Quick Facts
- Name: Clach na h-Airm (also known as Clach an Airm) – translates as Stone of the Arms or Stone of the Swords
- Location: Near Mains of Gask, Strathnairn, southeast of Inverness
- Parish: Daviot and Dunlichity
- Coordinates:
- British National Grid: NH 6810 3663
- Latitude/Longitude: 57.40088, -4.19673
- What3Words: ///jelly.cuddled.refuse
- Managed by: Local Authority – Highland
- Access: Free to visit, requires a moderate forestry walk
- Type: Prehistoric standing stone
- Associated Clans: Clan Chattan and Clan MacGillivray
Our Hunt for Clach na h-Airm: A Hidden Stone in the Forest
On a quiet evening in Strathnairn, my brother, Campbell and I set off on what turned out to be our hardest standing stone hunt yet. We’d parked near the Mains of Gask after visiting the nearby stone circle, thinking Clach na h-Airm would be just a short, straightforward walk. It wasn’t. We followed an unpaved farm track past a silent steading, hesitated at a closed gate, walked on, hesitated again at a locked farm gate, then climbed over – reasoning that Scotland’s Right to Roam gave us permission to continue on foot. The pine woods closed in on both sides as we walked, unsure whether we were heading the right way. A small stile on the left caught our eye, though beyond it, the path seemed non-existent.
Luckily, a local – and his very friendly dog – appeared. He confirmed what we’d suspected: we had missed the turning. He pointed us back to that stile, assuring us that a faint path would reveal itself once we climbed the ridge. And he was right. We pushed on through moss, heather, and pine, following the barely-there track. After about 600 metres of quiet exploration, the trees opened up just enough, and there it stood: Clach na h-Airm, the legendary gathering stone.
How to Find Clach na h-Airm: Our Search for the Lost Stone
If you’re planning your own visit, here’s exactly how we found it:
From Inverness, head towards the Mains of Gask. Park near the settlement, at a small turning point where the old military road passes. From here:
- Walk along the single-track unpaved road, past an old farmhouse
- Continue on and walk past some stables.
- When you reach the first farm gate (which may appear closed), pass through or over – remember Scotland’s Right to Roam applies here.
- Continue until you reach a second locked farm gate. Climb over and proceed along the farm track lined with pine forest.
- Watch carefully for a small stile on your left. There’s no clear track visible from the main route, but this stile is key.
- Once over the stile, follow the faint path through moss and heather. Climb to the top of the low ridge and turn left onto a clearer forestry path.
- After around 600 metres, hidden deep within the trees, you’ll find Clach na h-Airm.
Ancient Origins: A Prehistoric Standing Stone
Although its precise origins are lost to history, Clach na h-Airm is believed to be a prehistoric standing stone, possibly part of a ritual or ceremonial landscape. Located less than a mile from nearby standing stones and cairns, this stone may have been part of a larger ceremonial area. Today, it stands quietly in the pine woods, a relic from a forgotten time.
Given their proximity, it seems likely that the Mains of Gask ring cairn and Clach na h-Airm are connected as part of a wider prehistoric ceremonial landscape. The ring cairn, used for burial and ritual activity around 4,000 years ago, suggests that this area held spiritual or communal significance long before the clans gathered here.
Clan Chattan and the Gathering Stone
For the local clans, especially Clan Chattan and the MacGillivrays, Clach na h-Airm held great significance. This was more than a random standing stone – it was a gathering point, a place where warriors met, perhaps swearing oaths and sharpening their weapons against the stone itself.
The location has the feel of a natural meeting place. One can imagine clan leaders using the stone like a pulpit or lectern, addressing those gathered in the clearing. Even without modern markers or signs, the site has a sense of purpose.
Culloden Connection: The Eve of Battle
What truly elevates Clach na h-Airm’s importance is its connection to Culloden. On the morning before the fateful Battle of Culloden in April 1746, it’s said that men of Clan Chattan and Clan MacGillivray assembled at this very spot.
Here, in the quiet of Strathnairn’s woods, they gathered to sharpen their swords on the stone, swear loyalty to each other, and prepare for battle. From this hidden clearing, they marched north to Culloden Moor – many of them never to return.
Unlike the battlefield stones marking clan graves or the Cumberland Stone where the Duke of Cumberland watched the slaughter, Clach na h-Airm stands as a quieter, more intimate memorial to those lost.
Excellent clarification. Here’s a fully revised and accurate section for your blog, incorporating the correct leadership details and full list of Clan Chattan member clans:
The Clans Who Gathered at Clach na h-Airm
In the days before the Battle of Culloden, warriors from Clan MacGillivray and the wider Clan Chattan Confederation gathered at Clach na h-Airm. Here, in the quiet of Strathnairn’s woods, they sharpened their swords against the stone and swore their loyalty before marching to battle.
At Culloden, the entire Clan Chattan Confederation fought for the Jacobite cause. Command of the confederation fell to Alexander MacGillivray, chief of Clan MacGillivray, who led the men into battle that morning. This was unusual: traditionally, leadership rested with the chiefs of Clan Mackintosh, but at Culloden, their chief—Angus (Aeneas) Mackintosh—was a committed Hanoverian supporter. Ironically, his wife, the celebrated Colonel Anne Mackintosh, rallied Mackintosh men for Prince Charles Edward Stuart, but military command passed to MacGillivray.
Alexander MacGillivray led the Clan Chattan warriors in a fierce frontal assault against government troops. He was killed during the fighting, his body found near the Well of the Dead, where today a stone marks his grave. His leadership and sacrifice are a key part of the MacGillivray story.
The Clan Chattan Confederation wasn’t a single clan – it was a powerful alliance of many Highland families, including:
- MacGillivray, Mackintosh, Macpherson, MacBean, Shaw, MacThomas, Davidson, Farquharson, Macphail, Maclean of Dochgarroch, Macintyres in Badenoch, Macqueens of Strathdearn
Bound together by history and shared identity, the confederation’s symbol was the wildcat, and their motto: Touch not the cat bot a glove—a warning that these clans, like a wildcat, a warning to approach with caution.
Their final gathering at Clach na h-Airm, before marching to Culloden, marks not just a military moment but the last united stand of this ancient Highland confederation.
References and Further Reading
Clach na h-Airm: The Hidden Gathering Stone of Strathnairn
- Clan Chattan – Wikipedia
- Clach an Airm – Culloden Battlefield Facebook Post
- Clach an Airm – Culloden Battlefield Facebook Reel
- Clach an Airm – Megalithic Portal
- Clach an Airm – The Modern Antiquarian
- Stones of Inverness – Scotland’s Nature
- Clach an Airm – Trove
- Official Clan Chattan website
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