Kilmartin Glen Spring 2007. Nature, Archaeology ( Part Two )

I made for the B8025 and its “tributary” minor roads. On the way I spotted a road sign to Lady Glassary Wood. I decided to have a look. I wasn't disappointed....
The first monument accessible from the carpark was a line of ancient stones. The field was edged with many clumps of fushia bushes in full bloom. I wonder how they got there?
 
                                     
                 
Just across the road from these stones, stood Templewood.
This very atmospheric stone circle was started over 5000 years ago and its design was modified until about 1200BC when both cairns were covered by large pebbles, perhaps to seal and preserve the site, or maybe to bury and wipe it out – we just don’t know!. It is thought its main purpose was associated with burials and many artefacts have been discovered which are now in the Kilmartin Museum.
                                       
The Nether Largie South Cairn , as it's name suggests stands in the south-most part of a 5000 years old linear cemetery which remained in use for over 2000 years.
     
I noticed the two main plants growing on the pebble cairns were ferns and possibly a member of the water starwort family.
                   
               
                     
         
             
           
Other cairns are to be found at Nether Largie Mid and Nether Largie North. Templewood and Nether Largie Standing Stones and Ri Cruin Cairn are also part of the line. Nobody knows whether these monuments were built in a line on purpose or whether they are simply built along an existing narrow terrace gauged out by Ice Age glaciers.
   
             
         
It was time to leave Nether Largie and I drove south down the B8025 and parked up just before the Crinan Canal.
  
             
         
I was heading for a bird hide placed a hundred yards or so along the canal towpath. The hide overlooks the point where the River Add enters Loch Crinan. I set up my digiscope and managed to capture a hooded crow and an oystercatcher each foraging for a snack, a statue-like heron and a swan who seemed to be hiding.
             
                 
           
 
                                       
                                   
                                           
After I had satisfied myself that I had seen all the birds I was going to see, I nipped along the canal to Crinan where I found the sea lock to the canal. Two ancient-looking vessels were moored there, the Vital Spark, the vessel which was featured in the BBC dramatization of Para Handy, the famous novel by Neil Munro, and tugboat Duke of Normandy.
                                                              
                 
                               
At the A816 end of the canal is Cairbaan the site of more stone carvings. These are easily reached from a wooded path at the side of the Cairbaan Hotel. The stones were very similar to the others I had seen. Cup and Ring, spirals, circles, stars and grooves were all very evident.
    
                     
It was now late afternoon and I decided to head for Craignish Point at the end of Loch Craignish.
From the A816, I joined the B8002, a mainly single track road, which led to a dead-end!
I decided to sit here, and for a few hours I enjoyed the views of Jura and Islay. The ubiquitous oystercatchers and gulls came and went as did hawks, probably buzzards hovering high in the distance. These charming little ragged robin flowers nestling between the rocks caught my eye.
     
 
     
             
         
         
             
 
Later I went on a short trek to the south of the peninsula and witnessed a strange sight. A small boat was caught in a large whirlpool. The power of its engines were matched by the currents circulating the spiral. After a time the boat pulled away. The famous Corryvreckan whirlpool was a few miles to the west off Jura. The tides and currents in this region must be well worth the watching!
    
       
                                                                     
       
Before I returned home I had a fish supper from a traditional Italian chipshop in the main street of Lochgilphead. I sat on a bench overlooking Loch Gilp and ate it continuously watched by a flock of birds which included a carrion crow, lots of black-headed gulls and several common gulls. I threw them my last morsels and all hell broke loose!
 
                                                         
       
 
And so the Kilnartin journey comes to a close. I will certainly come back , there is so much here still to see.