Allt A’choire Duibh

The general area comprises the outwash of the Allt a'Choire Dhuibh and lies some 100m to the NW of the present day car park. The ground is SE facing, very stony and potentially once a prime source of building stone. The site consists of 2 small buildings, a length of stone wall associated with 2 pens and a turf enclosure wall. The lower ground is now heavily churned up by deer.

Approximately parallel to the E bank of the Allt a Choire Dubh is a length of stone wall (Nosas Site Survey No.695A)that runs between NH 22482 52061 and NH 22621 51906 for some 160m. It is aligned SE-NW and occupies the centre of the stony slope, the upper NW end terminating at the burn where it is upstanding to 0.5m in height,although tumbled in places. The lower section is generally less well preserved but can be readily distinguished. It is conjoined with and abuts a turf and stone dyke (Nosas Site Survey No.695B) at its SE end.

At NH 22510 51993 (Nosas Site Survey No.696)there are two small animal pens. One is a small boulder construction abutting and incorportating the wall on its east side standing 0.3m high and the second a few metres further to the west is a small circular structure.

A turf and stone dyke (Nosas Site Survey No.695B)occupies the lower slope and runs between NH 22600 51872 and NH 22675 51926 for approximately 100m. The E end is conjoined with the turf bank that partly encloses the car park, the construction of which which has truncated its E end close to where it is bisected by a trackway. On the south side it is cut through by the modern road where it turns SW continuing down to the loch side.

Above the E bank of the Allt a Choire Dubh at NH 22496 51986are the ruins of an oval shaped building (Nosas Site Survey No.696) measuring 4.5m x 2m internally on a NE-SW axis,set on a platform of outwash boulders. Drystone walls faced internally and externally stand to a maximum 0.6m high with an central entrance in the SE wall. What may an outshot,circular in plan with an internal diameter of 2m, is appended at the W end of the SE wall.

On the W side of the stone wall at NH 22545 51999 are the footings of a small sub-circular structure (Nosas Site Survey No.889) on a slight knoll. It is defined by a discrete stone scatter, 4m in diameter, with a heap of stones 0.5m in height on the E side.

The west bank of the Allt a Choire Duibh is steeper in its lower part above the loch, but eases above presenting a gently sloping area of grassland. Recent extensive heavy ploughing, potentially for tree planting has broken the ground up. An old track,two large enclosures and a jetty (Nosas Site Survey Nos.699, 888 and 889) were recorded in this area.

The track (Nosas Site Survey No. 890) is overgrown and runs between NH 22571 51924 at its lower E end to NH 21950 51950 at its upper W end for some 400m. It starts at the ford over the Allt a Choir Duibh just N of the bridge,climbs and then contours the steep slope above the loch, before descending to a cattle grid at its W end. It is well constructed and graded and averages some 1.5m in width. It is probably the track marked on the Roy map of 1750 and that shown on the 1825 estate plan.

An irregular shaped enclosure (Nosas Site Survey No.699A) centred on NH 22400 52030 formed for the most part by the remains of a substantial turf bank with a burn seems forming its E side. The enclosure measures approximately 120m x 120m. Much of the enclosed area has been heavily ploughed in recent times and there is a pheasant pen on the E side.

A smaller irregular shaped enclosure(Nosas Site Survey No.699B)centred on NH 22410 52080 lies above and to the N of the latter, on steeper ground and measures approximately 130m x 80m. The N and W parts are bounded by a substantial turf bank average 0.8m in height.

The remains of a boathouse(Nosas Site Survey No.888)originally of mainly timber construction stands at NH 22465 51872. Extending from the boathouse are 2 jetties built of stone and concrete, timber lined but now rotted. The W is 12m x 2m and the E 6m x 0.8m. The boathouse is marked on current OS map as Boat House.