markj99

Visited 11.07.20

Barclye Cairn is described in Canmore ID 62933 (go to Links). It is a robbed out cairn 20m across by 1.5m high. There are two earthfast stones which may be the remnants of a cist.

Directions: Take the A75 turn off to Newton Stewart at the large roundabout. Follow the town centre to the end of Victoria Street & bear left across the Cree Bridge. Turn L about 50 yards from the end of the bridge into Minnigaff. After 0.5 mile you will see a war memorial on your R.
Take the next L turn after 100 yards. This is a narrow country lane headed to Cree Woods. Follow this lane past Minigaff Parish Church, Boreland Wood and Boreland Farm. Around 0.75 mile after Boreland Farm there is a gate at NX 389 686 (approximately) on the R. There is limited parking here so I chose to go onto Barclye Wood Parking (NX 38604 69482) around 0.5 miles along the lane.
Having walked back to the gateway, I headed N up a slope for 300 yards to a hilltop where Barclye Cairn is prominent.
Drumwhirn Cairn & Barclye Cairn are close together so they can easily be achieved in the same trip.

Visited 11.07.20



Directions: Take the A75 turn off to Newton Stewart at the large roundabout. Follow the town centre to the end of Victoria Street & bear left across the Cree Bridge. Turn L about 50 yards from the end of the bridge into Minnigaff. After 0.5 mile you will see a war memorial on your R.
Take the next L turn after 100 yards. This is a narrow country lane headed to Cree Woods. Follow this lane past Minigaff Parish Church, Boreland Wood and Boreland Farm. Around 0.5 mile after Boreland Farm a green lane protected by a deer gate starts at NX 39089 68355 on the R. There is limited parking here so I chose to go onto Barclye Wood Parking (NX 38604 69482) around 0.5 miles along the lane.

Having walked back to the green lane I found the gate immovable so I had to climb the high style beside the gate. Follow the green lane uphill for 300 yards, bearing R at a fork then reach another deer gate 150 yards later. I opened this gate with some difficulty (it was heavy and stiff) and followed the field perimeter NE for around 150 yards to another deer gate. Look L to see Drumwhirn Cairn, a significant pile of stones in the adjacent field around 300 yards away. After another deer gate workout there is a stream to cross on stepping stones before reaching the field. Drumwhirn Cairn is impressive on approach however closer inspection shows significant stone robbing. The summit has been excavated leaving a dirt filled hollow behind.

Drumwhirn Cairn is on a highpoint with extensive views all round. It is around 30 metres across and 5 metres high. It must have been spectacular before Man started messing with it.

Further details of Drumwhirn Cairn can be found at Canmore ID 62929 (go to Links).

Drumwhirn Cairn & Barclye Cairn are close together so they can easily be achieved in the same trip.

Visited 21.01.09

I have little memory of this visit except for the seemingly endless bleak moorland, however I have submitted pictures of both Eggs.

Visited 17.04.09

There is a Car Park at Embsay Reservoir. Follow the road NW, parallel to Embsay Reservoir towards Crookrise Wood. Go straight on at the end of the road following the path N rather than an obvious track E. The path veers NW towards the corner of the wood and follows NW between the moor and the wood. After nearly 1 mile you will reach the Trig Point of Crookrise Crag. The Fairy’s Chest lies 300 yards further up the path, on the slope of the moor. It is a large cuboid erratic which looks like it has been shaped by man not nature. It measures approximately 10m x 3m x 3m and has unusually flat surfaces. There are several other large stones around it however the flat top will give it away.

