The Assynt Hidden Lives Project

The  Assynt Hidden Lives Project  was a programme of archaeological research, funded by public money through the  Leader and the Heritage Lottery funds. The project was a survey and assessment project of the archaeological sites and monuments of the Assynt parish in Sutherland, including some of the cleared villages of the area. 

The  AOC Archaeology Group  joined with Historic Assynt to manage and deliver a community-driven programme which aimed to characterise and record the archaeology of this under-studied area through a programme of walkover and archaeological site surveys.

The project and field survey is now complete and the work has been compiled into a fantastic report that is available, freely from their website, and also here as part of this post.

The full report can be accessed HERE

The website for the project can be accessed HERE

AOC Archaeology Group can be accessed HERE

Historical Assynt can be accessed HERE

Clachtoll Mill

This post picks up the baton from the last visit to the area as we wind our way back from Clachtoll towards Lochinver. 

C. Ordnance Survey

Leaving the site discussed in the last post we continue for approximately  half a mile until we approach, on the right hand side of the road, a  footpath leading down the side of the burn, directly towards the old mill located at Altan Na Bradhan. The footpath is on the right hand side of the road as you are travelling to Lochinver and follows the path of the burn feeding the mill. 

The path is, as you would expect, rocky, but it is clearly marked and the old mill comes into view very soon after leaving the road. The mill has been preserved by the Assynt Historical Society who do have an excellent website detailing the construction and workings of the Mill and this can be accessed by clicking on the link at the end of this post.

Mill stone and Mill Wall. c: Author

Information board at the site provided by Assynt Historical
Society. c: Author.

Once you have visited the mill, you have the choice of either continuing on past the mill, down towards the lovely beach, where you can spend a lovely time watching the blue waters for signs of whales, or turning around and retracing your steps, back across the burn, and immediately picking up the path that goes on over the coast towards the Beach and township area of Achmelvich. This is a path worth taking, if you have the time as you will reach the beautiful bay of Achmelvich, where whales and Dolphins can often be seen. 

As you start up the path you will walk through the Cathair Dhubh estate and holiday chalets, where there is evidence of a small settlement.

c: Author

c:Author

c:Author

These are wonderful remains and the structures have been protected from the unforgiving winds by the dunes and rocky escarpments surrounding them.

I will leave you here to carry on your walk to Achmelvich and the caravan park that forms the majority of the residency. Stop on the way at the croft at the peak of the walk and buy some lovely fresh produce and eggs for breakfast tomorrow. Make your way back along the road to the main road that we left and I will meet you later as we continue our walk to lochinver.

Assynt Historical Society.  http://www.normist.co.uk/mills.htm

Clachtoll to Lochinver

Happy New Year!

In my last proper post of the last year I started a thread that concentrated on the area of Clachtoll. This beautiful area, as discussed, was an area created and grown from the silent clearances. These areas borne new industries for crofters that centred around the Kelp growing and distribution, that in itself was quite a successful enterprise for both laird and worker alike.

C: Author

As you take the last look at the Salmon Bothy that we discussed in the last post, head onto the main road and follow the B869 to Lochinver. Take your time along this road as you will often be awarded with both spectacular views and glimpses of wildlife, birds of prey and deer. As you travel along this road, there are sites and remains of townships and crofts that are worth a look and will not be too far  from the road.

The photographs here in this post focus on a small collection of buildings along the side of the road. A word here about the road. As beautiful as the road is, it is windy, single tracked and often blind on bends so be careful where you park and don not cause an obstruction.

c: Author

c: Author

This croft here is worth a look and you will be awarded with  superb gable end structures (I am obsessed with Gable ends!)

c: Author

As you can see from the photographs here, the scenery is stunning and these photographs were taken on a dreary day in October. These buildings, like many that you will come across have been used in recent times to house animals and often there are artifacts associated with modern crofting and agriculture.

c: Author

Standing at this site and looking across the views in front of me, in the rain and winds, did give me a brief feeling of what it must have been like.

I was lucky enough to be staying about a mile from this site and in the evenings the whole area took on a whole new viewpoint as the clear night skies presented the most wonderful star lit sky I have ever seen.








Leaving this site, continue along the road for approximately half a mile and wait for me there. We will pick up the thread of this area in our next post