CLICK PHOTOS ABOVE FOR DETAILED COVERAGE OF EACH CAIRN
This is a site overview, for in-depth coverage of each cairn, including photos, VR panoramas, and detailed information, simply click on the photo of the relevant cairn above.
The Camster Cairns, also known as "The Grey Cairns of Camster", are located Caithness12 miles SW of Wick and 6miles north of Latheron close to the A9. The cairns stand on desolate moorland, known locally as "the flow country". The cairns are close to both Loch Stemster and Loch Rangag, but neither body of water is visible from the site.
Visually, the two main monuments that comprise the site are a free standing round cairn and a massive long cairn with the trapezoidal plan characteristic of this monument class. Both of the monuments are deceptive however, the round cairn is actually a heeled cairn, and the long cairn is a multiphase monument that completely engulfs two previously existing chambered round cairns.
Visiting Camster
The site is easily accessible and is only about a kilometre along a secondary road off the main A9. There is parking at the side of the road for several cars and this is free. The cairns themselves are 100m or more from the road across boggy moorland, but a network of excellent raised wooden "duckwalks" allows mud-free transit to the cairns. All of the passages and chambers are accessible and the floors are gravel, which is much more convenient than mud in the wet season. The passages have ceiling heights usually about 1m, but do dip as low as 0.8m, so it is hands and knees entry and watch your head. All of the chambers are tall enough to allow the average human to stand upright comfortably.
All of the passage entrances are fitted with bronze grille doors which are lockable, but we saw no evidence that access to the chambers was routinely prevented at any time.
Two very externally visually imposing monuments, with three excellent chambers (one class-defining!) and easy access, Camster must be top of the list for the megalithically inclined visitor in this region.