Discovering the Clava Cairns, Scotland's most mysterious landmarks

The name stems from a set of three cairns in Balnuaran of Clava, just east of Inverness). These three are particularly well preserved from the ravages of time, and give us a glimpse into Bronze Age beliefs and traditions. The cairns would have been incredibly significant to the burial rites, as they were built to house the dead, the stones wrapping around the tomb of a single individual with a rather important standing within society.

The cairns would have incorporated ring and cup mark stones before adding the rest of the stones to the final structure. Archaeological evidence suggests that nothing about the cairns would have been decided at random, and that everything from the size of stones to the types used was a meaningful detail chosen carefully to bring a complex design to life. Part of their mystery is deciphering those very choices and trying to piece together their meaning.

You may also notice some large singular stones, resembling more modern headstones situated near the cairns. These stones are organised around a height factor, the tallest being placed at a mid-western point to fully face the setting sun. This would also suggest that they were particularly interested in the midwinter suns, the midwinter sunset would have marked an essential turning point in the year, signalling a new beginning. This is consistent with beliefs observed throughout buildings and practices across the British Isles.

Around 50 cairns can be found in the Inverness and Moray Firth areas, each varying in size and scale. We strongly recommend you figure out which ones you would like to see before making the trip, for specific locations on where to look for them, visit this Historic Environment Scotland page dedicated to them. The best (and only) way to reach them is to drive, so we strongly recommend basing yourself out of Inverness and driving up to whichever one you’d like to visit. 

Please bear in mind that the Clava Cairns are over 4000 years old and important historic landmarks so treat them as such when visiting. Be sure to check the weather forecast and to wear appropriate clothing, as you’ll be walking around the woods. Be warned, for it said that anyone who dares remove a stone from the cairns will incur a terrible curse.