Visited 06.07.19

White Cairn, Honeyhole is a grassy cairn, 3.5 miles WNW of Thornhill. It lies in an elevated field above Honeyhole farm.
Canmore ID 65238 (go to Links) states it “survives as a partly turf-covered stony mound 32.5m E-W by 29.5m and up to 1.7m high with no significant features.”
Nothing has changed since the 1977 survey. The flat field contrasts with the cairn’s modest elevation. Some scattered small stones are visible amongst a grassy thatch.
Directions: take the Sanquhar road off the A702 in Penpont. After two miles bear L for Scar Water. After 0.5 mile you will reach Honeyhole farm. Continue for c. 300 yards to a gateway on L with space to park. Head uphill SW, towards the corner of the wood. After 300 yards climbing steeply cross into the adjacent field. Walk SW for another 200 yards to reach White Cairn, Honeyhole.

Visited 28.08.19

White Cairn, West Skelston is a partially robbed cairn, reused as a dump for field clearance stones and old farm equipment. It is 3 miles W of Dunscore in an arable field overlooking West Skelston farm.
Canmore ID 65098 (go to Links) describes the cairn in 1991 as follows: “This cairn is situated on the crest of a spur and measures 23m in diameter and 3m in height; it has been partly robbed and has been supplemented by large boulders relatively recently.”
There are original stones with an aged white patina but there are also a large central robbed out void, large field clearance stones and some old farm equipment on this cairn.
This seems to be the fate of cairns in proximity of farms where the temptation to exploit a natural resource is too great.

Visited 07.04.12

Fleucharg Long Cairn has certainly been abused over the millennia, most probably in the last centuries. However, it is still a significant presence in the landscape worth visiting.
It was archaeologically excavated in 1937. Canmore ID 65063 (go to Links) states it “measures 150 ft NNE-SSW by 44 ft across the N end and 85 ft some 25 ft from the S end, and has a maximum height of 14 ft.”
Of particular note was “a setting of three boulders, possibly part of a kerb” according to Canmore ID 65063.
There are also large voids in the cairn due to stone robbing.
It is identified as White Cairn in OS 1:50k maps.

White Cairn, Gelston was a cairn 1 mile W of Gelston, a small community near Castle Douglas.
Canmore ID 64467 (go to Links) says the “remains of this cairn consist of two large stones set in line east to west with an indeterminate scatter of small stones to the south. The west stone is 3.0m long by 0.6m wide and 1.0m high, the other being approx half this size.” This entry dates to 1968 and things have changed since then. On 14.09.19 two large stones corresponding to the 1968 entry were piled in the corner of a field with an old tyre at the expected grid reference. There is a third small stone beside the pair of stones but the scattered stones have been removed. The destruction of the cairn has been completed. The remaining two large stones were thought to have been part of the cist originally.
It was more of a practical exercise to find the site of the destroyed cairn than a walk to an existing cairn.

This is one for the completists. The Stoners who will leave no stone unturned. The pictures have been on my hard drive since August 2015 so I have had to resort to OS Maps Aerial to describe the final steps to the cairn.
White Cairn, Clatteringshaws is hiding in the forest half a mile SW of Lillie’s Loch Car Park on the edge of Clatteringshaws Loch. Take Lillie’s Loch/Loch Dee turn off the A712 just S of Clatteringshaws Loch. After almost 1 mile Lillie’s Loch Car Park is on L at a sharp corner. Follow Lillie’s Loch track SW for 400 yards crossing over a forest road into a wide forest ride. Continue W for 300 yards, bear L at a fork, head W for around 120 yards. Turn L into a narrow forest ride heading S. Follow this path for 200 yards approximately, look for a forest ride to your R. Follow this for 120 yards into a large clearing. Turn L for around 60 yards heading S. Look for a forest ride on your R, follow it for 40 yards and the cairn will appear (hopefully).
White Cairn, Clatteringshaws has its private pine enclosure giving it a sense of isolation. However the ruined state of the cairn detracts from the spectacle. According to Canmore ID 63797 (go to Links) “White Cairn has been circular, 40’ in diameter, but it has been almost completely destroyed and small sheep shelters have been built out of its material on the site. The interment has probably been disturbed long ago.”
The remains are a confused jumble of stones. As I said, this is one for the completists!

