Excursions

The illustrated lectures which provide the theoretical background to Scotland’s archaeology will be complemented by a series of course excursions which will allow us to visit a wide range of sites in the field.

On the way to Sutherland and Caithness we will visit Pictish symbol stones, stone circles and chambered cairns before stopping to explore sites such as the Grey Cairns of Camster, brochs and the enigmatic stone rows of the north of Scotland. A day into Sutherland will allow us to look at Bronze Age Cist burials as well as enjoy some spectacular scenery. We will then make the short sea crossing to Orkney.

The fertile green isles of Orkney consist of a drowned archipelago of some 60 islands divided by sounds and firths based primarily on flagstone and sandstone rocks. The closely grouped islands form a rectangle of some 56 miles north to south and 29 miles east to west, giving a total land area of 376 square miles. Separated from mainland Britain by the often tempestuous waters of the Pentland Firth, Orkney has been a mecca to people for thousands of years. The prehistoric builders used the local sandstones and flagstones at sites such as the stone age village of Skara Brae, chambered tombs like Maeshowe (aligned on the midwinter sunset and recognised as the finest megalithic tomb in Britain), in the Ring of Brodgar and the many brochs scattered throughout the islands. The whale-backed green islands with stunning coastal scenery and unparalleled archaeological treasures are a memorable experience for all visits. As we travel round mainland Orkney visiting sites, some dating back to 500 years before the building of the Great Pyramid of Egypt, we will also encounter more recent artefacts such as the Italian Chapel built by Italian prisoners of War, and the Churchill Barriers built in response to the sinking of the Royal Oak. In Orkney we will also visit well preserved brochs, and, tides permitting, the Viking settlement at Birsay.

There will also be 3 full-day excursions from Aberdeen.

Excursions from Aberdeen will enable us to visit Mesolithic shell middens, flint scatters, recumbent stone circles (there are more than 90 in north-east Scotland!), a selection of Pictish symbol stones which demonstrate the spread of Christianity and the historic Dunnottar Castle. Perched on a rocky outcrop, Dunnottar Castle has been occupied since the Iron Age, but is perhaps best known as the set for Mel Gibson’s rendition of Hamlet.