Geocache in Colonsay

There are a number of geocache locations already published for Colonsay, and we can publish new entries here upon request... but please participate in the local variation:

Geotrove in Colonsay

All over the island, there are unrecorded traces of human activity. Along the shore, wherever people lived nearby and the water is deep close at hand, one may encounter bait-holes ("Carraigean"). In the hills, one may discover ancient habitations, many of which are shielings. There are old wells, sguidean (rock-shelters) and many unrecorded cupmarks. At least two stone circles are not recorded, and a number of duns. In addition there are uncategorised sites of interest (pot-barley stones, remote graves etc.), and the true geo-cacher may be tempted to track down the benchmarks of the Ordnance Survey, to see how many have survived.

You are cordially invited to help to identify all such sites - we ask you to photograph the site in question and to provide an accurate GPS reference, based upon the O.S. grid and correct to at least 8-figures. Please also give the date of the photograph, your name and any information that might be of interest (subject to editing). Please accept that all submissions must be made for the public good and free of any copyright restrictions. Why not choose a "square" on the O.S. map and survey it thoroughly?

Submit your material to byrne@colonsay.org.uk but please send no more than (say) six entries at a time and use an Email or editing option to reduce the file-size of your pictures. Huge files cause dreadful problems...

This project will be of lasting benefit and your help will be invaluable. The project is restricted to inanimate objects - please do not extend it to include wildlife and - in particular - be careful to avoid any disturbance to birds. To get things going, a few examples are given below:

NR35813 95025 Type: Dwelling Name: Tigh Dughaill a' Rubha The remains of an old croft house on Baile Iochdracht - the haggard is some 30m. to the west. "Dougal of the Point" fought in the Peninsula War (1808-14), appears in 1841 census as Dougald McDuffie, 65yrs, Navy Pensioner.

NR36020 94910 Type: Bait holes Name: to be added A typical array of holes for preparing ground-bait, known as a "carraig". This example is at Port Mór . People scattered their bait at high-tide to attract fish, so that they could be netted from the shoreline. Few people could afford a boat.

NR36216 94898 Type: Benchmark Name: none known A nice example of an O.S. benchmark, on a rock in the burn passing Corncrake Cottage; interestingly this one is not published by O.S.

NR3890- 9416- Type: Benchmark Name: NBM OUTBLDG HOTEL Prominent O.S. benchmark on southern gable of "The Games Room" at Colonsay Hotel, cut 1876. The designation "NBM" ("New Bench Mark") appears to be in error.

NR39440 94104 Type: Device Name:Weighing Machine Remains of old weighbridge; platform is believed to remain in situ below present ground surface.

NR39477 94118 Type: Device Name: None known Piece of granite with three completed drilled holes (made by one man holding and turning drillbit, whilst one or normally two drive it with sledgehammers). "Feather and wedge" device to split the rock was evidently trapped and abandoned.

NR39534 94093 Type: Benchmark Name: "Pivot above steps" Heavily eroded O.S. benchmark, 1876; note interesting design detail of the neighbouring steps. Harbour built 1806, very probably to a Thomas Telford design, granite facings from Mull but supplemented by local stone from shoreline quarry 200 m. south of lighthouse.