Auchintullich Bay, Loch Lomond

NS38NE 31 356 868

From aerial photographs (D Harding, University of Edinburgh) targets had been noted in Auchintullich Bay. The most convincing was a circular feature in the bay just N of Auchentullich Natra. Using the aerial photograph to pinpoint the site it was discovered about 100m from the shore, with the top of the site c.2m beneath the surface and the bottom c.5m down. Owing to suspended silt in the water, snorkellers could just make out the top of the site from the surface but the bottom was not visible. They could immediately see a number of timbers which looked as if they were part of the structure and this proved to be the case upon closer examination.

The bottom edge of the site is very obvious in most places and the slope of the sides, in places, very steep. A very large timber was observed off the E side at the edge of the site. The top edge of the crannog, the break of slope where it drops off, was also quite clear and the top seemed to dip slightly in the middle. On the top, seven timbers, lying roughly paralle to each other could be seen and were planned. They all appeared to be oak and were embedded in the top of the mound. Other large timbers, in some cases apparently deliberately cut, lay on the lochbed to the W of the site and directly asjacent to it. It is not possible to say whether they were once part of the crannog and it may be more likely that they have fortuitously washed into this collecting area in the past.

The depth of this crannog is interesting. It compares well with the depth of the top of the site in Luss Bay (NS39SE 13), but that site is a low mound and lies on a lochbed which is only about 2.5m deep. The top of Auchentullich Crannog contrasts with Strathcashell Crannog (NS39SE 11) which was examind on the same day and just breaks the surface and the Arden crannog (NS38SE 33) which is 1m deep. Since all of these sites have exposed structural timbers it would be very useful to take samples for radiocarbon dating to try and establish a chronological sequence for sites at varying depths.

Without the aerial photographs, this site could eaasily have been missed as it is deep and the bay is very large. Even with a hydrograph in the boat it would be very easy to miss such a small target and the use of aerial photography in this sort of search cannot be over-estimated.

Also on aerial photographs two other features were noted in the bay and examined underwater. One of them (NS 355 869) appears as a projection from the shore not far N of the crannog and the other (NS 363 861) is at the S end of the bay off Mid Ross farm. Both features are natural areas of deposition of sand and gravel.

STUA and FIRAT 1997; NMRS MS993/5, no.18

Site recorded during the third and final phase of fieldwork of the Loch Lomond Islands Survey project which took place in September 1997:

NS 356 868 Auchentullich. Distance to shore 83m; diameter 29m; height 3.1m; depth underwater c 2m. Several timbers located on an obvious crannog.

The following is among sites searched where no crannogs were located:

NS 356 870 Auchentullich/Auchindennan

Sponsors: Historic Scotland, Friends of Loch Lomond, Dunbartonshire Enterprise, Loch Lomond Park Authority/SNH.

F Baker and N Dixon 1998