Highlands:Â Culloden & Clava Cairns

On our first day of touring with Haggis Adventures we explored the Scottish Highlands including stops at the visitor center of the Battle of Culloden Moor and the mysterious Clava Cairn.
Battlefield of Culloden Moor
Standing on Culloden Moor I saw nothing but blue sky, white clouds and grassy fields dotted with sporadic trees. Upon first examination this seemed as quiet, remote and peaceful of a place you could possibly ever visit; however, a wisp of the wind revealed that Culloden Moor was the tragic battlefield grounds and final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising.
Dave, our gregarious guide from Haggis Adventures, (clad in a kilt, sporting an impressive ginger beard and wielding historical artifacts associated with the time period [various weapons and flags]) informed us of the significance of this now memorial site: “No jokes, no humor at all. This is a massive war grave where my ancestors and other people’s ancestors died needlessly. Just the utmost respect guys.”
Not far from our initial starting point stood a 6.1 meter memorial cairn with the following inscribed:
THE BATTLE
OF CULLODEN
WAS FOUGHT ON THIS MOOR
16TH APRIL 1746
THE GRAVES OF THE
GALLANT HIGHLANDERS
WHO FOUGHT FOR
SCOTLAND & PRINCE CHARLIE,
ARE MARKED BY THE NAMES
OF THEIR CLAN
Dave continued explaining the significance of Culloden to the Scots and especially the Jacobite highlanders: “People come now to sing songs, tell stories and to remember on the 16th of April. A blind piper plays. He plays songs on the bagpipes for 45 minutes, which is the length that the battle lasted for. It tugs on your heartstrings.”
The Battle of Culloden, which took place on April 16, 1746 near Iverness in the Scottish Highlands, was the final confrontation of the 1945 Jacobite Rising. Jacobite forces under Bonnie Prince Charlie fought passionately against loyalist soldiers under the leadership of William Augustus – better know as the Duke of Cumberland. This bloody and ultimately quick conflict lasted less than an hour in which an estimated 1,500 to 2000 Jacobites were killed/wounded as opposed to significantly less casualties from the redcoats. The aftermath of the battle was a time of oppression for Jacobites who were brutally marginalized earning the Duke of Cumberland the title of ‘Butcher.’ Policing and civil penalties were implemented with the intention of weakening the Scottish clan system and Gaelic culture.
Most tragic is the grave post of the ‘Mixed Clans’ – members who were so brutally disfigured in the battle that their remains were unidentifiable. Their family name and clan ties forever wiped out from history.
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However, the spirit, passion, courage and morale of the Jacobite Highland forces remains in tales told today: “Lord George Murray was a Jacobite General. He led a charge into the front-line of the British government army. Snapped his sword in two, lost his horse and came back out of the front line; he got another sword, got another horse and led a second charge in.”
This battlefield is protected by Historic Scotland where a visitor center has been functional since December, 2007. On the anniversary of the battle people come to pay their respects.
Dave, accurately summed up the realities of war and conflict: “One thing that is guaranteed in war is death. Death and destruction.”
As someone with a certain amount of Scottish ancestry, I couldn’t help but wonder how many of my relatives may have lost their lives on this very moor. Standing quietly on the field alone, I stopped to pay my respect with a minute of silence.
Balnuaran of Clava (Clava Cairns)
Not far from Culloden was our next stop – Clava Cairns. In an area with more forest and shade stood a mysterious Bronze age circular chamber tomb cairn.
The significance of the cairns is one that is still highly debated by academics today: “Every winter solstice people with professor suits on and they all argue with each other basically. These chambers are older than the pyramids. Built by teenagers because the lifespan at the time would have been around 30.”
As we huddled down as a group around the perimeter of the inner cairns circle, Dave continued: “The sun would set in alignment with fire and smoke. Very very spiritual.”
Those who have taken stones from the cairns have documented bad things happening to them prompting the stones to be returned, which Dave jokingly warned us about: “Don’t go on facebook (and say) Dave my arm is falling off!”
Overall, our first day visiting the highlands was an eye opening experience not only because of the stunning Highlands scenery but moreover because of the historical significance of the areas we visited.
#blogmanay is brought to you by Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and is supported by ETAG, EventScotland, Homeco
Great Post!
The place looks gorgeous and the pictures have come out brilliant too. Scotland stands apart!
Wondering if you tried ‘Hagus’ ? If so, your a braver belly than mine ..
Fascinating place, just so very old those structures.. I am glad I follow your blog for the stories and places you show make me want to travel so much more!
The pictures in this post are beautiful! The post is very informative. I really enjoyed reading it! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Thanks Mary!
You’re welcome 🙂
Wow, the cairns look so interesting. Beautiful pictures. If, *when*, I go – I hope Dave is my guide too! 🙂
Thanks Tiffany,
If you go try to *request* Dave although I hear the other guides are good as well 😉
Looking at your photos of Culloden Moor, I can only imagine what that final battle must have been like. Wars today are so technological, but back in the day, it was all hand-to-hand, sword-to sword combat. What a terrifying scene it must have been. Looking at the beauty of the battlefield, you’d never guess that something so tragic took place there.
