This short walk exploring a chambered cairn and standing stone on Point (named the Eye peninsula on maps) near Stornoway - a peaceful exploration of a couple of Lewis' less visited archaeological sites.
Road, track, waymarked pathless moorland, very boggy in places.
Bus to Garrabost from Stornoway.
Parking area for Dursainean Chambered Cairn, Garrabost.
A new barbed wire fence has been constructed right across the waymarked route of this walk, just before it reaches the footbridge near Clach Glas. There is no gate or stile - we have raised with the Access Officer.
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The Eye peninsula, known locally as Point, stretches north east from Stornoway and Garrabost is a long settlement after the narrow point on the headland. Take the A866 from Stornoway and after passing An Cnoc and then the sign for the school on the right take the next right turn which has a footpath sign for the chambered cairn and circular walk. There is parking fro two cars on the left just before a house with a conifer shelter belt (more parking at the church near the end of the walk if needed). There is an information board about the cairn here. Start the walk by following a vague path diagonally left to the corner of the conifers and house boundary to cross a stile. From here the path follows a few marker posts to climb directly up the heathery slope to the stones of the chambered cairn.
The chambered cairn here is approximately 6000 years old and is unusual in that it may have been square (most were round). A long passageway led to a partially underground chamber, stones would have made up the outer walls and roof. It is likely to have been used for ceremonial purposes and also for storing the bones of the dead. From here aim northeast slightly downhill to cross a fence at a (currently broken) stile with a marker post with the rest of the route still marked by posts.
Continue in the same direction following blue marker posts to reach a boggy track. Turn right onto this and follow it alongside the Allt na Muilne for a very short distance to a bridge. A new fence has blocked the route here - unless a stile has been built, detour to the right along it to reach a gate, then turn left on the track on the far side to rejoin the original route. Cross the bridge to reach the triangular shaped standing stone of Clach Ghlas.
Return to the track and follow this back to Garrabost, heading through a gate before the first building. Turn left on the main road to pass a church and houses before taking the next road on the left with a footpath sign to return to the start.
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