markj99

markj99

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Miscellaneous

Mid Gleniron Round Cairn
Round Cairn

Despite it’s relative isolation in the modern world the complex of sites at Mid Gleniron indicates it must have been a hub of social activity. The well preserved Round Cairn overlooks three chambered cairns and numerous scattered clearance cairns. Excavation in the sixties revealed occupation of Mid Gleniron from the Neolithic Period. The chambered cairns were constructed in multiple stages implying a continuous population at Mid Gleniron.

Kemp’s Graves, Glenhead of Aldouran

Kemp’s Graves consists of three parallel ramparts protecting an enclosure at the top of Aldouran Glen. The S & W approaches are protected by the steep glenside. Trees and bracken have invaded the space making interpretation of the fort difficult.
Canmore ID 60845 (go to Links) gives a detailed interpretation of the fort.
To get to the fort head to Leswalt from Stranraer, travel straight through Leswalt , take the 1st L turn after the uphill Z bends, signed for Path Aldouran Woodland Circle. Around 300 yards along this rough road there is a large parking space to the L. A Woodland path starts here. Keep straight on this path for around a third of a mile until you reach a clearing with a wooden bench and earthworks.
There is no signage indicating Kemp’s Graves.

Miscellaneous

Doon Castle
Broch

Doon Castle Broch is my favourite local site to visit. The name may be confusing to some people because there is a Doon Castle in Ayrshire on Loch Doon. Doon Castle Broch is on Ardwell Point in Dumfries and Galloway.
A site of this quality deserves more visitors however the isolated location discourages people. There is the problem of the rocky road after West Ardwell Farm however it just requires careful driving on a short stretch to reach the Ardwell Bay car park. There is a sandy beach for non-antiquarians to amuse themselves while TMAers visit Doon Castle.
Directions: From Stranraer head towards Sandhead on the A716. Drive past Sandhead and take the 1st R signposted for Kirkmadrine. (Incidentally, Kirkmadrine is a short signposted detour and well worth a visit). Keep straight on this road for 1.5 miles until you reach a crossroads. Continue straight onto a dead-end road for Ardwell Bay. Follow this single track for 1 mile until you reach a sharp bend at West Ardwell Farm. Continue straight on the rough farm road for around 0.5 miles until you reach Ardwell Bay car park. Walk round the rough road until it stops. Take the Public Path over a style. Follow this path round the coast for around 500 yards to find Doon Castle.

Sig More

I attempted to reach Sig More cairn from the beach however the cairn was surrounded by a carpet of seaweed which deterred me from investigating further. The profile of the mound is a classic cairn with large kerb stones visible.
Directions: The cairn is located on the N coast of South Uist. Half a mile before the South Uist Benbecula Causeway turn R to Aird Mhor/Ardmore just after passing a roadside shrine. Follow the single track road to park at a dead end at Rhughasinish (NF81394517). Walk back along the track for c. 300 yards to reach a house. Head NW across rough ground for c. 500 yards to reach the coast. The cairn is accessible from the coast depending on the tide level.

Clach Stein

The siting of this pair of stones with extensive views all round justifies their presence.
Canmore ID 4428 (go to Links) sheds some light on their past. According to the Name Book 1852 there was a 6 foot square Four Poster in situ. Over the years the number of stones was reduced from 4 to 2.
Looking at this site as a large Four Poster elevates it from an oddity to a significant monument.

Fell of Barhullion

I visited the Fell of Barhullion Hillfort while investigating the shy and retiring Cup and Ring Marked rocks on Blairbuy Farm. Most of these are covered by turf or gorse so the visible remains of the fort come as a relief.
Canmore ID 62757 (go to Links) has a good aerial picture of the fort and a detailed description of the layout. They suggest the placement of a Chevaux de Frise, an anti-cavalry device consisting of randomly placed vertically set stones, on the otherwise unprotected N flank.

The Galloway Stone

It’s nice to find a site that you don’t have to walk for miles over moorland to visit.
The Galloway Stone is just such a site. Simply leave the M6 at J39 for Shap, turn left for Orton after 0.5 miles, follow the Orton road for 1.8 miles parallel to the M6. Take the right turn to Salterwath dead-end lane just before the M6 underpass.
The Galloway Stone lies c. 50 yards to the left after 100 yards along this lane.
It looks like a large chunk of Shap Pink Granite so it can’t be an erratic from Galloway.
The explanation for it’s name may be that it was a marker on the Old Scotch Drove Road for turning onto the Galwaithegate or Galloway Road.
As an additional point of interest there is an Ordnance Survey Bench Mark Bolt on The Galloway Stone denoting a height of 98.8m.

Cosdon Hill

Visited 01.09.20

The path for Cosdon Hill starts near the Oxenham Arms in South Zeal. A tall menhir is built into a wall in a dining room (see Oxenham Arms site).
From the Oxenham Arms go downhill for 50 yards turning R into a signed path. Turn R when the path meets a road, go uphill to a crossroads. Head straight onto a rough road for c. 200 yards until a Bridle Path appears on the L. This path leads up onto Cosdon Hill and the restored triple stone row.

Burford Down

Visited 02.09.20

I followed the river path at Harford Bridge and a cow path up to Tristis Stone. The Chambered Cairn is 70 yards W of Tristis Stone and the Cairn Circle a further 90 yards west.
I followed the stone row downhill (due N) for 220 yards and c. 80 stones when i ran into extensive gorse and lost the trail.
The size of stones in the row varied from inches above ground to three feet.

Lyonston

Take the Kirkmichael/Straiton B7045 turn on the NE edge of the A77 in Maybole. After around 600 yards there is a lay-by on your R. Walk 30 yards back towards Maybole to a gate on the L into a large field. Follow the dry stane dyke for around 250 yards looking L to locate Lyonston Stone in the adjacent field.
Canmore ID 41670 (go to Links) gives a full description of this “rounded granite boulder about 1.4m high.”