Archaeologists are excavating the remains of houses believed to date back 2,000 years after they were uncovered by a ferocious storm.
Fife-based charity Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion (Scape) is leading a community project at the site on North Uist... continues...
Robin McKie, science editor
Sunday March 16, 2003
The Observer
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of two embalmed humans, providing the first proof that ancient Britons made mummies of their kings and queens... continues...
There are several big Kairnes of Stone on the East-side this Island [ South Uist ], and the Vulgar retain the antient Custom of making a Religious Tour round them on Sundays and Holidays.
Folklore connecting the stones with the Fianna: I'm not sure which particular sites might be referred to but you may know specifically?
Here in S. Uist are places which we call 'Sorrachd Choire Fhinn.' Up yonder on the hillside are four great stones upon which they set their great kettle, and there are plenty of other places of the same kind. (The square is made with four large flat stones on edge, the sides being set N.S.E.W., five feet by three, inside the oblong. Near this monument are several fallen menhir, tall standing stones.)
The standing stones which you may see in these islands we call Ord Mhaoraich or Ord Bharnaich, bait hammers or limpet hammers. People say that they used these to knock off limpets and pound shells, as we use stones now; but that I do not believe. They say that one of them threw one from the shore up to the hillside near the north end of South Uist, but that cannot be true.
From 'The Fionn Saga' by George Henderson, in 'The Celtic Review' July 15th 1905.
This folklore refers to South Uist, and is from Martin's 'Description of the Western Isles of Scotland' (a tour which he undertook in 1695). It's a shame but I cannot work out where Gleann 'Slyte' must be.
There are several big cairns of stone on the east side this island, and the vulgar retain the ancient custom of making a religious tour round them on Sundays and holidays.
There is a valley between two mountains on the east side called Glenslyte, which affords good pasturage. The natives who farm it come thither with their cattle in the summer time, and are possessed with a firm belief that this valley is haunted by spirits, who by the inhabitants are called the great men; and that whatsoever man or woman enters the valley without making first an entire resignation of themselves to the conduct of the great men will infallibly grow mad. The words by which he or she gives up himself to these men's conduct are comprehended in three sentences, wherein the glen is twice named, to which they add that it is inhabited by these great men, and that such as enter depend on their protection.
I told the natives that this was a piece of silly credulity as ever was imposed upon the most ignorant ages, and that their imaginary protectors deserved no such invocation. They answered that there had happened a late instance of a woman who went into that glen without resigning herself to the conduct of these men, and immediately after she became mad, which confirmed them in their unreasonable fancy.
Follow the same directions as Mark, and stop at the same place. The way over to the cairn was kinder to me, there was hardly any seaweed and in any case I'd had my troubles for the earlier at Ardnamonie.
Unlike the previous two sites I could get to this one and there is quite a lot to see. At 20m wide, damage by both humans and erosion has led to stones falling all around the site 13 in total, some of which might be capstones. Thanks to robbing the chamber can be seen and thanks to the robbing its difficult to tell if there are three areas / compartments. Two can be certainly seen, of the third only two stones remain standing.
Slightly to the east Ardnamonie is the much more recognisable broch Dun Buidhe. I walked along the fence line until I reached the site, the ground looked drier so I jumped the fence, walked 8 or 9 paces to end up almost waist deep in the bog.
Sadly it appears that, on drier days, it looks like the site is used as a rubbish tip. Also later buildings have been attached to site, as at Ardnamonie. Even from where I stood or sank, you could see the circular shape of a broch despite being covered vegetation.
Luckily no washer-woman was washing or drying any shrouds on my visit, so all would be fine.
Worth a (re) visit when much, much drier conditions.
From Loch an Daill we headed south on the A865 and took the first road heading west.
Similar to Loch an Daill Mary provided a parking space, or rather her shrine did, at the end of the road, or just before it headed south. From the shine I jumped the gate and headed south east, the site is easily spotted.
It has been a trip in which water levels have featured quite a bit, and this is a massive example of dropping water levels. What used to be loch has vanished and changed into a large marsh, perhaps you can get in from the south but looking at aerial photos on Canmore I'd suggest not trying.
