Saints and Stones: Grey Cairns of Camster: Long Cairn
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The Grey Cairns of Camster are two of the best preserved Neolithic chambered cairns in Scotland. At the site there are two structures, one round structure approximately 60 feet in diameter and another long structure of approximately 230 feet in length. Both were built during the Neolithic era 5000 years ago.

As described by Undiscovered Scotland, at the two ends of the Camster Long Cairn are "'horns' where the structure extends outwards to help define forecourts. The northern forecourt incorporates an unusual platform that is now grassed over to protect it. There are two internal chambers, both towards the north end of the cairn and both accessed by passages from the east side of the cairn. The internal chambers had collapsed at some point, and are now roofed with fibreglass domes. Again, light comes in from the outside and the passages here, especially the one nearest the center of the cairn, are slightly less of a squeeze than the one in the round cairn."

Two burial chambers were discovered in the long cairn. It has been surmised that both chambers had originally formed part of separate round cairns that were later incorporated into the one long cairn that exists today.

About Grey Cairns of Camster: Long Cairn

Undiscovered Scotland: Grey Cairns of Camster
Megalithic Portal: Grey Cairns of Camster: Long Cairn
Modern Antiquarian: Grey Cairns of Camster

Journey to the Grey Cairns of Camster: Long Cairn

The Camster Long Cairn can be found beside an unclassified single track road which heads in an almost straight line due north from the A99 near Lybster before emerging on the A882 near Watten. It and the nearby Camster Round Cairn are a little over five miles from Lybster and some eight miles from Watten. A wooden boarded path leads from the roadside to the round cairn, then from it to the long cairn, and then back to the road.

Ordnance Survey Map (ND260441)

Visitors Information

Visitors information on the Camster Long Cairn may be found at the Historic Scotland website. General tourist information may be found at the Caithness Tourism website.

Additional Photos of the Grey Cairns of Camster: Long Cairn

Historic Scotland Sign for the Camster Cairns
The Camster Long Cairn in the Distance
Approaching the Camster Long Cairn
Descriptive Sign at the Camster Long Cairn Site
The Southern Chamber Entrance, Camster Long Cairn
The Northern Chamber Entrance, Camster Long Cairn
The Northern End, Camster Long Cairn
The Western Side, Camster Long Cairn
Close-Up of the Northern Entrance, Camster Long Cairn
Into the Northern Cairn, Camster Long Cairn
Into the Northern Cairn, Camster Long Cairn
Inside the Northern Cairn, Camster Long Cairn
The Southern End, Canster Long Cairn
Looking North from the Southern End, Canster Long Cairn
The Camster Round Cairn (in the Distance) from the Camster Long Cairn

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