The moorlands south of the Loch of Yarrows are rich in archaeological remains. From bronze-age chambered cairns to a fine iron-age broch this walk offers much for the imaginative walker to see. It is usually very wet underfoot, however, and more strenuous than the distance suggests.
Summary
Waymarked route across exposed and very boggy moorland.
Terrain
Users'
rating
1. There is car parking at South Yarrows, just south of the Loch of Yarrows; the minor roads to reach it are signed from the A99 south of Wick. There is an information board here giving some details about the walk. Begin by going through the small gate downhill into the field, heading towards the Loch. Pass through another gate and then bear left through the next, larger field towards the loch shores. Go through another gate in a fence on the left to reach the obvious broch. The tumbledown stonework is partly covered with grass, but there is no mistaking that these are the remains of an iron-age broch - a defensive tower. Thought to date to between 200 BC and 200AD, the broch would have been much taller originally; the entrance can be seen on the east side, protected by a guard cell. Thought to have been a place of refuge in times of attack, it is now a peaceful spot, inhabited by grass-muching sheep.
2. Return to the large field and head across the grass keeping the loch shore on your left. The whole route is marked by wooden posts with a whitewashed band at the top - so keep an eye out for the next one, alongside a fence; here the route goes through the gap and then turns right up the field to reach the next post, eventually crossing a stile over another fence. From here the ground underfoot switches from improved grassy pasture to rough moorland, with the remains of hut circles seen faintly near the trail. Continue as the route becomes very boggy underfoot, ascending a gentle ridge with good views back towards the Loch. After passing beside a rocky escarpment another couple of stiles are crossed. The one or two flagstones are insufficient to keep your feet dry!
3. There are more flagstones as the path climbs up to the hilltop by the Cairns of Warehouse. There are two fine chambered cairns here. The first is reached by a short detour to the left of the path; its circular structure dates back to the bronze age and much of the stonework is now grass-covered. In the side of the cairn can be seen a small chamber or cist. The second cairn, right on the highest point, is thought to date back to the Neolithic period at around 5,800 years old, is topped by several much more recent cairns.
4. From the second cairn the path heads north, crossing a stile over a post and wire fence; another chambered cairn is visible from here in the direction of the loch, but the path heads further left. Look to your left to see a standing stone by the fence. The path now runs to the right of a rocky mound. This looks almost natural, but may be the last remnants of an iron age hill-fort - it has never been excavated so no-one is certain. Continue following the posts along the ridge, with fine views over the Loch of Yarrows. Soon another relic is reached - the first of two Long Cairns. Probably 5,000 years old this was a burial cairn; the end nearest the path with its stone entrance may originally have been a round cairn and the rest of the structure added later.
5. The path continues in the same direction to reach the second Long Cairn. When this cairn was excavated its cist contained a human burial and a necklace and pottery dating to the Bronze Age - it is thought this was added some time after the cairn was originally built. The cairn is more open than the previous one but the two great stones either side of the entrance are still upright. From here turn sharp right to head back down to the road at a gate by the parking area.
Have you found an error or is any information wrong or missing?
Please let us know by using the error report form.
