Strath Sgitheach Allt Na Criche 1

Date Fieldwork Started: 07/08/2018

Compiled by: NOSAS

Location Notes: The panel lies on the lower slopes of Cioch Mhor to the N and overlooking the Abhainn Sgitheach to the S and views to the Cromarty Firth to the S. This cup marked rock is an outcrop and one of several scattered around a small knoll with the remains of a dry river bed to the NE. The river bed may have been part of the Allt an Criche which still flows to the NE. The knoll is to the NE of a much braided track from the Sgitheach in the SE to Cioch and Mhor and Ben Wyvis to the NW.

There are a group of cup marked rocks and outcrops around the knoll, the majority to the N and W of the Scots pines. Strath Sgitheach has many prehistoric monuments, hut circles, chambered cairns and more groups of rock art. There are also signs of continuous cultivation into recent times with rig and furrow near the knoll. The area is presently rough grazing used by a few sheep and deer and it is likely that there is some game shooting. The knoll has a scatter of very old Scots pines and is partly grass and heather with some bracken around the outcrop.

Panel Notes: The panel is an outcrop measuring 3.10m E-W by 2.10m and up to 0.70m high, sloping to the SE. There are 18 cupmarks scattered across the upper surface of the outcrop, mainly on the N section with a single cupmark on the SE edge.