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North Highlands Highlight

The Grey Cairns of Camster

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The Grey Cairns of Camster (ND260440) are 5 miles north of Lybster. They are among the best preserved Neolithic chambered cairns in Britain. Both have intact chambers and passages with rooflights so that no torches are needed. They should not be missed and are accessed from the road by boardwalks.

Camster Round is about 20m in diameter and 4m high. The eastfacing entrance has an impressive facade and leads to a passage about 6m long. The chamber has a nearly intact corbelled roof. it is divided by 3 pairs of upright slabs. The roof is made of one large monolith and is over 3m above the floor.

Camster Long is a huge extended pile of stones over 60m long. There are horns at each end and a large forecourt at the north end. The retaining wall has been repaired to represent the original appearance. The monument started off as two separate round cairns which were subsequently joined and extended southwards.

The north chamber is lined with vertical slabs, while the south one resembles that of Camster Round. Both entrance passages face eastwards. The chamber roofs are not original as they were destroyed in the 19th century, but they retain a strong sense of grandeur.

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