Dana,
That’s exactly how I felt. It’s such a beautiful place that I had to close my eyes to image what took place in the past.
Great post, really sums up the drama of the wilder parts of Scotland and one of the most intoxicatingly wild chapters of Scottish history. Writers and photographers like you are always welcome here. As we say here – Haste Ye Back!
Thanks Robin,
Looking forward to coming back in the summer. Great to meet up with you at #blogmanay and if you’ve got time would love to have a pint together again 🙂
Culloden is my very favorite place in Scotland. Our daughter, 9 at the time, did NOT want to leave – we closed the place down. It’s the spot where in all of gorgeous, scenic, historic Scotland, I most felt the past and present collide. So glad you shared your experiences and incredible photos.
Thank you!
It’s certainly a special place for many people. That’s great you were able to share the experience with your family 🙂
Beautiful post. I also have some Scottish ancestry so it hits close to home. I have yet to visit Scotland, but hope to remedy that in the near future! It looks like an absolutely stunning place.
Hope you get a chance to visit soon Heather! It’s a country that impressed me to the point where I’m making it a priority again to visit this summer.
I really enjoy reading your posts because it not only includes beauty of the place you are getting to know but also its history (and local culture). Thanks for the wonder post again!
Thanks Sunny!
I’ll be sharing more posts from Scotland soon 🙂
This article is very interesting and spectacular. The great pictures from your trip are amazing and they easily show how fantastic Scotland could be. The text under every photo and video underlines the conclusion of the photo and invites every reader to start a trip to Scotland with Haggis Adventures, too.
Thanks Nils,
Glad you enjoyed the article and I do highly recommend Haggis Adventures!
That is a very fitting and well toned article Samuel. It is very true that the Scots have a lot of pride and recognition for their history which is well decorated around Scotland. Maybe fitting that later this year they get to decide their fate in a more peaceful way with the referendum.
That Dave certainly comes across as quite a character. Ginger hair and beard and dressed appropriately he must have been a great tour guide.
Thanks!
It’ll be interesting to see which way they decide to go with the referendum. Dave was an awesome guide! I hope I get to meet up with him again for a pint in the summer.
Scotland is an amazing country to visit, it is one of our favourites, and my husband has always dreamed of living there, (if he can convince me to be so cold!). Thanks for sharing all of your lovely photos, they bought back such wonderful memories of the beautiful country side and epic history of the Scottish Highlands. Great to see “Haggis” are still doing such great tours 🙂
Thank you! I’d love to stay in Scotland for an extended period of time as well 🙂
Amazing photos. Scotland is definitely a place I would love to visit if given the opportunity. Surprisingly I haven’t heard very many travel bloggers talking about it before #Blogmanay, but it’s great to learn more!
That’s cool Casey. I guess that shows the campaign is working well. I didn’t realize how Scotland was until visiting there.
Haha I did Haggis Tours once, my guide was awesome….however yours just looks epic.
That’s cool Stephen!
I was able to meet one other guide (and he seemed great) but Dave is one of kind 😉
Wow! Beautiful! I hope to get there someday! thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks Cory! Hope you get to go soon 🙂
This clinches it…I’m going to Scotland for New Year 2015! So much fun!
Awesome Corinne!
You won’t be disappointed 🙂
Culloden is an amazing place. I am Scottish by birth but only recently visited it for the first time. There is a very special, eerie feeling when you stand there. Not the typical sort of tourist attraction but unforgettable
Mike, I certainly agree with you. It’s something I’ll never forget.
Ah you can’t beat a knowledgable bearded guide! Looks great Samuel, Culloden is a complex chapter in Scots history no doubt. Great visitor centre up there too.
Thanks Neil,
I wish I had a bit more time to check out the visitor center. When I come back in the summer I’ll try to do that.
Scotland is really amazing. I lived there for 2 years in Aberdeen and explore the place. Sometimes it’s so surreal to stand in some places that you can only see in a movie. Great post!
Jorja,
That’s cool you lived in Scotland! I’m hoping I get an opportunity to do that someday 🙂
Your pictures completely captured the mood of the post, Samuel. Thoroughly enjoyed the brief look back in history too. If a tour host is holding an 8 inch knife admonishing me/us not to laugh, no jokes and show respect…he would have my undivided attention 🙂
Mike,
He was one of the best guides I’ve ever had. He was so passionate about all of the places he was showing us on the tour; moreover, that knife was certainly a great tool to command our attention/respect 😉
Gorgeous landscape – a couple of your shots remind me of the work by the artist, Andrew Goldsworthy.
Thanks Maria!
That’s very high praise 🙂
Culloden really does have a feeling about it. I haven’t been there in years, but having Scottish heritage really gives you a personal sense of what happened there. I can’t describe the feeling that’s there, but if a place can have an aura about it, and simply be a field, it’s definitely Culloden.
I agree with you about the aura Heather. I certainly felt it as well 🙂