Hill O’Many Stanes

Archaeological place

Explorer Tom

The Hill o'Many Stanes does exactly what its name promises, then makes the promise stranger. About two hundred slim stones stand in rows on a Caithness hillside, looking less like a random scatter than a gathering that arrived four thousand years early and has not yet decided to leave. There is no ticket office for the mystery. At least twenty-two lines of stones run roughly north to south, fanning from a rocky rise. Each upright slab was deliberately set and packed into the ground, and traces suggest there were once more rows. Nobody knows why a community invested so much work here. Ceremony, a way to follow the sun or moon, and a link to the farming year have all been proposed; none is a confirmed translation of the site. That uncertainty is part of the visit. Walk beside the pattern and notice how it changes when seen along a row rather than across it. The builders planned something precise, even if they declined to leave us their instructions. Historic Environment Scotland keeps the site free and open throughout the year near Lybster, off the A99. It is an outdoor hillside monument, so expect uneven ground and bring footwear for the weather. Please do not move or lean on the stones; their small size makes the work behind them easy to underestimate. Find a position where several rows line up, then let the hill ask its own question. A quick answer would rather spoil the place.

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Map note: Hill O’Many Stanes is an ancient site near Mid Clyth, Highland, Scotland. The past can keep its secrets; the map gives you a starting point.

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) n408502459