White Cairn, Bargrennan Burn lies in the middle of unimproved grazing, 0.5 miles north of Marberry Smokehouse on the A714 near Bargrennan. It is defined as a “kerb cairn” by Canmore ID 63008.
Many will have visited its more famous companion, White Cairn, Bargrennan which is in the forest near Glentrool Village, almost 1 mile SE.
White Cairn, Bargrennan Burn has fared better than its illustrious neighbour perhaps due to its relative inaccessibility. “The White Cairn is 50 feet in diameter and 7 ft high, slightly robbed on the south. There is a small circular excavation about 2 feet deep in the top but there is no evidence of a cist or chamber.” (Canmore ID 63008 (go to Links))
This White Cairn is one of the few to show a glimmer of white, some of the exposed stones having an aged white patina.
A GPS is almost essential for this hidden cairn, however, walking 700 yards N from the sheepfold should allow you to find the cairn.
Starting at Newton Stewart take the A714 Girvan road for 12 miles to Bargrennan. Stay on the A714 for a futher 1.25 miles until you reach Marberry Smokehouse on the R. Parking is possible at NX 33840 78648, a mast at the end of a fast straight stretch of the A714. Walk back along the road until you reach the sheepfold then head N over rough ground for around 700 yards to NX 3422 7910. You should be able to see the cairn as a raised grass mound with some scattered stones from this approach.

It would be foolish to visit the Hole Stone near Crouse farm without taking in White Cairn, Crouse on the way. There is room to park in a gateway at NX 36446 55806. Walk SE towards the gate in the dry stane dyke. White Cairn, Crouse lies 20 yards E of the gate. At first glance it looks like a field clearance cairn however there is a classic raised bank underlying structure. It is likely that the cairn was robbed of its original stones to build the neighbouring dry stane dykes and field clearance stones were subsequently piled up randomly.
Canmore ID 62871 (go to Links) gives the dimensions of the cairn as “28.0m N-S by 27.0m E-W and 2.0m high”.
Return to the gate, walk 40 yards S into the next field to visit the Hole Stone. It is already listed on TMA and well worth a visit. Canmore ID 62872 (go to Links) includes a wealth of information about a second stone and marriage rituals.

Visited 17.09.19

White Cairn, Barrhill is 1 mile W of Barrhill wedged into the corner of a field in forestry. Canmore ID 62561 (go to Links) gives its dimensions as “about 25m in diameter and varies in height from 1.0m to 2.5m”.
The grassed-over cairn has been extensively robbed with few scattered stones remaining but the underlying structure is intact. A modern cairn, 10 feet high has been constructed at the summit of the cairn and a sheepfold built nearby. This would account for the missing stones.
Park at Barrhill station and cross the tracks following a farm road N. Walk past Cairnlea farm following the farm road until you reach a sheepfold, about 200 yards on the R. Turn R into the field adjacent to the sheepfold and follow the fence NW across fields for 600 yards until you reach the edge of a forest. Walk NW along the edge of the forest for about 500 yards until you reach a sheepfold. Go through the gate ahead into a large field, the cairn is in the R corner beside the forest.

Visited 05.10.19

White Cairn, Laggish lies in a pine forest 4km S of Barrhill. Canmore ID 62463 (go to Links) indicates that the cairn was extensively robbed by 1955 however the tree planting round the cairn has caused further disruption. It also describes the “remains of the White Cairn, grass-covered and measuring 19m in diameter and 1m in maximum height.” The current dimensions of the cairn are around 15m by 1.5m. The cairn is still grass covered though pine needles are encroaching. There is a rock outcrop on the N side of the cairn as indicated by Canmore ID 62463.
There are no stones in the centre of the cairn however there is a large recumbent stone 5m W of the cairn, approximately fitting the dimensions of the central recumbent boulder. It could easily have been moved during the tree planting.
The subdued light of the clearing and the unnatural quiet of the pine forest add to the ambiance of this hidden cairn.
Take the New Luce road out of Barrhill. After 2.25 miles you reach a forest. Park up at the lay-by for Dochroyle & Laggish. Follow the track for 0.75 miles to reach Dochroyle, a tiny forest community. Pass through Dochroyle, through a locked gate turning R down the forest track. Turn R into a forest break after 500 yards at NX 23079 78656 which leads into a large forest break. Turn L and head over boggy ground for 50 yards, turn R into the forest for 20 yards to the cairn at NX 2298 7860. The above directions are approximate and a GPS is almost essential to find this cairn.

