Craigh na Dun is it real???
If you watched Outlander Television serial you might have noticed the Magical Stones called Craigh na Dun.
Most Outlander Fans come to Inverness wanting to visit the real Craigh na Dun only to find out that there is no such place but there is a standing stone circle that happens to be only five minutes drive from Culloden Battlefield called Clava Cairns and it is a wonderful place to visit.
Clava Cairns - The real Craigh na Dun
Clava Cairns is a well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.
For many years, it played second fiddle to its more famous neighbour, Culloden Battlefield. That all changed in 2014, with the release of the TV dramatization of Diana Gabaldon’s popular Outlander novel.
Clava Cairns became a bucket list destination overnight, after it was suggested that Outlander’s fictitious stone circle, Craigh na Dun was inspired by the site. For history lovers, it gives a fascinating insight into the mysterious lives of our ancient ancestors.
The stone circles and burial chambers at Clava Cairns date back 4,000 years to the Bronze Age. This isn’t the earliest known use of the site either, as archaeological excavations has found it was once used for farming. Some of the early farm buildings may even have been recycled and incorporated into the burial site.
Clava Cairns are best viewed on a clear winter day, as the sun begins to set. Then a magical light envelopes the place, casting a golden glow on the stones and cairns. It’s fascinating to witness as the alignment of the stones and cairns suggests that their placing was no accident.
They align with the midwinter sunset, meaning real planning and precision must have gone into their construction. This gives us a fascinating and fleeting glimpse into the past, to a time when our ancestors were in tune with the rising and setting of the sun, the cycle of the moon and the changing of the seasons.
Visiting Clava Cairns
Admission charge: Free entry
Opening times: Open all year
On site facilities: Free parking
Location: 6 miles east of Inverness. The cairns are signposted from the B9091, 300 yards east of Culloden Battlefield. Grid reference: NH 752 439
Source www.truehighlands.com