As you will know, Stone Circles have been getting a lot of attention recently thanks to ‘Outlander’. So here we will explore the pre-historic sites and stone circles we have in our area. And there are more of them than to be expected!
Clava Cairns
For those in the know, the most famous prehistoric site in our area is probably Clava Cairns, near Culloden Battlefield. Important to know is, the Clava Cairns is a well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery with burial cairns surrounded by standing stones. And, some of the cairns have passageways you can crawl into! But, don’t worry, there are no human remains left in the cairns these days! However, you can still see the round marks left by our ancestors on the stones to decorate them. The best time to visit the site is at sunrise or sunset. – so peaceful, even if you don’t quite step back in time!
Corrimony chambered cairn
Furthermore, the is another chambered cairn of a similar type can be found at Corrimony. Here a passage grave can be found, surrounded by 11 standing stones in Glenurquhart near Drumnadrochit. Interestingly, this cairn was built around 4,000 years ago. And is well worth a visit! Situated in the beautiful RSPB nature reserve it is surrounded by moorland and Caledonian forest.
So, these are the two most famous cairns and standing stones in our area. But, interestingly, there are many more…
Gask cairn and Farr stone circle
Near the village of Farr are the Gask cairn and standing stone, dating from the same period as Corrimony and Clava. Notably, this is a ring cairn rather than chambered cairn. To explain, these stone circles are said to be aligned to face the mid-winter sun at the solstice.
But this is not the only stone circle in Farr. In a local guesthouse appropriately called ‘Stonehenge House’, a small stone circle and cairn can be found in the garden! This property was recently sold. So ‘period features’ certainly would have had a distinctive twist!
Aldourie standing stones
And there is more! If you travel along the South Side of Loch Ness, look out for the Aldourie standing stones just before you get to Dores. Unfortunately, these ancient sites have not always been protected. In times gone by some of the stones were used to build houses and dykes. However, some of the stones still remain on the grounds of Aldourie estate.
See what you can find!
Have you come across any more hidden cairns or stone circles around Loch Ness or Inverness? Then please let us know! So step back in time and discover the local history. We highly recommend visiting one or more of these fascinating sites! If you need a bit of inspiration for exploring our area, check out the “Explore” and “Attractions” sections of our website!