearing via all of the obstacles. A repeat of the inward journey happened before we reached the fire break to make our back to northern edge of Preas a Chrannaidh.

What seemed a straightforward walk proved to be the exact opposite so saying wear appropriate boots might be a complete waste of time. You will, however, love Alltan Nam Breac.

Visited 16/10/2020.

After being followed by the deer chorus the previous it seemed apt to start the next day at the Meadow of the Stags/Inchnadamph. Sadly the chorus must have been very tired as they weren’t saying much at their meadow.

Not much to add to Mr G’s brilliant fieldnotes except to say the that the one remaining upright has now fallen. It is an exceptional place with exceptional views including Loch Assynt.

Visited 16/10/2020.

After leaving the chamber cairn at Ledmore/Lyne we headed back north but before it became dark decided to stop at the north end of Loch Awe as I’d spotted what I thought was a crannog a couple of days before.

The crannog is 15m wide and 1m high, from the layby I couldn’t spot a causeway. What I also didn’t know was that there was another crannog some 200m to the south. Another visit required here as well. Roll on next October.

Visited 15/10/2020.

Despite it’s proximity to the road I like this site, obviously it has been trashed but that maybe adds to this a wee bit in a funny way as the remaining uprights seem defiant and like in ages gone past the stream still runs and the mountains still stand!

The two erect stones are the side and end stones of the chambers, the other large stones had also been part of the construction.

There are loads of sites nearby, another visit required but night was fast closing in and in 30 minutes or so it was dark.

Visited 15/10/2020.

It is a very beautiful walk from the car park up the path which follows the Allt nan Uamh, south east, to the ‘Crag of Caves’ / Creag Nan Uamh or more famously the Bear Caves. As the Ts said the path isn’t to difficult and superb views are to be had from the caves.

Allt nan Uamh is a source of amazement as well, near the caves, when we visited, there was no running water, about 200 meters, norh west, a small spring created a trickle, further down a much larger spring creates a burn and then at Fuaran Allt Nan Uamh it gets down to real business. Fortunately, for us, there was quite a bit more water on the go. As B and myself paddled in the wee pool less than a meter away the spring was creating a small river which gains momentum until it reaches the River Loanan, which eventually enters Loch Assynt.

No polar bears, brown bears or bears of any type, however the deer chorus of Achmore have followed us. What a racket!!

Beautiful place.

Visited 15/10/2020.

The HES visited Eadar A Chalda during 2018 probably its first visitors in many a year. It didn’t have to wait so long for its next visitors.

From the Achmore cairns we retraced our steps on the track, accompanied by the deer chorus, and headed south until our first glimpse of Loch Assynt and Ardvreck castle. Head into the heather following the valley between two small hills. Underfoot conditions, on our visit, were fairly dry. On a rainy day this would be transformed into a soggy march, still a huge puddle remained from previous rains and lots of deer scarpered as we approached.

At the end of the valley head further east over a couple of small ridges and the cairn will appear.

Patches of lichen covered stones can be seen underneath the heather. Some bigger stones, probably kerbs can be seen on the south east. The beautifully situated cairn sits at around 6m wide and is nearly 2m high to the south east, 0.5m to the north west.

To get back to the Ardvreck car park we headed straight west past a small ferm toun to find a track that headed north rejoining the main track opposite the car park entrance.

Visited 15/10/2020.

Four large boulder kerbs are all that remain of the second cairn at Achmore along with a mound that sits at about 7m in diameter. Like it’s near neighbour it has been badly robbed.

Still it has wonderful views to Loch Assynt along with the surrounding mountains.

Visited 16/10/2020.

Cross the road, the A837, from the car park at Ardvreck, visit the millstone then climb up the side of Allt a Chalda Beag and head to the track. Head north west until Achmore Farm. We weren’t alone as we were accompanied by sound of at least hundreds upon hundreds of deer making very loud echoing grunting noises, Glass Bhein, Coire Dearg resounding in noise.

To the north of the ruined steadings are two cairns which can be reached by going through the gate and heading a few metres the same direction.

Several large kerb boulders remain of the 14m wide cairn, more kerbs remain in the surrounding bank. In the centre of the site lies a slab, the remnant of a chamber or cist. However most of he cairn content has been robbed and can be probably seen in the nearby dry stane dyke and steadings.

Visited 15/12/2020.

Easy parking, nice castle, good info boards and a chamber cairn with some of the chamber remaining in place. As well as the waterfall across the road there is also a massive millstone to see. Also worth a look is the remains of Calda House, surely one of the biggest wastes of money in Highland history.

