markj99

Visited 26.04.12

It was 13 years ago so I don’t have good recall of my visit to Carn Liath (Morangie Forest). I used OS Mapping to plot a route to the cairn. It is 2.2 miles from Aldie Burn Car Park with c. 95 yards total ascent. Walking and cycling are permitted. The main unknown is access from the forest track to the forest clearing due to fallen trees obscuring the forest rides.

Directions to Carn Liath (Morangie Forest): Take the Scotsburn turn off the A9 Tain Bypass. Follow the road for c. 1.8 miles to the right turn for Aldie Burn Car Park. Turn left into the car park after 50 yards. You can proceed from here on foot or by mountain bike. Take along a forest track heading NW which winds W along forest tracks for c. 2.2 miles to reach NH 7296 7969. Look for a forest ride heading NW then turn N towards a stony cairn in a large clearing. My walking route is viewable on Carn Liath (Morangie Forest).

Trantlemore is an isolated crofting township in the far N of the Scottish mainland. It is accessed via the A897 running 40 miles from Helmsdale to Melvich. The A897 is a single track road with passing places. It is a scenic route up to the N coast of Scotland with 16 Brochs included in the 32 sites on or near the A897 listed in TMA. That is 0.8 sites per mile!



Directions to Carn Liath (Trantlemore): Take the A897 Melvich turn off the A9 in Helmsdale. Follow Dunrobin St for c. 0.2 mile to a roundabout. Take a right turn onto the A897 Melvich. Follow this narrow road for 31.6 miles to a sharp cut-back left turn signed for Trantlemore. Follow the narrow lane for c. 0.1 miles to a car park beside Trantlemore Cemetery. Walk c. 100 yards W then turn right up a grassy bank to a gateway into rough pasture. Carn Liath (Trantlemore) is c. 50 yards NW of the gateway. My walking route is viewable on Carn Liath (Trantlemore).

Visited 25.06.14

Carn Liath, Trantlemore is the site of a ruined broch on the S edge of Trantlemore, an isolated settlement adjacent to the A897 in Sutherland. It is located on a natural knoll. There are remains of an outer wall up to c. 1.2m high on the NE Arc. Canmore ID 6824 estimates that the outer wall had an outer diameter of 17.6m and a thickness of 4.2m. There is a trench on the NE Arc c. 4.5m long, 3m wide and 1.2m deep which may been the original entrance. Remnants of parallel walls defining the entrance are visible.

There are two ruined brochs in Trantlemore: Carn Liath, Trantlemore Broch and Trantlemore which is located c. 0.7 mile N of Carn Liath, Trantlemore in the township.

Visited 01.12.13

It is ironic that so many antiquarians have driven past this stony cairn crossing the Ballachulish Bridge to and from Fort William, yet so few have stopped to visit it. The cairn is not particularly impressive but it has good southern views.

North Ballachulish Cairn is a stony mound on the N side of Ballachulish Bridge, c. 150 yards W of the A82 passing North Ballachulish. Take the unsigned dead-end right turn onto Old Ferry Road c. 100 yards after the N end of Ballachulish Bridge. Park up in a lay-by c. 110 yards down the road. Walk c. 110 yards back to the junction then walk 30 yards S towards the bridge. A tarmac path heads W into a field. Follow the path through a gate then head SSW across the field towards 2 mature trees on the edge of the cairn. My walking route is viewable on North Ballachulish Cairn.

Directions to Cairn Macneilie, Inch Parks: Take the narrow road for Stair Estates Balker Farm off the A75, c. 0.3 mile E of the A751/A75 junction. Follow the narrow lane for c. 0.8 mile to an unsigned left turn. There is room to park up carefully. Walk c. 50 yards NW along the dirt track. Head N into the woods following a vague winding path for c. 150 yards towards tree-covered Cairn Macneilie (Inch Parks) on the edge of the wood. My walking route is viewable on Cairn Macneilie (Inch Parks).

Visited 05.05.25

Directions to Green House Bridge: At the top of the A75 Glenluce Bypass take the A747 Port William road. After 3.5 miles pass through Auchenmalg to the Cock Inn. Continue along the coast for 1.6 miles to a lay-by at NX 2595 5114 on a corner NW of the Rocks of the Garheugh. Walk E for c. 110 yards to reach a gateway into a narrow field. Head E over stepping stones at a ford in a stream near the gate and keep E to the S corner of the field. Head E up up a rough slope. towards a stone wall. Follow the stone wall to reach a gnarled Hawthorn Tree. Continue for c. 30 yards along the wall to a break in the wall where you can step over a fence. Turn S down the wall for c. 30 yards to a hawthorn tree. Turn L up a rough slope heading SE. Continue SE for c. 100 yards to intersect with a path heading E. Follow the path E for c. 100 yards and Green House Bridge cairn should be visible to the SE. There is a faint path heading E of Green House Bridge Cairn. Take the path for c. 100 yards to cross a track heading SE. Continue E for c. 100 yards past a large boulder to reach a 4x4 track heading SE. Follow the track SE for c. 220 yards to find Cairn Buy, a stony mound. My walking path can be viewed on Cairn Buy and Green House Bridge Cairn.

Visited 05.05.25

Directions to Cairn Buy: At the top of the A75 Glenluce Bypass take the A747 Port William road. After 3.5 miles pass through Auchenmalg to the Cock Inn. Continue along the coast for 1.6 miles to a lay-by at NX 2595 5114 on a corner NW of the Rocks of the Garheugh. Walk E for c. 110 yards to reach a gateway into a narrow field. Head E over stepping stones at a ford in a stream near the gate and keep E to the S corner of the field. Head E up up a rough slope. towards a stone wall. Follow the stone wall to reach a gnarled Hawthorn Tree. Continue for c. 30 yards along the wall to a break in the wall where you can step over a fence. Turn S down the wall for c. 30 yards to a hawthorn tree. Turn L up a rough slope heading SE. Continue SE for c. 100 yards to intersect with a path heading E. Follow the path E for c. 100 yards and Green House Bridge cairn should be visible to the SE. There is a faint path heading E of Green House Bridge Cairn. Take the path for c. 100 yards to cross a track heading SE. Continue E for c. 100 yards past a large boulder to reach a 4x4 track heading SE. Follow the track SE for c. 220 yards to find Cairn Buy, a stony mound. My walking path can be viewed on Cairn Buy and Green House Bridge Cairn.