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Cairnholy II

Cairnholy II is a chambered cairn which stands in a majestic position on a hillside overlooking Wigtown Bay and is reputed to be the resting place of the mythical King Galdus.

The main feature of the cairn is a burial chamber topped off with a large capstone, giving the cairn an iconic silhouette against the surrounding landscape.

Next to the main chamber is a secondary chamber without a capstone.

The entrance to the cairn was flanked by a pair of tall portal stones, one of which is thought to have broken.

Originally the whole site would have been covered with smaller stones within the mound of a cairn but most of the cairn material was robbed for field walls and building in the 18th century. The complex dates back to the 4th millennium BC although it is reputed to be the burial site for King Galdus, a legendary king who is supposed to have driven the Romans out of Galloway but who was actually an invention of Hector Boece in the 16th century.

Around 200m further down the hill is a second chambered cairn, Cairnholy I.

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Alternative names for Cairnholy II

Cairn Holy II; Cairn Holy 2; Cairnholy 2

Where is Cairnholy II?

Cairnholy II is in the parish of Kirkmabreck and the county of Wigtownshire.

Grid reference: NX 51820 54045

Lat / long: 54.859185, -4.310041

Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Cairnholy II

OS map 312
Kirkcudbright & Castle Douglas (Gatehouse of Fleet)
OS Explorer map 312


Directions to Cairnholy II

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Cairnholy II

13°C
max 13°C / min 13°C
11km/h W
1020mb
78%
3%
04:01 20:25

Clear sky
Weather observed at Gatehouse of Fleet at 20:12

References (books)

Guide to Prehistoric Scotland
Richard Feachem
London, 1963

References (websites)

Canmore
Historic Environment Scotland

Ancient sites near Cairnholy II

Cairnholy I chambered cairn

0.2km away

Eggerness Castle fort

6.7km away

Trusty's Hill fort

7.3km away

Castle Feather fort

21.0km away

Stairhaven broch

30.8km away

Craigenholly souterrain

33.4km away

Dunragit cursus

36.9km away

Cults Loch souterrain

39.9km away

Cults Loch 1 crannog

40.2km away
more ancient sites....

Castles near Cairnholy II

Kirkdale (site of)

0.8km away

Barholm Castle

1.1km away

Carsluith Castle

2.4km away

Kirkclaugh motte

2.5km away

Cassencarie

5.5km away

Ardwall (possible) (site of)

6.3km away

Bush o’ Bield (possible) (site of)

6.5km away

Eggerness Castle (site of)

6.7km away

Green Tower Motte

6.7km away
more castles....
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Pictish stones near Cairnholy II

Trusty's Hill Class I rock carving

7.3km away

Eggerness Class I rock carving

7.6km away

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

110.1km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

140.5km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

140.7km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

140.7km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

143.8km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

149.5km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

149.5km away
more Pictish stones....

Pictish sites near Cairnholy II

Whitecleugh silver chain

72.0km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

105.4km away

Borland silver chain

107.1km away

Whitlaw silver chain

136.2km away

Haddington silver chain

156.2km away

Traprain Law silver chain

161.7km away

Hoardweel silver chain

166.2km away

Norrie's Law hoard

177.8km away

Dunnicaer fort

269.3km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Cairnholy II

Cally Palace Hotel
hotelGatehouse of Fleet
8.2km away
Glaisnock House
bed and breakfastWigtown
8.5km away
ReadingLasses
café, self-catering apartmentWigtown
8.5km away
The Ship Inn
hotelGatehouse of Fleet
8.5km away
The Bruce Hotel, Newton Stewart
hotelNewton Stewart
15.3km away
Creebridge House Hotel
hotelNewton Stewart
15.7km away
Galloway Arms Hotel
hotelMinnigaff
15.7km away
Minnigaff SYHA Hostel
hostelNewton Stewart
16.3km away
Selkirk Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barKirkcudbright
16.7km away
Old Place of Monreith
self-cateringPort William
17.5km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Cairnholy II

ReadingLasses
café, self-catering apartmentWigtown
8.5km away
Selkirk Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barKirkcudbright
16.7km away
King's Arms Hotel, Castle Douglas
hotel, restaurant, barCastle Douglas
25.8km away
Tigh Na Mara Hotel
hotel, restaurantSandhead
42.2km away
Cavens Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurantDumfries
46.0km away
Aston Hotel Dumfries
hotel, restaurant, barDumfries
50.7km away
Best Western Station Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDumfries
50.9km away
Friars Carse Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurantAuldgirth
51.2km away
Premier Inn Dumfries
hotel, restaurantDumfries
53.5km away
Trigony Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurantThornhill
54.1km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 4th of April 2019 at 12:57 pm. Updated on the 10th of April 2019 at 12:26 pm.

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About

Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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