Visit Kilmartin Glen For Ancient Stories

There are few places in Scotland that provide a glimpse into the past quite like a visit to Kilmartin Glen will. In one small area you’ll discover Neolithic standing stones, rock art, cairns, castles and even the centre of one of Scotland’s ancient kingdoms. A walk through Kilmartin Glen is like walking through 5000 years, peeling back layer after layer of history.

It feels like a hidden spot, off the beaten track and buried away in the elongated peninsulas of Argyll. In reality, this is a great base to explore everything this part of Scotland has to offer. You’re an hour from Oban with access to the islands or you could head south to the Mull of Kintyre or Isle of Arran!

However, there are so many things to do in Kilmartin Glen, you might not find time to go anywhere else!

Carnasserie Castle

Spotting Carnasserie Castle high up on its hill, is the first sign that you’re entering Kilmartin Glen. It’s a beautiful Renaissance tower, that seems fit for a King or at the very least a Bishop. The castle was created in the 16th century as a lavish home by John Carswell, the first Protestant Bishop of the Isles. He clearly hadn’t heard that churchmen were supposed to shun wealth.

While the Bishop was the one to build Carnasserie, it was designed in honour of his benefactor, the Campbell Earl of Argyll. The Earl technically still owned it, John was just a temporary resident. However, Argyll thought the building elegant but its location as if it was erected on a dung hill. Some people just have no taste.

The worn Gaelic inscription above the door roughly exclaims “God be with the Campbells”. Gaelic just happens to be what John Carswell was best known for. He translated the Book of Common Order into the first book ever printed in Gaelic. This was his attempt to get local people reading Biblical stories instead of sharing old folk stories!

Carnasserie Castle might have been built for a man of God but it was still designed to defend itself. The castle only saw action once during the Earl of Argyll’s rebellion in the 17th century. The garrison gave up before a shot had been fired, accepting a bribe to leave instead. The soldiers set the castle on fire on their way out and Carnasserie was never restored.

You can wander the ruins of Carnasserie Castle for free, the door is left open for responsible tourists. Climb to the top of either tower, enjoy the incredible view and see if you can spot any of Kilmartin Glen’s standing stones or cairns spread out below!

Kilmartin Church & Stones

Blink and you’ll miss it, but the village of Kilmartin itself has something worth stopping for. Wander the graveyard around Kilmartin Church and alongside the usual graves, you’ll discover an old burial aisle. Head through the doorway and you’ll find a range of carved stone slabs have been propped up to greet you.

These slabs would have been placed flat over the grave of a notable clan chief, warrior or churchman. It’s thought they range from the 1200s to 1700s and the number of carved swords on display gives you an idea of the culture here on the west coast.

Amongst the swords and intricate patterns you’ll also find hunting dogs, warrior effigies, combs and shears! Clearly it’s not all about fighting. Some of the Kilmartin Gravestones have seen later generations add their own writing. It seems as if people decided to reuse the early unnamed slabs for themselves.

One has been inscribed with “Iain Campbell of Duntroon” and the large figure has a faint “McTavish” etched in. Judging by the size of the swords, I don’t think I’d like to risk angering any ghosts in here by defacing their memorials. Instead, just be content to stop by the church to pay your respects.

The Kilmartin Museum should reopen in 2023 after a renovation which will give yet another reason to stop on by!

Kilmartin Glen Standing Stones

When it comes to Scotland’s ancient history, standing stones immediately jump to mind. They’re found all over the country arranged in circles, on their own or occasionally in seemingly random patterns. You’re spoiled for choice here since Kilmartin Glen has the highest concentration of prehistoric monuments found anywhere in Scotland.

You can visit a dozen sites on foot during a leisurely afternoon, there are so many in close proximity. In my opinion, the most captivating of Kilmartin Glen’s standing stones are found at Nether Largie. This isn’t a stone circle, but an elongated X-shape instead. We’re still scratching our heads as to why.

All five of the Nether Largie Standing Stones are just shy of 3 metres tall, manoeuvred into place just over 3000 years ago. Look closely at the central stone and you’ll spot some strange hollowed out divets. These examples of Kilmartin Glen rock art, also known as Cup Marks, were formed by human hands around 4500 years ago.

That means these enormous slabs were prised out of the ground by people whose ancestors had used them for their own purpose. Whoever raised these stones may have been just as confused at the meaning of the rock art as we are at their own work.

Traveller communities regarded Nether Largie as a safe, protected place to camp. They also believed that it was bad luck to touch the stones so be warned – This isn’t the place for your Outlander re-enactment!

