This short forest walk visits the most extensive prehistoric rock carvings in the UK: the Achnabreac Cup and Ring rocks. The easy circular also gives good views over Lochgilphead towards the Isle of Arran.
Bog Factor
Clear path and forestry track
Achnabreac forestry car park.
Bus to Cairnbaan.
NR851908
The car park for Achnabreac (charge) can be found by taking a signed turn off the A816 to the north of Cairnbaan. Continue along the track for nearly a kilometre until the car park is found off to the right hand side. There are picnic tables and mountain bike trails leaving from here as well as two short walks - this one, and another that leads to a dragonfly pond.
The footpath begins over the little footbridge. Turn left at a junction, then right onto the direct path from the car park. The small but steep and rocky hill on the right - hidden amongst the conifers - is Dùn na Marag, the site of an ancient fort. Continue straight ahead on the path at a cross-roads - the route crossing here is part of the mountain bike trail. The path continues to climb very slightly. Soon the celebrated Achnabreac rocks are reached, enclosed by a fence to prevent damage; the route keeps to the walkway alongside. The rocks were formerly known by their anglicised name of Achnabreck.
The cup-and-ring markings - of which there are many, sometimes overlaid in layers, are 5,000 years old. There are no representation carvings and the designs are completely abstract, with the rings sometimes enclosing the cup markings and sometimes running along them. Despite study by experts no-one is really sure of the purpose of meanings of the carvings.
The path soon forks right though there are more carvings on the rocks by the fence - which can be hard to see from below. When you've finished looking at these remarkable remains, continue on the main path. It soon reaches a second, smaller fenced area with another series of less well-preserved markings. The path now climbs gently via zig-zags, with seats from which you can admire the fine views over Lochgilphead towards the Isle of Arran, with Goat Fell visible on a clear day.
The path now swings left and climbs past a bench through the forest until it reaches a wide forest track. Turn left along the track, keeping on the main left-hand track at a junction, to return to the entrance to the car park. Turn left once more to head into the car park and return to the start.
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