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Achanarras cairn is a Bronze Age burial monument situated on moorland in Caithness, 800 metres north-west of Achanarras itself. The cairn stands upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone, a mixed sequence of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone laid down during the Middle Devonian period. This geological foundation has provided a stable base for the monument's preservation across more than three millennia.
The cairn belongs to a widespread tradition of burial construction across northern Scotland during the Bronze Age, typically built to mark elite burials or ritual deposits. The stark moorland setting of this example is characteristic of upland Caithness, where such monuments were positioned to be conspicuous in the landscape. The underlying Old Red Sandstone geology shapes the open, exposed terrain in which the cairn remains today.
The monument is protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2401, recognising its significance as archaeological evidence of prehistoric settlement and funerary practice in the far north. Like many cairns across the Highlands, it survives as a visible reminder of Bronze Age communities and their relationship with this demanding landscape.
Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2401. View the official record →
Achanarras cairn is a Bronze Age burial monument situated on moorland in Caithness, 800 metres north-west of Achanarras itself. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM2401.
Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM2401.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cnoc Donn, broch 600m ESE of Dale Farm, Halkirk (2.5 km), Dale Farm,broch 800m SE of (2.7 km), Ballone,broch 360m NE of,Spittal (3.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Achanarras,cairn 800m NW of stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.