We planned to visit the Learable Hill complex on our way back from the north so we came down the B871 stopping off for a walk south of the village of Syre to visit one of the deserted villages that were cleared in the 1800s when sheep were introduced. There are also several cairns here and an unexpected stone circle in the woods.
Rosal
Deserted Township and cairns
NC 661 427
Park in the signed Forestry Commission carpark and follow the marked trail up to the site. The walk is about 2 miles round trip. This site was first colonised 7000 years ago and there are several cairns around the edge of the village. There are a few longhouses from the 1800s that were cleared of tenant farmers when the landowners found there would be more profit in moving sheep in.
Rosal township and cairns in the distance
These houses were fairly basic with low stone walls with turf, heather and straw for roofing. They had a central stone lined hearth very similar in layout to the Neolithic houses. This made a pleasant walk returning by the forest path in the trees. From an information board we saw there was a “stone circle” and cairn further down the forestry road.
Rosal
Forest
Stone Circle
Just about 2.5 miles from the carpark on the forest road is a circle on the right in a clearing near the river. It is about 20ft (6m) across and contains a low cairn of stones. Two large stones still stand, one at about 7.5ft (2.2m) to the south and one about 5ft (1.5m) to the north.
There are also 4 large fallen stones. Unless you have a lot of energy there are no signs saying you cannot take a car down this track.
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