Visited 01.12.19

White Cairn, High Aires is situated 7.5 miles NNE of Glenluce, amid forestry and wind turbines. It is a grass covered round cairn, around 20 yards in diameter & 5 yards in height. The summit of the cairn is unexcavated and the stone structure appears to be intact.
Take the Dirnow road off the A75 near Kircowan. After three miles you reach a crossroads. Head straight onto a forest track to wind turbines. After 1.75 miles park beside a turbine at NX 26547 68071. There is an access road to the L. Walk around 300 yards S to a track entering a field. Turn R along the perimeter of the field following the curve until you reach a fence. The cairn is visible 10 yards into the adjacent field.
Further information is available in Canmore ID 62297 (go to Links).

Visited 08.12.19
White Cairn, Markdhu was a small cairn on a natural knoll which had been removed by 1911 according to Canmore ID 61791 (go to Links). A sheepfold has been constructed on the knoll but it is now in ruins.
The site is shown on OS 1:50k maps and can be visited in conjunction with Cairn Kenny, a more impressive cairn, which lies around 400 yards NW.
Given their proximity and their relative isolation in rough moorland it makes sense to visit both sites together. See Cairn Kenny page for directions.
While little of the original cairn remains, the location of the knoll in flat moorland may explain the creation of the cairn.

Visited 08.03.20

Ballach-a-Heathry cairn is a robbed out grassy cairn of uncertain age. It lies 2 miles NE of Glenluce on the Three Lochs road. It is approximately 20 yards across its N-S axis and 12 yards across the E-W axis. The cairn is grassed over with a deposit of large field clearance stones on the N of the cairn. There is no evidence of a cist.
Given its position in flat pastureland the cairn is quite prominent despite the recent addition of wind turbines. A gate provides easy access to the cairn.
Last visited in 1976, Canmore ID 62413 gives further details of the cairn (go to Links).

Visited 08.12.19

Cairn Kenny lies around 500m NE of High Murdonochee summit in extensive moorland S of Arecleoch Forest. Access is possible from the railway crossing at Miltonise Farm however I chose to approach from the Lagafater Lodge road N of Penwhirn Reservoir.
In hindsight this was a mistake since the road was private before Barnvannoch Farm requiring an extra 2km walk to reach the Lagafater Dam, before walking 4 km over rough wet moorland via High Murdonochee. I would suggest that walking from Miltonese would be shorter, around 3km each way. A GPS or good map reading is essential to find Cairn Kenny.
Cairn Kenny is a chambered cairn around 17m across by 2m high with a robbed out central chamber. Many scattered stones are left in situ on a green turfed cairn which is visible from a distance. Further details are available in Canmore ID 61771 (go to Links).

Visited 08.03.20

Miltonise North cairn lies 30m E of the Stranraer to Girvan railway line 650m NNE of Miltonise farm (as noted in Canmore ID 61803 (go to Links)).
It is a robbed out cairn, approximately 10m across with an off-centre kist exposed. The kist is a 0.5m square, approximately 0.5m deep with two stone slabs remaining in situ. A third potential stone slab lies within 1m of the kist.
A small scattering of buried stones remain on the grass covered cairn, which stands out as a green spot surrounded by brown moorland.
In this rough moorland the cairn is almost invisible until one is standing over it.
Canmore ID 61803 also notes that a second cairn 5m in diameter, covered in peat lies 10m S of this cairn however I was unable to locate this feature.
Canmore ID 61853 (go to Links) describes Miltonise South cairn, which is positioned approximately 400m S. Again, it is a turfed over cairn, around 6m in diameter. I was unable to investigate this due to the proximity of beef cattle in the area.

