I am going on the 13 day tour of Scotland. The day that is scheduled to see Kilmartin Glen is also the day that we have time to go see the Puffins. Are there other standing stones/cairns that might be close enough to the tour to visit while we are on the tour? My travelmate and I want to do both, but would make different choices if we we can only do one...
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
16614 posts
The itinerary has changed somewhat since I did this tour in 2018 but I looked at some of the places you will be to see if anything popped out. My guide was not particularly in to Neolithic things.
We visited Clava Cairns which is not on the itinerary any more. I think I read somewhere that the local authorities closed the small lane to big buses so it's not accessible to groups any more. You have a free afternoon in Inverness so perhaps you can get either a local guide or arrange for an Uber to take you there, wait while you look around and bring you back. I have NO idea if this is actually possible, just throwing it out there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clava_cairn
Visiting the Crannog Center is still on the itinerary. It is a replica crannog but interesting just the same. The one I visited burned but they've rebuilt this Iron Age structure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crannog
I would also talk with your guide in the first day or two (before you leave Glasgow) and tell them you are interested in Neolithic sites just to put it on their radar. A good way to do this is to invite them for a drink!
Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
11212 posts
I would second Pam's recommendation for Clava Cairns. It's only a mile and a half away from Culloden and I know your tour goes there. It might be possible to work something out with your guide where maybe you could walk to Clava Cairns (you might even be able to get a ride) and then have a car or other transport bring you back while the others are touring Culloden. If it's at all possible, I would recommend it. They really are something to see. Either way as Pam suggested, I would definitely talk to your guide about it. Your guide may have some suggestions as well.
Another option would be seeing the Calanais Standing Stones on Lewis and Harris. Do you have any extra days before the tour or after? Or is it too late to add a few days? There are some other wonderful Neolithic sites there as well.
Posted by
Lake District, England
11150 posts
What you could do for Clava is to not go back into town after Culloden with the tour, but to walk round to Clava afterwards- just about a mile.
From Culloden Battlefield there is the #2 bus every hour back into the City Centre (not Sunday) at 26 minutes past each hour, or at 24 minutes past each hour in the other direction to Inverness Airport Railway Station.
If you look back at earlier posts you will see that it was a different number, but that has changed this year.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8317 posts
Not sure where in Kilmartin Glen the tour goes, but Nether Largie Standing Stones and Ballymeanoch Standing Stones are near there; between 1 and 2 miles from the castle. There are a number of cairns in the area too.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thanks for the responses! We are flying out the day after the tour ends, so we will have a full day in Edinburgh since the tour ends on a Friday.