Walk: Making the most of Machrie Moor

📌 Blackwaterfoot, Isle of Arran
★★★

Machrie Moor is surely the Isle of Arran’s most spectacular, mysterious ancient history sites, and an essential part of any visit to the island. This low-lying, scrubby area has one of the richest archaeological landscapes anywhere in Scotland, with a dense concentration of standing stones, burial cairns, hut circles and more than half a dozen stone circles, all with the spectacular backdrop of Arran’s main hill ranges (on a clear day). Parts of the monuments date from as early as 3,500 BC, though the stone constructions are a “mere” 4,000 years old. There is a good track from the nearest road and the main highlights are well signposted, but a few spots are easily missed; the extra-detailed guide and map below should keep you pointing in the right direction.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on the coast road just south of Machrie Bridge, 3 mi north of Blackwaterfoot, Isle of Arran

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NR 895330

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.545101,-5.337975

🚌 Infrequent bus to Tormore, nearby to south – will probably stop at car park on request

🚗 Car park (gets full)

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 50 m | ⌚ 1.5-2 hr

Features: ⭕ Moss Farm Road Stone Circle ★★; ⭕ Machrie Moor Standing Stones ★★★★

⬤ Easy | Excellent track for approach, then clear paths around the standing stones. Rougher paths for short detours.

➡️ Out-and-back walk: start – Moss Farm Road Stone Circle – Machrie Moor Standing Stones (various minor detours en route) – return by outward route

🔍 Route in detail

Intro: The route generally follows an obvious track, but short detours are recommended at certain points to see various monuments close up.

1. Turn right out of the car park, following the good track away from the main road. After 600 metres there is a 90° right-hand bend, revealing Moss Farm Road Stone Circle (which is in fact a burial cairn) ahead.

2. After viewing the cairn continue on the track east, climbing gently. 600 metres beyond the cairn, take a rougher path off left to view the obvious standing stone (with a newer memorial just beyond). Return to the track.

3. A very short distance further along the track, another rough path accesses a burial cairn, this time on the right. Again, return to the track.

4. The track passes right over the top of another burial cairn (easily missed), before the ruins of Moss Farm come into view on the left. Ahead is Fingal’s Cauldron Seat: a prominent double-ringed stone circle.

5. The track fades, but continue ahead (well to the right of the farm) across grass, pass through a pedestrian gate to reach the finest monuments. There are five further stone circles (or bits of stone circles) here. Machrie Moor 4 is almost immediately on the right; the massive claw-like giant of Machrie Moor 3 is a short detour to the left. The main path continues to the trio of tall stones making up Machrie Moor 2, and then to the smaller rings at Machrie Moor 11 and Machrie Moor 1.

6. Return by the outward route.

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Lots of sheep & lambs.

Weather: Cloudy evening with some patches of blue sky, light winds.

July 2022

Machrie Moor Standing Stones ★★★★

Moss Farm Road Stone Circle ★★