Re-Visited 27.02.20

I summited Knockdolian many years ago but lost the photos so I had a good excuse for a second visit.
The short steep walk more than compensates the effort required with fantastic 360 degree views including Ailsa Craig to the NW.
Approaching Ballantrae from S, I crossed the Stinchar Bridge and turned right beside the old castle. After 3 miles on the B7044 there is a sign for the Knockdolian Hill path. It is possible to park beside a wood a quarter of a mile beyond this point. Retrace your steps and start the steep obvious ascent up a grass field leading onto a ridge towards the summit.
I was expecting a stonier cairn however the grass cairn at the summit looks like a natural knoll. There are no kerb stones, as noted in Canmore ID 62028 (go to Links), just a few rock outcrops.

Visited 23.02.20

Torhouskie Farm Cairn lies 200 yards E of the farm. It is in a ruinous state, only the outline of a 25 metre cairn and an earth bank remaining.
Canmore ID 62842 (go to Links) suggests it is a robbed out bell-cairn.
It may be accessed by parking at Torhouse Stone Circle and walking back towards the farm around a quarter of a mile. There is a gate into the adjacent field which provides closer access.
The raised earth bank and intermittent perimeter of stones give a clue as to how impressive this cairn would have been in its youth.
There is a scattering of smaller stones at the centre giving the impression of concentric circles. However, these stones may be a later addition due to field clearance.

Visited 20.02.20

On a changeable day with sleet showers I explored the potential cairns to the N of Torhousekie Stone Circle.
There are two candidates listed on Canmore under Torhousekie:
Canmore ID 62839 (go to Links). This was a large cairn 140 yards N of the circle however no trace was found on 18th August 1970. The building of dry stane dykes was blamed for its removal.
Canmore ID 62875 (go to Links). This was a large conical cairn, 166 yards N of the circle. It was last observed on 18th August 1970 as “remains of a dilapidated cairn, 28.0m in diameter and 1.0m maximum height. It’s top is thickly covered with field clearance stones”.
Fifty years have passed since then so we should not be surprised that both cairns are now invisible.
There are many field clearance stones in the corner of the field which bounds the cairn sites and extensive dry stane dykes which would account for their eradication.
Approximately 30 yards E of Canmore ID 62839 there is a small plie of field clearance stones on a natural knoll. At the stated position of Canmore ID 62839 there is a natural knoll with some earth-set rocks but no visible scattered stones.
30 yards N there is an arable grass field next to a farm track. The ploughing of the field has removed any trace of Canmore ID 62875. I have included a picture of the site in case more experienced eyes can spot anything.

Visited 03.07.11

After a grid search of the hillside around NB 177 345 I found a viable candidate for Callanish XV at NB 17753 34588. The recumbent stone was c. 7 feet NE-SW and 4 feet SE-NW. This site is actually Callanish XV. See Canmore ID 72849 for further details (go to Links).

Beoch Hill cairn is 300 yards S of White Cairn, Beoch Hill. It’s a smaller cairn, around 10 yards across with a hollowed out centre.
See White Cairn, Beoch Hill for directions. From the White Cairn walk S towards a gate around 200 yards away. Beoch Hill cairn is a grassy bank 100 yards S from the gate in rough moorland.
It is listed as Canmore ID 60701 (go to Links).

White Cairn, Beoch Hill is a robbed cairn on rough moorland near the summit of Beoch Hill.
I parked at the Observation Post at NX 1093 6679 on the road to Penwhirn Reservoir. I headed W across rough ground over a shallow valley onto Beoch Hill. The moorland became drier at the summit of the hill. White Cairn, Beoch Hill required a GPS to find the low lying cairn, hidden in a patch of long grass. A scattering of white stones and a central clearing is all that remains.
Canmore ID 60690 (go to Links) states that it “had been almost obliterated by 1911.”

