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The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Aubrey Burl

The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany, Aubrey Burl

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Callanish 8 - Stone Circle in Scotland in Isle of Lewis

Submitted by Gerald_Ponting on Tuesday, 17 April 2001  Page Views: 15241

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Callanish 8 Alternative Name: Cleitir, Callanish VIII
Country: Scotland County: Isle of Lewis Type: Stone Circle
Nearest Town: Stornoway  Nearest Village: Callanish
Map Ref: NB16423424  Landranger Map Number: 13
Latitude: 58.205409N  Longitude: 6.829318W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

kateperring visited on 23rd Sep 2020 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Visited on a sparkling bright and warm day in September 2020, when Scotland had opened a small window for tourism. I was the only soul around for miles with no sound but the industrious insects buzzing about their business. An exquisitely serene site, the views alone are worth the little clamber, but the semi circle itself has become my absolute favourite ancient site for ambience and unknowability...i spent a blissful couple of hours wandering from stone to stone,sitting, thinking and looking...just pondering the hows whys and why nots of the construction......just here, so high and so deliberately halved by the cliff.

madmark23 visited on 3rd Jul 2017 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4

rrmoser visited on 27th Jun 2017 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

markhewins visited on 1st Jul 2016 The old man of the Loch MUSIC & DOCUMENT: https://www.facebook.com/markhewins/videos/10155071540154488/

SandyG visited on 8th Sep 2014 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 4

markj99 visited on 3rd Jul 2011 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Callanish 8 "stone semi-circle" is one of the most unusual megalithic site I have visited. It is a must visit if you are in the area.

BolshieBoris visited on 1st Jul 2004 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

jeffrep tom_bullock have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.17 Ambience: 4.67 Access: 4

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Tom_Bullock : Photo used by kind permission of Tom Bullock. More details of this location are to be found on his Stone Circles and Rows CD-ROM (Vote or comment on this photo)
Bernera (Thorn's spelling of Berneray is mistaken) is an island set between the sea-lochs of East and West Loch Roag. Until the 1950s, when Bernera was linked to the main island of Lewis by a bridge, there was a small ferry boat. Cattle were regularly swum across the Narrows. The standing stones now overlook the bridge.

Cleitir is a fascinating site which has no parallel elsewhere in the British Isles. It may be called a "stone circle" but actually it is a semi-circle in an unique position. J.G.Callandar described it well; "Occupying a very unusual position on a steep rocky slope ending in a cliff, which rises sheer some 40 feet out of the water at the narrow strait ... on the south shore ot Great Bernera ... are three standing stones and a prostrate pillar stone."

On a calm winter's day, when the sun is low over the Narrows, an uncanny experience can occur at the site. As one walks between a tall megalith and the water, a distinct double shadow is cast on the stone. One shadow is produced by the sun, the other by the sun's brilliant reflection in the water.

As Somerville pointed out, the diameter of the semi-circle is formed by the sheer cliff face. There is no evidence that the cliff subsided and took half a stone circle with it. The shape and position of the site seem to have been chosen deliberately.

Of three published plans, Somerville's is the most complete. Thom's sketch omitted the fallen stone while the Glasgow Survey omitted the cliff face and the easternmost, three feet tall stone, now between the fence and the cliff (The other two erect stones stand 7ft and 9ft tall.)

The site is not a "Guardianship site", so it receives scant official protection. (The only minor sites which are in Guardianship are II, III and IV. 5 During the 1970s and early '80s the site was disturbed in several ways. A pair of poles was erected for Electricity cables. Bedrock was blasted to lay a water main through the middle of the site. A stock proof fence was erected through the area. A workman on one of these projects later stated that he regretted that, while he had had a JCB on site, he had not re-erected the fallen stone! I believe it is important that this site should be taken into Guardianship and the disfigurements corrected.

It is a matter of opinion whether or not Cleitir should be considered as part of the Callanish Complex. It was first labelled as "Callanish VIII" by the Glasgow geographers. Thom had stated that the site was not "so far as is known "intervisibie with any of the Callanish sites. In fact, Callanish VI can be seen, about nine kilometres away, though a practised eye may be needed.

Somerville and Thorn both linked this site with hill top boulders and cairns visible on the horizon, though these are now considered dubious astronomical markers.

In "Decoding the Callanish Complex...", Margaret and I pointed out two interesting astronomical connections. The flat face of the most westerly stone indicates one of the Dig mountains, forming a rough indication of moonset at the southern extreme of the minor standstill.

Subjectively, we felt that the position of the site demanded observation of the southern horizon; two of Somerville's boulders are placed at almost due south. Therefore we prepared a horizon profile, with interesting results. When taking its most southerly path (major standstill) the moon never fully rose. Indeed, under some circumstances, it would remain below the horizon for its full transit. However, at minimum perturbation (one extreme of the "wobble" in the moon's orbit) the moon just peeps over the horizon for a short time.

In a fanciful moment, one cannot help wondering if a semi-circular site was deliberately constructed for observation of the half-risen moon. The whole of the moon could have been seen merely by moving a short distance up the slope behind the site.

The rise of the same moon can be observed from site XV, only a short, distance away - and may have acted as a "warning" for the transit at site VIII

ACCESS: Starting from the north (Bernera) end of the Bernera Bridge, go up the rough path which starts by the roadside and through the gate. Beware of children straying near the cliff edge. (Visible from middle of bridge.)