Visited 15/10/2020.

We parked at the north entrance to Achmore Fram, which we would visit later, to climb the hill and approach Allt Sgiathaig from the east.

As Mr G and Carl suggest, the cairn has seen a fair amount of damage and it is a minor miracle that it still sits precariously perched above the A894. We made our way down to the road and back to our car.

However it can be spotted from the road from north and south, hopefully not by the driver but by the passenger.

Good wee site.

Visited 15/10/2020

This time we parked at the minor road to the south of Dundarg House and walked down to it’s front gate. Like before, you can see the ruined castle and fort through the arch way, however it would mean walking through the property. Last time I approached from the west, this time we approached from the east. A fairly tricky challenge of slippy grass, bog and tumble down from a dry steen dyke.

However once the causeway is reached it becomes very easy. Steps assist the wee climb over the ruins of the castle which has been within the ramparts of the fort.

The first of a trio of Christmas Day cliff forts.

Visited 25/12/2020.

A very early rise saw a very pleasant walk heading west from Nedd, through the village of Drumbeg until I cross the Oldany River. Immediately after the bridge there is a track that heads north.

At the tracks end is one of the numerous sea lochs that make up the coast line. I have never seen water so calm. Photo shy seals and otters keep a close eye on my comings and goings.

Rubha Creag Iomhair is a very small dun, 8m by 5m which possibly can be reached when the tide is out. Unluckily for me it was in though the local residents didn’t seem to mind. Most of the stone work was removed to build a nearby lodge, and some of the nearby walls. My first thought was the duns in North Uist, very similar. Some stone work does remain and a possible place to leave an Iron Age boat appears to be on the north side of the site.

Not much left, but on a day like this, a truly beautiful place.

Visited 15/10/2020.

After the tiring experience at Rubha Gisgil we headed north for the final site of the day at Cnoc An Daimh near the village of Scourie.

Unlike a lot the chamber cairns in the area, An Daimh has a lot going for it. There are remains of the internal cairn as well as a decent pile of stones. Remarkable really considering the closeness of the site to the road and a village. Rubha to the south is a nightmare to get to and has almost been completely robbed, so so we should consider ourselves lucky that this site remains as it is.

We probably parked in the same spot as Mr G and were confronted with the same problem, a lack of time with night and darkness approaching. The October nights come in fast so we headed south to confront the B869 on the way back to Nedd.

Visited 14/10/2020.

Canmore says that this site is well ruined, I can confirm that it is well ruined. It is also a complete nightnare to find.

I parked at Geisgeil farmstead and walked back south on the A894 looking for a place to get through the trees and bushes. Be careful clambering through here as I narrowly avoided jumping straight into bog. Once on the other side of the trees you’ll be confronted by a deer fence.

Basically I headed south west from the farmstead, climbing several small hills before I reached the site. Not much is left of the internal cairn, just a small pile of stones. The rest have long gone, however the kerb Canmore mentions is still there. I also believe several other kerbs also remain place.

Still, what makes it all worthwhile is the view Badcall Bay, Loch Obain, and the various mountains make it a stunning location for this prehistoric site.

What wasn’t stunning was my route back to the road. Looking due east I spied a gap in the trees. My route involved trudging across a decently dried bog, the south of a wee hill with many fallen rocks, jumping a stream to reach the deer fence. Climbing the deer fence I walked towards the road finding a piece of the bog that wasn’t so dry before heading north back to Geisgeil.

The site might not be much to look at, the scenery certainly is!

Visited 14/10/2020

Like Mr G I thought this a rather nice cairn, well placed if somewhat hidden by a wee rocky hill but with magnificent views except due west. The A894 hides views of the broch.

However the broch does provide an opportunity to park away from the road to the west of the A894. I headed back east jumped the gate opposite, followed a fence south then headed east straight to the top of the rocky hill. Immediately below this hill sits the cairn.

Sitting at over 15m wide and almost 1.7m high it remains undisturbed (according to (Canmore) despite being much robbed, the nearby road has probably made it safer from harm and further modern day robbing. My old friend (from my younger days) the Quinag overseas what I and everything else does.

Back up the hill then over the road to broch.

Visited 14/10/2020.

The road to Loch Ardbhair Broch is to east of Nedd, our base or a twisty road from the A894 heading west. You can see the site from way above on the west side of the T junction. Spying a ‘no unauthorised vehicle’ sign we parked on the sharp corner, but well away from the road, to the west of this road. So a longish but lovely walk in the October sun down the Ardvar road until a wall and what looks like a turning area. Look below and west, walk down thru the field to the shore, the broch will be in front.