Visited 24.08.19

Thanks to persistence and drewbhoy’s pictures, I managed to find this shy and retiring recumbent stone after 15 minutes of tramping in moorland. The stone lies in a hollow guarded by reeds. As ever, I thought it should be easier than that so I have formulated an improved method to find Glac A’ Charraigh.
Park in the large passing place 150 yards before the sharp corner at NR 29643 43061. Walk 200 yards NE from the gate at the corner of the field. If the stone is not visible look for a small clump of reeds concealing it. You need to be almost standing over it. The choke stone is easier to spot than the recumbent stone.
My grid reference for this site was NR 29754 43158.
Canmore ID 37289 (go to Links) describes it as a standing stone on their last visit in 1977.

Visited 22.08.19

I parked at the Kintra campsite. I had to turn back at the ford to get my wellies and stick for the burn crossing. They came in handy later. Frachdale ruin was easily reached and a rough road ran up the hill to Frachdale Chambered Cairn and Coille A’chnoic Mhoir standing stone, easily spotted a quarter of a mile up on the right. As drewbhoy observed Frachdale Chambered Cairn was less accessible. I went through the gate at the top of the hill and followed my GPS South down a steep ferny slope crossing a boggy valley to the summit of the mound. The cairn itself is vegetation free, unlike its surroundings. I retraced my steps to return, avoiding further adventures.
Canmore ID 37607 (go to Links) give further details of Frachdale Chambered Cairn.

Following in the stumbling footsteps of drewbhoy, I spent 20 minutes searching for Princess Yula’s Stone only to bump into it as I was leaving, unsuccessful in my quest. It was at this happy point that I realised there were less than 20 yards between the two stones! To prevent future Antiquarian’s frustration I have devised a GPS free solution:
Take the A846 out of Port Ellen, reaching Ardbeg after Laphroaig and Lagavulin. The road narrows to a single track for a further 2 miles until you reach the scenic Loch a Chnuic bay. There is an uphill hairpin at the end of the bay. 20 yards before the apex of the hill there is space to park snugly beside a black wrought iron gate on the right.
Walk down the hill 10 yards, look right to the smaller stone nestled in the edge of the wood. The low fence is easily negotiated. To find the second stone stress free, stand on the left of the smaller stone facing the trees, walk 10 yards forward at which point you should notice a faint path to your left. Follow this path for 10 yards and you will find the Fairy Dell that hides Princess Yula’s final resting place.
Canmore ID 38030 (go to Links) casts doubt on the relationship between the two stones , stating that the road side stone “is a smaller, insignificant set stone of doubtful association.”

Cairn MacNeilie, Cruise lies in a field N of Cruise farm on the minor road between Glenluce and New Luce, around 1 mile from New Luce.

Canmore ID 61666 (go to Links) describes it as a circular cairn of 17 metres across which has been expanded by field clearance stones. The top of the cairn is covered in whins which discouraged my investigation of a possible cist.

Cairn Macneilie, Inchparks is 7.4 km WSW of this site.

Wallace’s stone is situated at Blairston Mains, the 1st non-private left turn on the B7024 to Maybole after leaving Alloway.
The stone is surrounded by a solid stane wall in a strip of trees.
The carving is suggested as a representation of Wallace’s sword but looks more like a cross to me, however some interpretation is required.
Canmore ID 41595 (go to Links) has more information on this site, suggesting the carving is “a cross in false relief” dating from the “10th to 12th century”.

Bain’s Hill or the Stinnie Stane is located at the northern boundary of Trump Turnberry. Park in the Malin Court Hotel restaurant car park. Head up to the flagpole and you will see the stone at the top of the hill.
Bain’s Hill is listed under Canmore ID 40856 (go to Links).

