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.
Waymarked route across exposed and very boggy moorland.
None.
South Yarrows farm.
There is a dedicated car park on the left of the minor road before reaching South Yarrows, with an information board here giving some details about the walk. Begin by going through the small gate from the far corner, soon following a fence towards the Loch. Pass left of a farm gate to reach the shores, then turn right to cross a stile. After passing through a kissing gate, the Yarrows broch is reached beside the loch. 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 only by sheep.
Pass through a kissing gate into the improved field, with the loch on your left. At the far end of the field pass through two gates into another field, then turn right, keeping a fence on your right. Pass through another gate and then bear slightly left up through a field to reach a stile on the skyline. From here keep right of a fence at first; the ground underfoot switches from improved grassy pasture to rough moorland, following a low ridge with good views back to the loch. There are the remains of hut circles seen faintly near the trail. At a big post bear slightly right - the route becomes clearer to follow, descending to another stile. Beyond the route is very boggy underfoot; the one or two flagstones are insufficient to keep your feet dry!
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 topped by a tall modern cairn. The chambered cairn itself is thought to date back to the Neolithic period at around 5,800 years old - like the others on the route, it's an ancient structure so don't be tempted to rearrange the stones or add to the cairn.
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.
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 bear right to head back down to the road and the parking area at the start of the walk.
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