Text taken from "The Stones around Callanish" by Gerald Ponting and Margaret Ponting (now Margaret Curtis).
http://home.clara.net/gponting/

Canmore site no. 4112.
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Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by kateperring : View of the site from the bridge side. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by markhewins : The old man of the Loch. Cleitir. Isle of Benara. July 2016 Still watching. (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by snapr : Cleitir. It was the rock face that caught my eye? (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Antonine : Myself, first visit May 2019 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Postman : Not a stone circle or a stone row, I hear there is no real name for this site, beside Bernera bridge circle and Callanish 8, naturally I prefer the former, because I don't live in Manchester 5 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by snapr : Entire site taken with a 10 - 20 wide angle lens.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by wallace : Site in Isle of Lewis Scotland Reminds one of Easter Island.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Tom_Bullock : Photo used by kind permission of Tom Bullock. More details of this location are to be found on his Stone Circles and Rows CD-ROM (2 comments)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by steveco : Callanish VIII NB164342. Just across the bridge to Great Bernera.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by kateperring : An attempt to put the site into context within the landscape, plus the skies were just incredible that day...the air was so warm and still and bright, as if the world was holding it's breath.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by kateperring : Stone and it's sunbow...I wish I could name this stone specifically, but i don't believe there's much information to be had on this site..Happy to be informed and correct the caption! So many of these Lewissian stones look like fossilised wood...Is this the famed Lewis Gneiss?

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Postman : A brilliant site, mysterious, paradoxical, just plain bonkers, I loved it. (1 comment)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Postman : A bit of a messy re-erection but my what a stone.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Postman : From the other side of the misty bridge, if you like bridges this one's a good one, it was the first example of a bridge made of pre-stressed concrete girders in the country. Though why anyone would be daft enough to travel the country for years on end spending thousands of pounds just looking at bridges is beyond me. (1 comment)

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by SandyG : The stones forming this semi-circle overlook a road bridge which is also rather special as it is the first example of a bridge made of pre-stressed concrete girders in the country. The position of the stones at the narrowest point between the islands of Bernera and Lewis is of interest and possibly significant. View from the north west.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by jeffrep : Callanish VIII (known in Gaelic as Cleitir), on the island of Great Bernera on Lewis, Western Isles, Scotland.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Antonine : 2019

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by kateperring : So many different lichens on one stone, and such a stone!

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by kateperring : View from above the site. You can see why the siting of this place is so fascinating and much as I love the Bernera bridge, I wonder what it's impact has been on the site sense of place as it must have felt so much more remote when cut off from Lewis.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by kateperring : View from the foot of the site...every angle begets more questions at this site! I would love to know more about this place, it was entrancing.

Callanish 8A
Callanish 8A submitted by Aska : A view from Callanish 8, the red arrow indicated the position of Callanish 8A.

Callanish 8A
Callanish 8A submitted by Aska : Callanish 8A. Callanish 8 stand across the bridge.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Postman : The stones seem to be kind of peering over the edge, doesn't the rounded, eroded outcrop prove there has been no land slide taking the other half of the circle with it?

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Postman : A bit of a damp morning but not much can dampen my ardor for this place.

Callanish 8
Callanish 8 submitted by Postman : From the parking place.

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Stone Pages Tour by Arosio and Meozzi
Megalithic Mysteries by Andy Burnham


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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 252m SSE 157° Callanish 8A* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NB165340)
 285m ENE 74° Barraglom Cup-Marked Rock Rock Art (NB167343)
 365m ENE 68° Dun Barraglom Broch or Nuraghe (NB16773435)
 1.3km ENE 74° Callanish 15* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NB177345)
 1.6km NW 324° Dun Baravat* Stone Fort or Dun (NB1559835563)
 4.8km ENE 71° Cnoc a Phrionnsa* Chambered Cairn (NB211355)
 4.9km E 91° Callanish 16* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NB213338)
 5.0km E 100° Callanish I* Stone Circle (NB2128633009)
 5.0km E 100° Callanish* Stone Circle (NB2129833013)
 5.1km E 87° Callanish 13* Standing Stones (NB215341)
 5.2km ENE 78° Callanish 12* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NB2155634967)
 5.4km E 81° Olcote Kerbed Cairn* Cairn (NB2179634733)
 5.5km E 98° Callanish 19* Stone Circle (NB218331)
 5.6km NNW 326° Carnan Gibegeo Propped Stone CG1* Rock Outcrop (NB13653911)
 5.6km NNW 326° Carnan Gibegeo Propped Stone CG2* Rock Outcrop (NB13653913)
 5.7km NNW 329° Carnan Gibegeo Propped Stone CG4* Rock Outcrop (NB13843932)
 5.7km NNW 329° Carnan Gibegeo Propped Stone CG3* Rock Outcrop (NB13833932)
 5.9km NNW 329° Stiogha Chnap Propped Stone SC1* Rock Outcrop (NB1371539472)
 5.9km NNW 328° Stiogha Chnap Propped Stone SC2* Rock Outcrop (NB13703947)
 6.0km ENE 72° Callanish 11* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NB22233569)
 6.0km ESE 102° Callanish 2* Stone Circle (NB2221432614)
 6.0km ESE 103° Loch Roag Timber Circle (NB222325)
 6.1km W 275° Traigh na Berie* Broch or Nuraghe (NB1035235177)
 6.3km E 100° Callanish 3* Stone Circle (NB2251532710)
 6.4km NNW 332° Bosta Beach* Ancient Village or Settlement (NB138401)
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Callanish, Gerald Ponting

Callanish, Gerald Ponting

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Stone Pages Tour by Arosio and Meozzi
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Callanish VIII Street View by SteveDut on Thursday, 25 March 2010
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