Logan House Garden is open from 1st February to 31st August. Follow the sign after going through Ardwell on the A716.
The standing stone is on the left of the one way avenue after around half a mile. The trees on the left make way for a large field in which the Logan House standing stone can be seen.
Canmore ID 61138 (go to Links) states “it is possibly a prehistoric standing stone.” The stone is c. 1.5m tall.

Kells farm is on the A710 along with its neighbour, Home Farm, which has two stones to visit. Kells Standing Stone is a 5 foot granite slab in a field SW of Kells.

It is listed as Canmore ID 65404 (go to Links).

I found this stone by sight as I was travelling S out of Twynholm. On passing Ingleston farm I noticed a large stone on the right side at the top of a hill.
I couldn’t find any online references to this stone but found it marked on my OS landranger map.
The Ingle Stone is a massive erratic measuring around 10x10x8 feet. There is a small moss-covered stone resting on top of the Ingle Stone. It is no wonder that the Ingle Stone has not been moved and has given the farm it’s name due to its prominence in the landscape.

The Devil’s Jump is located in Cornwall, between St Breward and Camelford, c. 500 yards N of Carweather Medieval Village. There are two granite crags c. 300 yards apart on either side of a wooded valley. It is marked on OS Mapping. The N crag is located at SX 10200 80240 and the S crag at SX 10198 79977. The S crag is more prominent and easier to access via the Carweather Medieval Village public path. There is a public path on the eastern side however access to the N crag is limited.
I thought that a pillar of granite on the S crag viewed from SW bore a resemblance to a bearded devil, maybe giving the site its name.

Visited 06.07.11

The 12 foot tall standing stone is easy to spot but the second stone is more reclusive. Canmore ID 8132 (go to Links) gives its location as ND 1992 3374. The split stone is around 6 feet high beside whins at the edge of the field. I’m not sure of the relationship between these stones. They’re like Arnold Schwartzenegger and Danny De Devito in Twins.
There is a large recumbent stone c. 70 yards SW of the taller menhir at the edge of Latheron. It seems like a better partner for the 12 foot stone. Canmore ID 8660 makes no mention of it.

Visited 24.01.12

Dun Flodigarry broch is located within the grounds of the Flodigarry Hotel. It is in a ruinous state, being reclaimed by natural forces.
Canmore ID 11388 (go to Links) gives details of an excavation on Dun Flodigarry carried out from 1978 to 1981.

It should be easy to visit Kirroughtree House Cairns, High & Low Lessons and Creebridge Cairn in the same day if you have not already visited them.

Take the A712 turn off the A75. Take the second left for Kirroughtree /Conifers Lodges, a single track road with passing places. After 500 yards there is a passing place at NX42646579 where you can stop safely.
Kirroughtree House N lies 250 yards N in a field. It look just like a natural grass mound until you are close enough to the slight hollow in the summit. It is a naked cairn that blends into the landscape.
Canmore ID 63431 (go to Links) verifies its status as a cairn.

Take the A712 turn off the A75. Take the second left for Kirroughtree /Conifers Lodges, a single track road with passing places. After 500 yards there is a passing place at NX42646579 where you can stop safely.
Kirroughtree House W cairn is visible 200 yards SSW.
It is around 20 yards across with a large tree growing out of the mound and an outline of a circular stone enclosure. The summit is stony and grass-covered with no visible cist.
The cairn itself and its lower location make it less impressive than its neighbour, Kirroughtree House E.
See Canmore ID 63442 (go to Links) for more details.

Take the A712 turn off the A75. Take the second left for Kirroughtree /Conifers Lodges, a single track road with passing places. After 500 yards there is a passing place at NX42646579 where you can stop safely.
Kirroughtree House E Cairn is a large cairn around 20 yards across, planted with a ring of mature trees and surrounded by a tumbledown dry stane dyke. Kirroughtree House W cairn is visible 200 yards NNW. Head for this and take a gate left into an adjacent field. Kirroughtree House E is 200 yards E.
The cairn has a commanding view towards Creebridge and the A75. The trees and the wall lend the cairn a greater presence in the landscape.
There are some exposed stones on the cairn but no cist visible.
Canmore ID 63441 (go to Links) gives a fuller account of the cairn.

