drewbhoy

After reaching Ardfern on the B9002, I took the first minor road heading north west (near the shop) and followed it to a modern settlement. (I think). Parking there I looked south, the dun a short and fairly easy climb to the south.

Superb scenes at the top which is surrounded by much robbed, fallen walls, which in some parts are almost 4m wide. On the south east section there is a possible double wall. These walls enclose an area of 25m by 14m with the most likely entrance being on the south west.

Next a nearby chamber cairn.

Visited 09/04/2025.

The visit to Kintraw ended with a surprise inclusion – a large cairn.

The cairn is almost 20 metres wide with the builders of nearby walls and sheepfolds robbing most of the stones. Some kerbs must have been to heavy as they remain in place on the sites north side. In the north west section the site’s height must be over 1.5m.

Easy to miss but easy to find at the same time. Looking west I could see Ardfern along with its marina of various boats.

Visited 09/04/2025.

On my way over to Ardfern I stopped at the various sites at Kintraw, a spectacular site with spectacular scenery especially over to the various sites around Ardfern.

Not much to add except that I spied the large cairn situated reasonably close. However, another visit required as I missed a nearby dun and cairn hiding in the woods to the east.

Next a short walk to the neighbouring large cairn.

Visited 09/04/2025.

My second visit to Ormaig was a lot drier than my first in 2002, it lashed rain, thunder and lightning, flooding so the visit was very short. In 2025 it was much different, less trees and the paths were in decent order, also a lot of sunshine. Take the forestry commission tracks, as some older tracks, on the east side of Eas Mor are now regarded unsafe.

A & B also enjoyed the walk, and like myself amazed at the amount of rock art. On second thoughts, B being a dog might not have been amazed. One thing I noted was that I could see over Loch Craignish, sea loch, to Ardfern, home to several prehistoric momuments especially to a chamber cairn. I wondered if the sites were related in any way.

Visited 09/04/2025.

Dun Mor at Dunamuck should have been the first stop after the ruined chamber cairn and the rarely mentioned smaller cairn. Spying the dun from the cairns I headed up track intending to head clockwise from the dun via various fallen and standing stones to end up back at the chamber cairn. A track led to the dun at the Dunamuck farm gate, I thought this would be easy.

Instead I was met by an angry farmer who dished out dog’s abuse for no reason, claiming people did tremendous damage. He pointed back to near the chamber cairn shouting that there were signposts indicating directions to the stones and eventually the dun. I also gave him directions as well.

Back to the chamber cairn, no signpost indicating the way but I knew the various monuments positions and reached Dunamuck North, from there I headed south west towards the dun. The pleasant sun drying out my soaked and muddied legs after landing in a ditch.

It is an impressive location for the dun, good all round views, a lot of the south end Kilmartin monuments can be seen.

I climbed up from the east and entered the site on the north side. Remnants of a once massive wall have been reduced to a 4.5m wide turf covered mound. Some stones poke through giving an idea of the dun’s oval shape which is 19.5m north to south being almost 17m wide.

A tremendous day wandering about the various monuments. On the way back to the A816 I headed back to the chamber cairn without further incident.

Visited 08/04/2025.

Looks like I’m the first person to visit the site, from TMA, since 2009. Back then 2 out of 3 still stood, sadly it is now 1 standing 2 fallen. Like a few of the nearby sites, gentle restoration comes to mind.

From the confusingly named Dunamuck South standing stones I headed north, only to be confronted by a burn/ditch, taking a run and jump I mis-judged the distance (or the takeoff point was ill judged) and promptly landed in the middle.

Being a nice sunny day I was soon covered in dried mud, perfect for the walk to the dun, a source of another weird story from much earlier in the day.

Visited 08/04/2025.