Coire Mhoraigean

Within Coire Mhoraigean, a steep sided glen 2kms SW of Corriefeol, is a group of still bothies, associated buildings and pens (Nosas Site Survey Nos 635 – 642) centred on NH 1925 4942. Located on both banks of the Allt Coire Mhoraigean and a tributary, the Eas na h-Eiridh there are 5 still bothies, 4 buildings and 3 other smaller structures which may be pens or stores.

A sub rectangular bothy in Lower Coire Mhoraigein (Nosas Site Survey No 635a) at NH 18995 49761. Scarped into the steep E side of the river bank and of boulder construction, the back revetment wall is now slumped and heather grown. The front wall is curving and there is an offset entrance facing the river. It measures 7m x 3m internally and there is what may be a fire pit inside the S end.

Close by is another small building (Nosas Site Survey No 635b) at NH 18974 49756. Low walls incorporate a large natural boulder along the E side and enclose an area some 1.2m x 0.8m on a N-S axis. The building is open to the N providing a good outlook down the main glen.

The heather covered stone footings of a small sub-rectangular building (Nosas Site Survey No 636) at NH 19249 49423.It measures some 6m x 2m internally on a N-S axis and is scarped into a low earth bank on the east side of a small burn. There is an entrance in the W corner of the N end with an internal baffle.

The heather grown boulder footings of sub-rectangular building, probably a still bothy(Nosas Site Survey No 637a) at NH 19243 49356, scarped into the hill slope close by a small burn. The walls stand to a maximum height of 0.75m with rounded internal recesses in the masonry of both back corners, measuring some 6m x 2.5m internally on a N-S axis with an entrance in the NE corner.

The very ruinous boulder footings of a small building (Nosas Site Survey No 637b)at NH 19323 49211, the boulder wall closest to the adjacent burn has apparently been washed away, but probably enclosed an area some 4m x 2m on a N-S axis.

A small,substantially built drystone building (Nosas Site Survey No 638a)comprising two compartments at NH 19374 49119. Scarped into an earth bank along its E side, roughly coursed single face boulder walls standing to maximum height of 1m form 2 compartments, with a single entrance in the N end wall of the smaller compartment. The larger compartment, which is roughly square in plan is accessed through a narrow gap adjacent a large grounded boulder in the S wall of the smaller sub oval compartment and each measures 3m x c2m and 2.5m x 2m internally respectively. Probably a shieling and still man’s hut.

Scarped into the opposite bank is a small square store (Nosas Site Survey No 638b)at NH 19377 49119 Drystone walls enclose an area 1m x 1m standing to 0.5m high with an entrance in the E side.

The remains of a small stone built pen (Nosas Site Survey No 639)located in a shallow, narrow natural gully at NH 19381 49092 measures 1.5m x 0.5m internally.

The heather grown footings of a still bothy (Nosas Site Survey No 640)at NH 19453 49370 scarped into the bank of the main burn at adjacent a small tributary. Single faced boulder walls standing to a max of 1.2m and 0.6m wide enclose an area 5m x 2m internally displaying 2 square internal corners and 1 rounded rear corner. The entrance was probably in the front wall, now completely tumbled.

The footings of a sub-rectangular building (Nosas Site Survey No 641) at NH 19394 49401. Boulder walls 0.6m wide and 0.8m high enclose an area 6.5m x 2.75m internally formaing a squared SE and a rounded NW gable end.

A still bothy (Nosas Site Survey No 642) at NH 19046 49629(Lower Coire Mhoraigen. It is hidden from general view, scarped into the bank of a small tributary burn and now obscured by heather. Stone walls to the rear and sides are 0.75 m wide and stand 1.2m high, faced inside and out enclosing an area some 6m x 2m with a squared internal rear W corner and rounded internal rear E corner,the front wall is largely absent.

An elderly resident of Strathconon, born 1922, remembers, in her childhood, of her grandfather telling her stories of the illicit distilling of whisky at this location.

Information from North of Scotland Archaeology Society