History

The Kilmartin Glen is without doubt a very special place and there is evidence to suggest that it has been a very special place for many thousands of years.  Within a 6 mile radius of the village of Kilmartin well over 350 prehistoric and historic monuments have been recorded.  The variety and particular kinds of monuments (cairns, standing stones, stone circles and rock art suggest that was an area of ritual significance in prehistory.

The hill fort: Dunadd Fort is significant in its own right, being the home of the Kings of Dal Riata, a kingdom that played a significant role in the creation of the Scottish nation.

The Kilmartin Glen is unique in having a linear avenue of 6 cairns. You can explore each of them - starting at Glebe Cairn, a single chamber cairn at the North of the glen.  

The South Cairn is the oldest of the cairns in the glen.  It is a chambered cairn which you can explore inside (if you dare!) 

Dunchraigaig Cairn is the Southern most cairn in the glen, a few hundred yards from Dunchraigaig House.

At Temple Wood there is evidence of an older Wooden Circle having been created before stone circle that can be seen today.  We do not know the purpose of the stone circles - whether for ritual or maybe party time!

If you look carefully (and in the right light) you can see this spiral carving in one of the stones. 

As Dunchraigaig House is directly opposite the 6 Ballymeanoch stones, these are of course our favourites!  The widest of the stones has many cup and ring marks when caught in the right light.

Whilst you may spot cup and ring marks carved into some of the standing stones in the glen, the most intricate patterns can be seen in the large slabs of rock art within the glen.  At Achnabreck and Ormaig some of the best examples can be found.