Sowburn Rig Small Cairn Cemetery

Nearest town:
Bonnyrigg (10km NW)
OS reference:
NT347557
OS sheets:
66, 73
Latitude:
55° 47' 24.28 N
Longitude:
3° 2' 29.4 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Sowburn Rig Small Cairn Cemetery (Cairn(s)) by Martin

3/5/04- even greater panorama including the skyline of the Pentland Hills

Martin
Martin May 12, 2004
Image of Sowburn Rig Small Cairn Cemetery (Cairn(s)) by Martin

3/5/04- overview of the site (which is at the top left hand corner of the wood on the right). Note Arthurs Seat left of centre and the taps O’ Fife across the Firth of Forth.

Martin
Martin May 12, 2004
Image of Sowburn Rig Small Cairn Cemetery (Cairn(s)) by Martin

3/5/04- cairn in the foreground with the ridge of the Moorfoot Hills running away SE.

Martin
Martin May 12, 2004
Image of Sowburn Rig Small Cairn Cemetery (Cairn(s)) by Martin

3/5/04- one of the largest cairns with a diameter of approximately 4 m.

Martin
Martin May 12, 2004

Articles

Sowburn Rig Small Cairn Cemetery

Martin
Martin May 12, 2004

Monday 3/5/04
I drive past this site (well, on the road waaaaaay above it) almost every day and finally get round to a visit. It’s a long walk down from the road which climbs up the ridge of the Moorfoot Hills down to the peat moor. The views from here are stunning though- along the Moorfoot ridge, the complete skyline of the Pentland Hills, Berwick and Traprain Laws, Arthurs Seat and across the Firth of Forth to Fife- wow- what a final resting place. I follow the side of a new forest and trust my GPS to find the cemetery. At the end of the trees I start to notice circular patches of light green grass rising ever so slightly from the peat and short heather- just as well I visited at this time of the year otherwise the whole site would have been hidden in vegetation. There are apparently around 50 small cairns here, but I can only count about 30 or so- some of which I have to use my imagination! They only rise about 20 cm from the ground, but the largest is around 4 m in diameter. I guess most have sunk into the peat below. The whole site covers an area of 160 m NS by 70 m EW. Still- an impressive site with great views of some of the major archaeological and megalithic sites of the Lothians.

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