Wander Temple Wood

With a name like Temple Wood, the field next to Nether Largie was always going to draw crowds. These monuments started life as a single circle of wooden posts around 5000 years ago. That roughly coincides with the move from hunter-gatherers to farmers in Argyll.

A common theory is that these circles were a type of calendar, since all farmers know that keeping track of the seasons is important. Soon, the old wooden posts were replaced with upright stones and another, larger circle built just a few metres away.

Around 4000 years ago small cobbles covered both circles and the large, original standing stones were removed. It’s thought that they might have been reused in other burial cairns around Kilmartin Glen. The larger circle was now being used for burials or at least ceremonies. A couple of graves were found outside the circle and there’s evidence of cremations in the centre.

In the 19th century, archaeology became fashionable and local landowner John Malcolm provided workmen to help dig around Kilmartin Glen. He was also the man responsible for the landscaping, planting the trees and coining the name Temple Wood.

They found more questions than answers here, which is no surprise. Instead of a snapshot in time, Temple Wood is a monument that has grown and adapted over thousands of years.

Explore Ancient Burial Cairns

One thing you can’t avoid on a visit to Kilmartin Glen are the many, many burial cairns and cists. They can be found in all shapes and sizes, and were in use from around 5000 years ago. There are actually five in practically a straight, stretched out line with Nether Largie South being the oldest.

It’s also one of the largest and you can climb right inside the chamber, which is thankfully empty of ancint remains now.

Nether Largie Mid and North follow the same pattern nearby, but I preferred those slightly further away. Ri Cruin Cairn has been landscaped in the same way as Temple Wood, providing a peaceful, shaded spot. This must have been the burial of a very important person, possible an early chief or king.

While the original cairn was damaged over the years, the actually stone cist displays the symbol of a carved axe head. Yet another mystery!

Kilmartin Glen Rock Art

There are plenty of examples of Kilmartin Glen Rock Art, but one of the best spots is in a little place called Kilmichael Glassary. These strange markings are some of the oldest human features in the landscape and at first glance, you might not even notice them! Look closely and you’ll notice that the markings aren’t just made by erosion, but have been carefully pecked out.

Here you’ll find small hollows called cups, many surrounded by rings. What’s different about Kilmichael Glassary are the keyhole shapes rarely found elsewhere. One of my favourite features of this rock art is how close it sits to modern housing, people will pass this every day on their way to work. It shows a connection between the oldest and newest residents of Kilmartin Glen.

Theories about their purpose are varied, some seem wild and fanciful, but in truth anything could be true! Are they directions, maps or a representation of the night sky? Was it a coming of age ritual or religious ceremony? I’ll leave you to your own imagination!

Dunadd Fort – A Place of Kings

This isn’t just any old hill, this is THE hill. A fitting place to end any visit to Kilmartin Glen is at Dunadd Fort, the heart of the Gaelic Kingdom of Dàl Riata. Between roughly 500 and 800AD, Scotland was home to more than one nation. To the north and the east were the Picts and here in the west were the Dàl Riatans, otherwise known as the Scots.

Dunadd rises proudly out of the Great Moss to watch over Kilmartin Glen and makes a pretty short and straightforward hike. At the top, I guarantee your imagination will be sparked when you catch sight of the carved footprint. This is one of the reasons that Dunadd is known to be such an important place. It’s the inauguration place for the Kings of Dàl Riata, ancestors of the Kings and Queens of Scotland.

Admittedly, most of what’s claimed is speculation, but it’s not hard to imagine the coronation process. A new King striding to the top of Dunadd, before solemnly placing his foot in the carving to connect him with his ancestors. From here, his vast Kingdom stretched out from islands in the north, to parts of Ireland in the south.

In the 8th century, the Pictish King Aengus defeated the Dàl Riatans here. That would eventually lead to the two Kingdoms combining to become Scotland as we know it and the powerbase shifting to the east coast. It gives off a definite sword in the stone vibe – if your foot fits then maybe you’re our rightful ruler….

Kilmartin Castle

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay then consider a little bit of luxury at Kilmartin Castle. I payed them a visit out of sheer interest and was blown away by the incredible restoration job there! This isn’t a corporate, hundred room, sterilised castle/country house hotel. If you stay here then you genuinely feel like you’re living in a castle amongst friends.

That’s not an advert, I just really believe in their vision and passion for the place. I’ve no doubt you will too, even just by browsing the pictures there!

If a visit to Kilmartin Glen has got you interesting in travelling Scotland then why not consider heading north to explore The Jacobite Stories of Lochaber?

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