Photos and the City

Slow travel & photography

Visiting the Standing Stones at Nether Largie in the Kilmartin Glen, Scotland

The standing stones in Nether Largie were my next stop in the Kilmartin Glen. Five large standing stones form a X.

There are many theories as to why the stones were put there, and in this form, it might have been a lunar observatory, which marks where the moon will rise and set at certain points in its cycle. But there are also some solar alignments.

Visiting the Standing Stones at Nether Largie in the Kilmartin Glen, Scotland

The lunar observatory, if that is what it is, was built about 3,200 years ago. The interesting thing about this date is that cup and ring carvings are thought to date back to a period 1,500 years earlier still. (Undiscovered Scotland)

Visiting the Standing Stones at Nether Largie in the Kilmartin Glen, Scotland

Even when we don´t know why these stones were put there, quite a few superstitions surround them. Camping nearby will bring good luck, but touching them might bring bad luck. (I hope I didn´t touch them!)

Visiting the Standing Stones at Nether Largie in the Kilmartin Glen, Scotland

The Nether Largie Standing Stones remains to be one of the greatest mysteries of Kilmartin Glen. What can be interpreted, however, is that these archaeological features were of great importance to the inhabitants of the Bronze Age, even if the reasons behind their placement are kept a fascinating secret. (Hidden Sotland)

Visiting the Standing Stones at Nether Largie in the Kilmartin Glen, Scotland

 

Temple Wood Stone Circle

Just a short walk from the standing stones, Temple Wood has two stone circles.

The earliest remains on the site indicate it was first used in about 3500–3000 BC, when a timber circle was built. Work began on a stone circle to replace the timber one, but was never finished.

In about 3000 BC an oval setting of 22 standing stones was built south-west of the timber circle. None is taller than 1.6m, and one is marked with a spiral motif –paralleled in Irish passage-grave art – which strongly suggests contact between Kilmartin and Ireland. (Historic Enviroment Scotland)

Temple Wood Stone Circle in Kilmartin GLen, Scotland.

In about 2000 BC two small burial cairns outside the stone circle were constructed.

Sir John Malcolm, a landowner, was so fascinated by the circles that he planted trees around them at the end of the 1800s, which he named Temple Wood.

Temple Wood Stone Circle in Kilmartin GLen, Scotland.

Visiting Carnasserie Castle in Kilmartin Glen, the Kindgom of Dalriada.

In between the islands, I spent a few days on the Scottish mainland in Argyll & Bute. My house was along a canal, and I enjoyed hours just watching boats go by. And do little excursions in the area.

The Kingdom of Dál Riata (Dalriada) occupied most of today’s Argyll & Bute and part of Northern Ireland. The Scoti were a force in their area from before 500 until after 800.

The last King of Dalriada was Kenneth I, who went on to gain control of the Pictish crown in 834 and merge the crowns of the Scots and the Picts to make a single kingdom, Alba: what we would today call Scotland. (Undiscovered Scotland)

The seat of this kingdom was Dunadd – I had visited the fort a few years ago. But I visited another part of the kingdom, the stunning Kilmartin Glen.

Kilmartin Glen is located between Oban and Lochgilphead, surrounding the village of Kilmartin, on the west of Scotland.

 

Visiting Carnasserie Castle in Kilmartin Glen, the Kindgom of Dalriada.

Carnasserie Castle

But my first stop was a more modern one, the Carnasserie Castle, built by Master John Carswell, rector of Kilmartin, in 1559.

Visiting Carnasserie Castle in Kilmartin Glen, the Kindgom of Dalriada.

Carswell built the castle for his patron, the Earl of Argyll, and incorporated an earlier building already on the site. It was a magnificent building until Royalist forces partly blew it up during Argyll’s rebellion against James VII in 1685.

Visiting Carnasserie Castle in Kilmartin Glen, the Kindgom of Dalriada.

Visiting Carnasserie Castle in Kilmartin Glen, the Kindgom of Dalriada.

Visiting Carnasserie Castle in Kilmartin Glen, the Kindgom of Dalriada.

Kilmartin

Kilmartin is a lovely village with a museum that was unfortunately closed, a cairn and a parish church known for its remarkable collection of early grave slabs.

Visiting Kilmartin in Argylle & Bute, Scotland d

A collection has been put together, some grave slabs are of early Christian design, and some are medieval.

Visiting Kilmartin in Argylle & Bute, Scotland d

Visiting Kilmartin in Argylle & Bute, Scotland d

Visiting Kilmartin in Argylle & Bute, Scotland d

 

 

 

 

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

My boat trip to the Isle of Staffa was planned while still on Mull but had to be postponed due to weather. So a few days later I drove back to Oban, boarded the ferry to Mull, then got on a bus and 1h later was ready for my boat trip to the Isle of Staffa.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

Besides being a bird paradise, the Isle of Staffa is known as Scotland’s Giant´s Causeway. Once upon a time, there might have been a “bridge” going from here to the north of Ireland.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

Fingal´s Cave

According to Irish legend, a giant who was known as Fionn mac Cumhail once used the bridge between the two basalt formations as a bridge to get from Ireland to Scotland. The reason being for a fight that was to take place against Benandonner, who was the known rival of Fionn mac Cumhail. So, while the theory that the two formations were once connected to bridge the gap between Scotland and Ireland was actually correct, the legend’s authenticity has yet to be confirmed. (The Travel)

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

The legend, which connects the two structures, is in effect geologically correct. Both the Giant’s Causeway and Fingal’s Cave were indeed created by the same ancient lava flow, which may have at one time formed a “bridge” between the two sites. Of course, this happened some 60 million years ago, long before people would have been around to see it. (Atlas Obscura)

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

This little island is one kilometre long and about 1/2 kilometre wide, and in the summertime, it is home to lots of puffins.

Staffa was hardly known until 1772, when the botanist Joseph Banks highlighted the wild, natural beauty of the island. It soon became a must-see location. Famous visitors have included Queen Victoria, Lord Tennyson, Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson and John Keats; all fell under the island’s spell.

Staffa came into the care of the National Trust for Scotland in 1986, a gift from John Elliott, Jr, of New York in honour of his wife Elly’s birthday. (National Trust Scotland)

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

I think we had a couple of hours to explore the island, and I did a bit of a circular walk, but I spent too much time watching the puffins and didn´t make it into the cave. Due to the avian flu, the cliffs were blocked a bit but still close enough to see all the birds.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

Flying puffins

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

It was time to return to the boat.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

Puffins seen from the boat.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

Bye Staffa

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides.

A daytrip to the puffins at the Isle of Staffa, Inner Hebrides. View of the Boathouse in the Isle of Ulva.

The Boathouse in the Isle of Ulva and we were returning to Mull.