Dating back to about 4000 years, the clava cairns are prehistoric burial cairns of bulnuaran of clava. Independent lunch, at culloden evening after dinner, entertainment with men of worth hotel kingsmills hotel, inverness d. Clava cairns is a wellpreserved bronze age cemetery near inverness in the scottish highlands. To find the driving direction from inverness to clava cairns which is 11 by road, click on show directions after entering start and end locations in the calculator control. The clava cairn is a type of bronze age circular chamber tomb cairn, named after the group of 3 cairns at balnuaran of clava, to the east of inverness in scotland. The balnuaran of clava, giant tombs encased in stone, can be found close to inverness in. Clava cairns and culloden inverness forum tripadvisor. The clava cairns of the central highlands of scotland were recognised by aubrey burl 1973 as largely lunar orientated. Clava cairns, inverness ticket price timings address.
Admission prices and opening times for clava cairns in north and grampian. Clava cairns or the prehistoric burial cairns of bulnuaran of clava are a group of three bronze age cairns located near inverness. The cairns of clava not too far from loch ness, there lies three giant tombs made of stones. These together form part of a group of some 45 very distinctive cairns in northern invernessshire, all called clava cairns after this location, which is where they were first studied. Balnuaran a visitors guide to of clava arch highland. Would it be cheaper to rent a car and try our meager left s. Proposed culloden muir conservation area, highland visual setting assessment aoc project number 22838 february 2015. The cairns are ancient ritual monuments, which originally contained burial chambers. From here, we headed past the beautifully kept clava lodge, a former shooting lodge built in 1899, which now offers selfcatering accommodation in a number of riverside chalets and apartments. Three large cairns all surrounded by a circle of standing stones stand 50m and 70m apart close to the river nairn. Named after the group of three cairns at balnuaran of clava, to the east of inverness in scotland. Prehistoric burial cairns of balnuaran of clava, also called clava cairns. Clava cairns prehistoric site with disabled access.
Clava cairns are in the care of historic scotland on a gravel terrace above the river nairn is one of scotlands most evocative sacred prehistoric sites. This is very close to culloden battlefield and i would suggest to visit clava cairns at the same day. Outlander fans will find delight in the tallest standing stone but make sure you. With a spirit of adventure you pass along the single track roads to arrive at a tree circled clearing where the clava cairns stand grey and intriguing. New burials were placed in some of the existing cairns and three smaller monuments were built including a kerb cairn. The clava cairns are to be found about a mile from culloden battlefield, south of the river nairn. The clava cairns of the central highlands of scotland were recognised by aubrey.
The clava cairn is a type of bronze age circular chamber tomb cairn, named after the group of three cairns at balnuaran of clava, to the east of inverness in scotland. Proposed culloden muir conservation area, highland visual. We will be in inverness on september 28 and really want to travel to clava cairns. This document highlights the key features that makes clava cairns special. Stay home, stay safe and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future. One of several prehistoric bronze age cairns on this site. The cairns are a series of round chambered tombs and standing stone circles dating back to at least 2,000 bc. Links within the chapter in order of their appearance. The clava cairns are a typesite for a group of around 50 similar cairns found only in the region of the moray firth and inverness.
For many years, it played second fiddle to its more famous neighbour, culloden battlefield. Clava is named after the clava cairns, a bronze age site outside inverness in scotland built with very precise astronomical positioning. Posted by true highlands in kit and caboodle 16 comments. The clava cairn is a type of bronze age circular chamber tomb cairn, named after the group of three cairns at balnuaran of clava, to the east of inverness in. The clava cairns make up an ancient cemetery also known as balnauran of clava, which is dominated by a line of three cairns enclosed by stone circles. Explore the culloden battle site and bronze age tombs at clava cairns on a private fullday trip from edinburgh. Culloden visitor centre to clava cairns is a mile and a half, mostly along quiet rural roads, so about 30 minutes at an average walking pace. It has almost a sacred feeling over it and especially if you are lucky to come there when noone else is there. Clava cairns the real craigh na dun true highlands. Between cawdor castle and the infamous battlefield of culloden, there is a nest of three puzzling objects known as the clava cairns, also called the balnuaran of clava. Clava cairns became a bucket list destination overnight, after it was suggested that outlanders fictitious stone circle, craigh na dun was inspired by the site. Each cairn is surrounded by a circle of standing stones, and none of them now have a roof on. The cairns and standing stones, are a must see, one of the most atmospheric sites in the highlands.
