Lochbuie, Mull
Stone Circle and outliers NM618252*
How to find :
Follow the A849 south from Craignure for 9km, then
turn left onto the minor road which leads eventually to Lochbuie.
Park at the small road bridge where a sign directs you along a path
and track to the stones, about 600m away. The circle is not visible
from the road.
Best time of year to visit :
Winter solstice sunset ; Winter Quarter
days sunset.
This is a small and well preserved stone circle set on the beautiful
southern coast of Mull and overlooked by spectacular Ben Buie.
Here we have a circle originally of nine granite stones, set in a
ring about 12 metres in diameter, with the tallest stone being about
two metres high. One of the original stones has been removed and
replaced with a low boulder.
There are also three single stones set in the field at different distances
from the circle. It is natural to assume that these stones mark the
direction in which to look from a position in the centre of the circle.
The nearest of these outlying stones is 5 metres away to the south-east,
and is only one metre tall. Its azimuth of 123° with a very high
horizon gives a declination of -12°, of no known significance1.
The second outlier is a spectacular monolith 3 metres high and set
about 40 metres away to the south-west. The azimuth of 223.6° with
a horizon height of 0.4° gives a declination of -23.7°, and so indicates
the position of the setting sun at the winter solstice. The horizon
is now partially blocked by nearby trees.
Also south-west of the circle, 107m away, is the third outlier, over
2 metres high. The stone is broken at the top and was probably taller
when erected. The bearing of 237° and an altitude of just over 2°
gives a declination of -16.0°. This is the declination of the sun
at the winter Quarter days in early November and early February.
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