Prehistoric Highlights

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Machrie Moor Stone Circles (Car Park Location)

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Machrie Moor is Arran’s most famous archaeological site. Set in open moorland with dramatic views, it features a striking collection of prehistoric remains dating from around 3500 BCE to 1500 BCE. You’ll find six surviving stone circles, along with standing stones, burial cairns, cists, and the remains of ancient hut circles. Nearby, the ruins of a later farmhouse add another layer of history.
The circles are about a 1½-mile walk from the car park on the main road near Machrie.

Just down the road is Maol Fold, where you can meet Highland cows up close. Other nearby spots worth visiting include Auchengallon Stone Circle and The Old Byre Visitor Centre - a great stop for lunch, shopping, and a play area for kids (plus their own standing stone!).

Kings Cross Iron Age Fort (Fort Location )

Explore the remains of the Iron Age fort at Kings Cross Point between Lamlash and Whiting Bay, offering panoramic views of Holy Isle and Lamlash Bay. The site also marks the location of a Viking ship burial and remnants of a WWII submarine net winder.
Local legend has it that King Robert the Bruce saw farmers burning stubble on the mainland from Kings Cross Point and gave the signal to launch his campaign for the crown.

Stronach Wood Cup & Ring Stones (Start of path)

Hidden above Brodick in Stronach Wood are ancient carvings known as cup and ring marks. These are not well known, but are well worth visiting. These ancient carvings are thought to be over 3,000 years old and feature keyhole shapes, rings, and chevrons.

The site is about half a mile up a forestry path off the “String” road between Brodick and Machrie/Shiskine. Along the way, you’ll also spot modern wooden sculptures, including a giant fork. A short walk beyond the stones leads to a lovely viewpoint over Brodick Bay.

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King’s Cave (Suggested walk)

Starting from Blackwaterfoot, the walk to King’s Cave follows a scenic coastal path past dramatic basalt cliffs at Drumadoon and a fossilised footprint from the age of dinosaurs.

The cave itself is the most largest in a group of caves and features carvings from the Iron Age and pre Christian times. These include serpents, a human figure and a short inscription in Ogham (a mediaeval script designed for carving). According to legend, this is where Robert the Bruce drew inspiration from a spider’s persistence.

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Giants’ Graves

High above Whiting Bay, the Giants’ Graves are two Neolithic chambered tombs surrounded by forest and sea views. They’re part of a beautiful woodland walk that also passes Glenashdale Falls and a small Iron Age fort.
A lesser-known but well-preserved cairn can be found nearby at Torr An Loisgte, marked on the map but off the main path.

Torrylin Cairn

Near Lagg, Torrylin Cairn is a Neolithic burial site of the Clyde Type, similar to the Giants’ Graves. A better-preserved example can be found at Carn Ban, about three miles northeast.
It’s an easy half-mile walk from the Lagg Hotel, a charming Georgian coaching inn with a cosy bar and good food. The walk can be extended to the nearby sandy beach, making for a great day out. Lagg Distillery, just up the road, also offers food and tours.

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Arran Heritage Museum

The Arran Heritage Museum in Brodick offers a fascinating look into the island’s past, from geology and farming to archaeology and daily life. Among its standout displays is a complete Early Bronze Age grave, over 3,000 years old, with a pottery vessel that gives insight into ancient burial customs. You’ll also find the Clachaig Man, a striking reconstruction of a 5,000-year-old skull discovered in a cairn at Clachaig, brought to life using modern technology and local craftsmanship. Housed in a restored croft and smiddy, the museum’s setting adds to its charm and makes it a great stop for all ages.

Arran Pitchstone

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Pitchstone is a type of volcanic glass, similar to obsidian. It was a prized material in Neolithic Britain, valued for its sharpness and ease of shaping into tools like blades and scrapers. All known pitchstone artefacts in Britain originate from Arran.

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Used locally from the Mesolithic period, pitchstone became widely traded during the Neolithic (c. 4000–2500 BCE), with artefacts found as far away as Orkney. 

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Its presence in ceremonial sites like the Ness of Brodgar suggests pitchstone held symbolic value beyond its practical use. These finds point to a surprisingly connected society, with trade routes that spanned hundreds of kilometres across land and sea.

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Key Eras

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​Iron Age ( c. 800 BCE – 500 CE)

The Iron Age brought fortified settlements and a thriving coastal culture. The most impressive site is The Doon Hillfort at Drumadoon Point, the largest known Iron Age fort on Arran. It spans nearly 12 acres and uses natural cliffs for defence, with thick stone walls enclosing the summit.

 

Inside the fort stands the Drumadoon Standing Stone, likely older than the fort itself and possibly linked to earlier ceremonial use. Other finds include roundhouses and souterrains—underground storage spaces that hint at settled farming and food preservation.

Bronze Age (c. 2500–800 BCE)

During the Bronze Age, Arran became a hub of activity and connection. Its location made it a natural meeting point for seafarers travelling between Scotland, Ireland, and the Hebrides.

Domestic life is evident at sites like Coire a’ Bhradain, the highest known Bronze Age roundhouse on the island, likely used seasonally for grazing. The Tormore Roundhouses suggest more permanent settlement.

Ritual and burial practices flourished at Machrie Moor, with its evolving stone circles, cists, and cairns. At Kilpatrick Dun, a Bronze Age cist was found beneath later Iron Age structures, showing continuity of sacred use.

The Giants’ Graves were reused for Bronze Age burials, and Torrylin Cairn, aligned with Ailsa Craig, shows signs of feasting and ritual. These sites, along with widespread artefacts, reflect a society deeply connected to nature, spirituality, and long-distance trade.

Neolithic (c.4000–2500 BCE)

The Neolithic period saw the rise of farming and monument building. Arran is home to over two dozen chambered cairns, including the Giants’ Graves and Torrylin Cairn, which reflect a strong tradition of communal burial and ritual.

At Machrie Moor, early timber circles and burial cairns laid the groundwork for later developments. The "Drumadoon Cursus" was identified recently via Lidar and is the most complete Neolithic cursus monument in Britain. Stretching over a kilometre, it likely served as a ceremonial route, offering rare insight into how early farmers shaped and ritualised their landscape.

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Mesolithic (c. 8000–4000 BCE)

Arran’s earliest known inhabitants were Mesolithic hunter-gatherers who lived seasonally, making use of the island’s rich coastal and woodland resources. The most significant site is Auchareoch, excavated in the 1980s, where flint and pitchstone tools were uncovered. Other finds at Machrie, Kildonan, and Glenshurig suggest widespread activity.
One of the most intriguing discoveries is the Clachaig Man, a 5,000-year-old skull that offers a rare glimpse into the people who lived here long ago. Though technically Neolithic, it reflects continuity from earlier Mesolithic populations.

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