Their defining feature is a southwest orientation, as described by audrey shore henshall 1972, stuart piggott 1982, clive. Inverness to clava cairns rick steves travel forum. There are about 50 cairns of this type in an area round about inverness. Available formats pdf please select a format to send. This is a study of the early bronze age cairns at balnuaran of clava, near inverness, scottish central highlands, from the perspective of skyscape. The clava cairns make up an ancient cemetery also known as balnauran of clava, which is dominated by a line of three cairns. Clava cairn plural clava cairns archaeology a type of bronze age circular chamber tomb cairn. Balnuaran of clava is the site of an exceptionally wellpreserved group of prehistoric burial cairns that were built about 4,000 years ago. Clava cairns are a wellpreserved bronze age cemetery complex of passage graves.
Cairns of clava balnuaran cairns, august 9, 1997 near inverness, highlands map ref. We dont want to go on an expensive tour that will include places we dont want to see. Before long we reached clava cairns, just as the sun was going down on the quarter day known as samain, a significant date in the celtic calendar. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Live in light of covid19, all visitor attractions, depots and offices are temporarily closed and staff are working from home. The ne passage grave chambered cairn and stone circle. The site consists of three cairns, two are passage burial cairns and the other is a ring type cairn. Figure 8 theoretical visibility from the clava cairns of. Used in two periods, the excavations on the sites have resulted into evidence suggesting the site was a farming land and housing area before these monuments were built. Clava cairns on an outlander tours by black kilt tours.
Hes statements of significance outline the history and development of scotlands properties in care. The form of these burial monuments uniquely combines aspects of ring cairns, passage graves, and stone circles. This listing is for a pdf quilt pattern that is a digital download of pattern instructions, tiled pattern pieces that can be printed on a home printer, and an alternate 11x17 pattern sheet that can be printed at a copy shop. The highlands astronomical society has some fine examples of ancient sites in its area, amongst them the clava cairns near inverness stone chambers with standing stones round about and the opportunity to visit them with an expert guide came during the mini science festival organised by the society in late march 2009 as part of their activities for the international year. Clava cairns outlanderlinks outlandish scotland journey. See here for an excellent pdf file on the clava cairns. Cup marks on a passagetype clava cairn at balnauran of clava standing stones and clava cairns at balnauran of clava a roadway passes between standing stones at balnauran of clava. Scientific research has unearthed little about the origin of. Clava cairns clava cairns clava cairns clava cairns n a gravel terrace above the river nairn stands one of scotlands most evocative prehistoric monuments. There are three burial cairns at balnuaran, and they are part of a line of seven dotted along the south side of the valley of the river nairn.
According to tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience clava cairns. Clava cairns project has been set up to for people to share their understanding of clava cairns bronze age site near inverness. North east passage grave at clava cairns in scotland. Clava is named after the clava cairns, a bronze age site outside inverness in. With a flexible itinerary that lets you customize your sightseeing, visit the culloden battlefield, where bonnie prince charlies jacobites were defeated in 1746. Clava cairns, then, could have served as some central meeting place which clans far to the south could have easily located. Clava cairns fact file worksheet worksheet teacher made. Media in category balnuaran of clava the following 71 files are in this category, out of 71 total. Clava cairns are a distinct group of eba monuments found in the. The clava cairns are dominated by a line of three exceptionally wellpreserved burial cairns, each enclosed by stone circles.
There are three cairns in this group, two are passage burial cairns and the last is a ring type cairn. Its uphill on the way back so add 5 to 10 minutes extra. Clava cairns statement of significance historic environment. This listing is for a high quality printed quilt pattern that includes a cardstock envelope, full color, illustrated instruction booklet and a template sheet. The top destination for megaliths and prehistory worldwide. Clava cairns highland, scotland mysterious scottish standing stones near inverness, not for from culloden battlefield, definitely worth a visit clava cairns highland, scotland inside the north east cairn looking out towards the sun. Around 2000 bc a row of large cairns was built, three of which can be seen today and there may once have been two more. With the surrounding stone circles, this is a place with a special atmosphere, and a real sense of the areas ancient past. Balnuaran of clava ne mains of clava ne, clava cairns. It takes around 15 to reach inverness to clava cairns. Its wonderful to see the outlander effect generating so much interest, however theres way more to clava cairns than its outlander connection. Clava cairns the clava cairns are situated near the river nairn, not far from culloden battlefield outside inverness in the highlands of scotland. We are mostly interested in standing stones and perhaps a castle.
Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. They have nothing to do with the battle and in fact date back to at least 2000 bce. Day 10 thmonday, 7 oct, 2019 activity we depart inverness to return south by way of. The cairns at the site have been designated the northeast cairn, central cairn, and southwest cairn.
Clava cairns is a much older historic site near culloden. Less than a mile and a half southeast from the pilgrimage site of culloden battlefield is a much, much older, and intriguing, reminder of scotlands past, balnuaran of clava balnuaran of clava is a prehistoric cemetery, 4,000 years old, and often referred to simply by the generic term clava cairns clava cairns are unique to the area of the moray firth and inverness. Mysterious clava cairns of scotland historic mysteries. Clava cairns highland, scotland balnuaran of clava.
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