It looks if you can get to broch but any causeway has been bashed around and I saw no real trace of anything that looked like a 100m in length. A wall that leads to site has a gap for the Allt Na Claise burn to head to the sea. Sadly for me, my escapades at Achiltibuie rendered the wellingtons unavailable for the day. Try as I might I could see no way over.

There seems to be a lot of confusion over what this site is – a broch, dun or Atlantic Roundhouse. It is very similar to nearby site at Kylestrome. The walls seem to be almost 4m wide with the internal site being close to 7m. There is a lot of fallen stonework but what remains seems well built to me. Pity I couldn’t get across, there’s always the next time.

One thing beyond debate is the stunning location, well worth a visit, with proper footwear a step onto the rocky islet is well possible.

Superb!

Visited 14/10/2020.

After the visit to the broch at Polglass I made my way back up to road and headed north to the weird No.26, which is a gate to nowhere and a weird picnic table sitting oddly near an honesty box. To the east of this there is a ruined homestead, make for that them head south towards a gate and a track. This track heads east and means you avoid the bog if the fence had been jumped near the ruined house.

On the top the small climb is is a very impressive boulder kerbed cairn. Almost more impressive was the sun setting behind the Summer Isles, a truly stunning, magical site. Silohouetted in the distance, Lewis, Raasay and Skye.

Being almost 14m wide and almost 0.5m high the site has had almost all of its stones removed except for the impressive kerb. Once again the local greenkeepers have done a tremendous job keeping the grass short.

Once allowed back out after ‘lockdown, being shielded and all of that stuff’ I’d had no mishaps during the summer and no mishaps until this the end of the third day in Assynt. Wanting a better view of the sunset, Summer Isles and cairn I walked several steps backwards, without looking, and plummeted almost waist deep into a cunningly placed bog.

Several stops made to wring out socks and empty wellingtons (put on just in case of stream to jump) I made a smelly return to car and A & B who thought the mishap hilarious.

Still a wonderful, wonderful site, the sunset something I’ll never forget.

Visited 13/10/2020.

As Thelonious says, find the signpost and you’ll find the broch situated on the banks of the Horse Sound. I’d parked at the north end of Achiltibuie to walk down the minor road to revisit a few places last visited and worked at many years ago. Nothing much has changed and probably nothing will.

I often wonder if a full scale excavation clearing out rubble, turf, various rubbish, would reveal much more here. Tantalising glimpses of well built still remain and as can be seen by turf covering the broch walls there is still a considerable amount of the site left. The nearby houses and walls, ruins themselves, have been built out of broch stone.

A bit of a what if site, but you never know what’s underneath.

Visited 13/10/2020

At first glance from the roadside you’d think this was a cliff fort or a dun, it’s position is ideal for a such a site except that it is a cairn. A cairn made up of pebbles.

I’ve seen pictures of cairns from Rhum (also indicated in Canmore) that look similar, the Tower of Johnson / Cairn Shiels near Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire are also reasonably similar, indications of raised beaches.

From Achanhaird we headed west, then north west stopping at the Blairbuie junction, look west the site is below.

Steep slopes are in north and south, the south has a small stream running. The cairn itself is 11m wide and 1m tall, it has received the usual houking treatment which may or may not reveal what I thought to be the remains of a cist. Erosion one day will also be a problem here as the west side of the promontory has been washed away waiting for the cairn to topple in. However it will be here for quite a lot of years yet.

Beautiful views west, beautiful site.

Visited 13/10/2020.

Here in Aberdeenshire we’re very lucky to have the ever changing dunes at Forvie Sands near Newburgh were the River Ythan meets the north sea. The sands move, kerb cairns, hut circles, a possible stone circle and sites of medieval interest appear. Over time I’d think many more might well appear. Achnahaird Sands could well be a similar place.

Buildings have been uncovered, enclosures found, walls and pieces of pottery from various ages including prehistoric finds. Also from prehistory a small burial cairn.

This burial cairn has stunning views to the east, the famous four mountains. Other views are hidden by dunes, hopefully one day we’ll discover what is underneath.

The small cairn is 4m wide and 1m high with a hint of a kerb and luckily, for us, hasn’t seen the sea for quite a long a time. Not many people, if any, come here. Animals do visit as evidenced by their excavations on the site.

From the dun walk south, jump a few burns, cross a few boggy bits and look for a clearing with a mound with short grass. This leads straight to cairn.

Tremendous scenery and yet another tremendous site!

Visited 13/10/2020.