Through the Stones at Clava Cairns

Leaving Urquhart Castle, we continued our journey back in time to 2000 BC to the mysterious mounds and standing stones at Clava Cairns. Although archeologists are not sure who built them, they suppose that they were burial chambers for persons of importance. The keyhole-shaped entrance to each of the three cairns is aligned so that the rising sun on either the summer or winter solstice shines directly into the chamber.

There are cairns and standing stones throughout Britain, but these at Clava Cairns were the inspiration for Claire's journey back in time in the first of the Outlander books. Myj did try passing through, but apparently is not a Traveler. Just as well, as it would be terrible to miss the rest of the trip!

Before leaving the site, we enjoyed a Scottish picnic. Our guide Brian produced a generous spread of typical picnic foods of smoked salmon and haddock, Scotch eggs, sausage rolls, cheeses, oatcakes, a selection of ales and wines (the wines were French and Italian - the scarcity of arable soil in Scotland is not conducive for grapes). We tried everything and enjoyed most of it. Dennis liked the haggis flavored chips, but Myj could pass.Read more