Calanais IV (Ceann Thulabhaig)

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Exploring Calanais IV (Ceann Thulabhaig)

Sitting on the skyline, Calanais IV is a compact stone circle with panoramic views. The site stretches just 13 by 9.5 metres across, and today, it features five striking, slender stones blanketed in natural lichen, standing anywhere from 2 to 2.7 metres tall. It would have looked very different in the past, as researchers believe a total of 13 stones may have originally formed the circle. This layout included at least one central monolith, though only a small stump remains to mark its position today.

The stone circle has revealed its secrets in stages over the years, beginning with a small, initial excavation in 1846. A few years later, in 1858 a further 60 centimetres of peat was cleared, and during this clearance the remains of a ruinous cairn were uncovered believed to be a later modification, possibly added during the Bronze Age.

When you visit, take in the lovely westward views over Loch Ceann Hulabhaig. Today, the stones sit less than 300 metres from the water, but during the Neolithic era, sea levels were up to 5 metres lower. Scientific samples reveal that the loch was originally freshwater, separated from the sea and the saltwater of Loch Roag by a land bridge from the Calanais peninsula. Over time, rising prehistoric sea levels or severe storms caused the sea to overtake the landscape. This flooding is thought to have occurred around the Neolithic period, permanently changing the lives of the local communities.