Five archaeological sites to visit this summer
Are you interested in learning more about Scotland’s past this summer?
In Scotland we are lucky to have a rich and diverse history. This can be discovered by visiting one of the many archaeological sites located across the country. To mark the 2025 Festival of Archaeology we have highlighted some of the best sites to visit in our forests.
Boreland Chambered Cairn
You will find a large pile of stones by the side of the path when you visit Knockman Wood. This is the remains of the ancient chambered cairn of Boreland. Built around 6000 years ago, when the neolithic ‘first farmers’ began to settle in this area the cairn was used as a tomb for the dead - where people placed the deceased in the chambers within the cairn. It was also a space for the living - where people could pay their respects within the forecourt.
You can see what the cairn would have looked like all those years ago in the visualisation above.
Wilsontown Ironworks
Not all archaeological sites are prehistoric. You can gain an insight into Scotland’s industrial history by visiting Wilsontown Ironworks. The ironworks opened in 1779 on the banks of the Mousewater and grew rapidly over the following three decades. The company employed 521 men by 1812. However, by 1842 poor transport links, managerial failures and costly legal disputes between the owners led to the closure of the works. The blast furnaces, workshops and cottages have all gone - but the ring-shaped spoil heaps from the surrounding coal pits can still be seen.
Located just outside Forth in South Lanarkshire, you can visit what remains of the ironworks today. You might even spot birds and butterflies along the way.
Tillyfourie recumbent stone circle
Recumbent stone circles are unique to Aberdeenshire. They date from the late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age – from the third millennium BC. They were constructed around existing ring cairns, wrapping the funerary pyre with a large recumbent stone and a ring of standing stones. The recumbent is usually orientated towards the setting sun on the winter solstice in the southwest horizon. Tillyfourie is one of the few surviving recumbent stone circles to still retain its full circle of stones.
You can visit Tillyfourie recumbent stone circle by taking the Cairn William trail at Pitfichie.
Dun Deardail hillfort
The hillfort of Dun Deardail sits high above Glen Nevis, overshadowed by Ben Nevis looming opposite. It was built in the middle of the first millennium BC, around 2500 years ago. It was eventually destroyed in a catastrophic fire. Dun Deardail – Derdriu’s fort – may have been the seat of a tribal chief. Its hearth once staged feasts and celebrations, momentous decisions and everyday family dramas. The sights and sounds of life within the fort are now long gone. All that remains is the archaeology beneath your feet and the ramparts of the fort itself. This is a natural stronghold with amazing views.
Dun Deardail was recently excavated as part of the Nevis Landscape Partnership. You can read the story of The Archaeology of Dun Deardail in this booklet.
Located near Fort William and Ben Nevis, Glen Nevis is a popular site with families and offers great picnic spots. You can access the fort by taking the Dun Deardail trail. This is quite a strenuous hike, but you will be rewarded with great views and historically important remains.
Achnabreac rock art
Achnabreac is one of Scotland’s best examples of Neolithic rock art. The bedrock exposure is covered in cup and ring marks. It forms part of an outdoor gallery of rock art that stretches from Galicia in Spain to the Atlantic coast to Scotland. The rock art represents a shared cultural tradition that was carved over four thousand years ago. The repeating motifs of cups and rings were carved by many different hands over time, each an individual expression but part of a collective whole. A cacophony of voices singing a common refrain.
By studying and thinking about how rock art connects both within itself and with the natural world, we can explore the cultural ideas and meanings behind the abstract motifs and beautiful designs. You can learn more in our free booklet A Song in Stone.