drewbhoy

Dalnabreck is situated on the western side of the River Ardle. From Stylemouth (Balnabroich etc) I walked down the A924 to the Dalnabreck entrance. Follow this track, cross the bridge, keep going straight until the first corner. Look west and the barrow is about 20 meters into a field.

The barrow is grass covered and is 29 meters wide/3.5 meters high. Some erosion or animal damage on the south side allows the construction of the barrow to be seen.

Yet another brilliant site set amongst fantastic scenery.

Visited 8/8/2013.

(on onslaught on mountains and hills with Pitcarmick etc is on the agenda, making for a monster walk)

From the petrol station/shop at Kirkmichael take the minor road south west until a sadly ruined church. (must have looked good in it’s prime)Follow The Cateran Trail thru the lovely Ardle valley for about a mile. Nothing to strenuous here.

The cairn is next to road and has a wonderful ‘cairn type’ shape to it. It is made up of slabs and pebbles. Unfortunately farmers thru the ages have probably thrown field waste on top of this. Still it is a very attractive place which stands at over 15 meters wide and 3 meters tall, and is covered in grass along with 5 evocative trees. On a misty day this would be a very atmospheric place. The only thing wrong is the shabby barbed wire fence.

Visited 8/8/2013

Situated in a wood just behind Glenkilrie this cairn must have been an impressive sight. It is now covered in ferns and grass but still stands at 24 meters wide and is at least 3 meters high. A dry steen dyke surrounds the base of the cairn. Unfortunately a telegraph pole has been plonked into it as well.

When I visited it was a battle against huge ferns and nettles. A visit in winter time, if roads are open, would give a more accurate picture.

Visited 8/8/2013.

There are up to 19 hut circles in this group and I probably found up to ten of them. Most are pretty badly smashed but the hut circle at NO10025694 is the best preserved example of this type I’ve ever seen. The Canmore link gives all the details and has some nice aerial pics. The terrain between various cairns, circles and standing stones is littered with boulders and circular mounds. Highland agriculture has probably dislodged more than it’s fair share.

Visited 8/8/2013.

From the standing standing I walked to the top of the hill and followed the ridge south across deep heather and burnt heather. Eventually a track appears and this kerb or ring cairn is on the mound on the other side.

This must have been an impressive place. Today only the southern kerbs, graded in size, can be seen. The other kerbs are there but are hidden by the heather. A possible double ring exists but the vegetation makes it hard to photograph, but it is there. Still the cairn has tremendous all round views and is over 12 meters wide/0.4 eters high. The central cist mentioned by Canmore has sadly vanished.

Visited 8/8/2013.

Walking in a NNE direction from the Grey Cairn keep going for almost a mile across the heather and past the battered hut circle. The farmer at Stylemouth mentioned that there was a standing stone and being the first person, probably since NB, on the go I received the info first.

The stone stands at over 1 meter, and looks down on the Ardle valley except in the direction of Grey Cairn which is blocked by a wood.

Visited 8/8/2013.

50 meters east of The Grey Cairn is the remnants of a cairn which was been robbed, houked and trenched. Despite all of this some kebs remain in place and in some parts it still stands at almost a meter high, 12 meters wide.

Visited 8/8/2013.