markj99
Visited 15.11.22
Barlure Cairn is located c. 180 yards N of Barlure Farm, c. 1.5 miles N of New Luce. The grassy cairn measures c. 45 feet in diameter and 4 feet high. The perimeter has some potential Kerb Stones, especially on the SE Arc. The interior of the cairn is free from stones except for a small cluster on the W Quadrant. The E Half of Barlure Cairn is 4 feet high, c. 1 foot higher than the W Half. Canmore ID 61319 (go to Links) has further details of Barlure Cairn.
Directions to Cruise E Cairn: Take the W turn to Glenluce off the A75. Turn left for New Luce after 0.2 mile. Stay on this road for c. 4 miles to reach Cruise Farm. There is room for one car to park at the Southern Upland Way (SUW) on the right. Walk along the SUW for 0.3 miles. Turn left after a gate, following a stone wall into a sheep pen. Take the right exit and follow the farm track. The track bears right into the field, heading towards the Cruise Cairns. My route is viewable on Cruise Cairns (go to Cruise W Links).
Cruise Cairns on OS Mapping
Directions to Cruise E Cairn: Take the W turn to Glenluce off the A75. Turn left for New Luce after 0.2 mile. Stay on this road for c. 4 miles to reach Cruise Farm. There is room for one car to park at the Southern Upland Way (SUW) on the right. Walk along the SUW for 0.3 miles. Turn left after a gate, following a stone wall into a sheep pen. Take the right exit and follow the farm track. The track bears right into the field, heading towards the Cruise Cairns. My route is viewable on Cruise Cairns (go to Links).
Directions to Cairn MacNeilie, Cruise: Take the W turn to Glenluce off the A75. Turn left for New Luce after 0.2 mile. Stay on this road for c. 4 miles to reach Cruise Farm. Cairn MacNeilie, Cruise Cairn is in a field on the left. This field is boggy, so wellies are recommended.
Cairn MacNeilie (Cruise) viewed from N.
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
Cairn MacNeilie (Cruise) viewed from E.
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
Cairn MacNeilie (Cruise) viewed from S.
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
Cairn MacNeilie (Cruise) viewed from W.
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
Field Clearance Stones on N Arc of Cairn MacNeilie (Cruise)
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
Summit of Cairn MacNeilie (Cruise) viewed from N.
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
A Cluster of Stones in Centre of Cairn MacNeilie (Cruise).
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
Cruise E Cairn on Canmore
Visited 20.11.22
Cruise E Cairn is located on the N end of an elongated natural knoll c. 0.80 miles SSE of New Luce in Dumfries and Galloway. It measures c. 54 feet in diameter and 5 feet high. There is a scatter of stones c. 2 yards wide on the edge of the S Arc and a similarly sized pile on the E Quadrant. The surface of Cruise E Cairn is studded with small stones. There are two small cavities in the centre of the cairn: a cavity measuring c. 1.5 feet x 1 foot located c. 1 yard E of the centre and a cavity measuring c. 3 feet x 1 foot located c. 3 yards W of the centre. The E cavity could be a small, lined cist infilled by loose stones.
Canmore ID 61565 (go to Links) lists Cruise E Cairn as Cruise, Smithy Hill. (There are too many Smithy Hill’s in Dumfries and Galloway for its inclusion to be useful). There is a low-lying companion cairn, Cruise W Cairn, located c. 140 yards WSW amid marshy land.
Cruise W Cairn on Canmore
Visited 20.11.22
Cruise W Cairn is a robbed-out grassy mound located c. 0.8 miles SSE of New Luce in Dumfries and Galloway. The cairn measures c. 45 feet in diameter and 2 feet high. There are two possible Kerb Stones, one on the SW Arc and the other on the E Arc. The interior of the mound is flat and featureless save for a cluster of small stones embedded in the S Quadrant.
Cruise W Cairn is unremarkable, but it has a close companion, Cruise E Cairn, perched on an elongated natural knoll c. 140 yards ENE. Canmore ID 61687 (go to Links) states that Cruise W Cairn was a stony mound in 1986, however, no stones are now visible.
Balchriston Dun on OS Mapping
Directions to Balchriston Dun: Take the B7023 turn off the A77 on a roundabout on the W edge of Maybole. After 1.4 miles you reach the B7023/A719 junction. Continue straight on for c. 0.4 miles to reach Balchriston gatehouse on the right. Turn right down this narrow road, stay on it for 0.6 miles to reach a rough lay-by on the right, opposite a gateway at NS 25482 11177. My walking route can be seen on Balchriston Dun (go to Links).
Diddles Hill Cairn on OS Mapping
Dumfries and Galloway Council has announced restrictions and road closures on the single-track road from Innermessan to New Luce via Penwhirn Dam. The road is being upgraded for the construction of a large windfarm. These restrictions are scheduled to run from November 14th, 2022 to Spring, 2023.
Directions to Diddles Hill Cairn: Take the A77 Ayr E out of Stranraer. After c. 2 miles continue past the A751 Dumfries junction for c. 0.3 mile. Take the right turn onto an unsigned single-track road. Stay on this road for c. 4.6 miles. Park in a lay-by on the left at NX 1244 6896, opposite a mound at Penwhirn Reservoir. Diddles Hill Cairn is c. 250 yards SE in rough moorland. My route can be followed on Diddles Hill Cairn (go to Links).
Stones on W Arc of Bank surrounding Balchriston Dun Enclosure.
Image credit: Mark Johnstone
Stone on W Arc of Bank surrounding Balchriston Dun Enclosure.
Image credit: Mark Johnstone