Visited 17.07.13

It was third time lucky on the MV Glorious out of Girvan. We were turned back by the waves on two previous trips but persistence rewarded me with around two hours on the rock.
The rock has a lighthouse, two foghorns, a ruined tower house and industrial remains on the shore. It is famous for Ailsite granite curling stones which are prized for their durability. Some unshaped stones can be found on the beach.
There is more vegetation than is apparent from a distance and the grassy summit is 338 metres above sea level.

There is a parking lay-by at NX42746533 on the B7079 just before the A712 junction. Walk towards Creebridge observing Low Lessons in the field to the right. Around 200 yards there is a gate into the field with Low Lessons lying 200 yards WNW. High Lessons lies a further 200 yards WSW beside the stone wall, partially fenced off. Only an outline remains with a stony base. There is a gate just beyond High Lessons onto the footpath.
Canmore ID 63434 (go to Links) give futher information on Low Lessons and Canmore ID 63433 (go to Links) on High Lessons.

Visited 28.11.17

Sharpitor Cist is around 100 yards from the B3212 to Princeton. There is a well preserved cist and two orthostats, NW & SE of the cist.

You can park at SX557707 approximately. Walk NE parallel to the road for around 150 yards until you see two parallel stones, 3 feet high. The cist is between these stones.

Visited 15.10.13

I didn’t find anything at the grid reference given but I did find three stones adjacent to Kerrowe at SW451377. Stones I & II could have been part of a stone setting, however Stone III was approximately 100 yards SW of the others.

The Devil’s Bowling Green is an unusual rock feature found 450 yards NNW of the summit of Craignaw in the Galloway Hills. There is a an extensive strata of flat rock with a scattering of assorted rocks on top giving the surprising impression of a bowling green. Whether found by accident or targeted this site is a genuine rarity.

Visited 04.07.11

I visited Clach Stein (Garrabost) while on a Hebridean tour. Clach Stein is located on Point, a peninsula east of Stornaway, connected by a narrow isthmus 1 mile long. Head for Garrabost and turn left for Pabail Larach. The broken recumbent stone is accessible from there.
The original height of the stone would have been 10 feet according to Canmore ID 4396 (go to Links).
There appears to be no written record of the erect stone.

The Tor of Craigoch hillfort has been occupied by the Agnew Monument. Aside from the rounded hill it is difficult to find any traces of a hillfort. The view is dominated by the Agnew Monument built in 1850 in memory of Sir Andrew Agnew MP, who died the previous year.
Canmore ID 60830 (go to Links) gives extensive details of the fort and contains several good aerial photos.

Long Tom is a standing stone on Milldown Hill 400 yards from the Ayrshire/Dumfries & Galloway boundary.

It is accessed by a 4 mile walk from Cairnryan to the forestry above. The first 3.5 miles are by forest road but the last 0.5 miles are by forest lanes and firebreaks. It is the very definition of “in the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find”. I used a GPS to get there and would consider it a necessity.
Long Tom is situated in a clearing. It is a 6 foot pointed menhir, in splendid isolation.

It is listed under Canmore ID 60886 (go to Links) for further information.

Visited 27.10.18

The Taxing Stone is on the Stranraer Coastal Path from Stranraer to Glenapp. There are parking spaces available on the outskirts of Cairnryan before the ferry terminal. Follow the SCP signs uphill to Little Laight farm for approximately 1 mile. On the top of the hill there is a WWII gun battery. The Taxing Stone is sited on the path at the battery entrance. As previously noted there is some graffiti on the face of the stone.

Terally Standing Stone is on the landward side of the A716 to Drummore. You will see it on the right around 0.6 mile after New England Caravan Park. There is a parking bay around 250 yards on the left after the stone.
Canmore ID 61121 gives a full account of this broken stone.