However, I got as close as I could, before deciding it was unsafe.
What remains is a bit of a shambles, it appears to have been used for several functions, the outlines of buildings can be seen. It probably has been a cairn or a dun or a broch. Stones could easily have been recycled but as Canmore suggests a proper excavation is needed.
Not much to see here, look for the promontory on the north east side of the shrine beside the telegraph poles.
There is a wall amongst the tall vegetation which I found very easily by tripping over it. Further towards the shore there is the remains of another small wall before you are in the fort proper.
If there was a causeway here, reportedly seen in 1915 but well submerged - by 2003 it had vanished. By the time of my arrival with reports of water levels being quite a bit lower it would be safe to say it might never be found.
The actual dun is still there clearly visible by looking east from the shrine at Ardmore, if heading north from Daliburgh (South Uist) its just before the causeway to Benbecula, if heading south from Benbecula park at the first shrine.
Not much remains on the 'high crannog' except the usual fallen stones and what appears to some kind of standing stone.
Beinn Tairbeirt and Beinn A' Phortair provide dramatic backdrops to the south east.
The cairn at Tigh Cloiche has seen a lot of damage done to it throughout the centuries. It still stands, grass covered, at 12m wide by 1m high. Stones can be seen in the middle, first thoughts, to me, it might be remains of a cist but more likely a small shelter of some kind. The site is surrounded in fairly marshy ground. It seems Canmore can't make their minds up also, they didn't declare if it was Neolithic or Bronze Age, perhaps it might even be an Iron Age Wheelhouse. I'd go for a robbed Bronze Age Round Cairn, an excavation would be interesting.
To the north of the cairn there is a minor road heading east, there is plenty pull over space a short distance from the A865. Not wishing to walk down the busy road I headed cross country, straight south via some marsh and the occasional dry bit.
A but of a what if, but worth a visit to speculate.
We returned to West Loch Ollay from the standing stone at Crois Chnoca Breaca and took the car to Dun Altabrug.
Take the road that swings north, the road we came, and at the junction head west. Keep going, past a minor road, and as the road swings north east take the first minor road south, stopping at the road's end. We were given permission to park by the occupant at Peninerine.
Head south east up and over a wee hill and the dun will be clearly seen along with the causeway, the causeway being just over 30m in length.
Decent walls still exist on the 'high crannog' / dun with the entrance on the east. Most of the site is overgrown. The circular wall is over 1.2m, the island is slightly oval and measures 9.5m by 8m.
Once again it was explained that water levels are low here also, as they are over North and South Uist and Benbecula. The photos proved that when compared with photos taken from 5 years ago, vegetation had grown, the causeway is much more visible and the land from the farmhouse a lot les boggy.
A weird and wonderful stone which could easily be mistaken as a ruined Celtic Cross. Parking is easy as there is a car park at the Ardmichael Cemetery but we headed towards the coast, from West Loch Ollay, to follow the Hebridean Way which gave us a easy walk heading north, and more importantly it led straight to the site.
It stands on a wee mound at just over 2m tall, almost giving a middle finger to time and, perhaps, modernisation. Hopefully a gentle straighten up will save this stone falling as it sits at an precarious angle.
The following I was up bright breezy and picked up my 'water expert' friend for the first of two site visits.
North of the road to An Carra, on the A865, take the first road heading west, the the next road heading south before stopping at the first farm track that leads north.
Jump the gate then head straight north. When you reach the shore the 'high crannog' will be in front of you. Not much is left of any buildings that existed, but the tumble down proves that once upon a time something was there. Something that still is exists is a line of stones heading west, a possible mini naust.
Canmore also have a photograph that show this line of stones clearly, on my photographs, grass and weeds are growing and much more of the site can be seen.
It was explained to me that West Loch Ollay was gradually getting lower, vegetation was growing on parts of the loch. This site just highlighted it more accurately with more rocks and bedrock beginning to appear.
Not a lot to look at but interesting given someone had a knowledge of climate change.