EHG437 - Walkover survey - between Reay and Thurso

Archaeological field survey was undertaken by students of the University of Edinburgh led by Prof. R Mercer in 1982 of a large block of land on the west edge of the Caithness Plain of some 120km² extent. It took place during one fortnight long exercise during the spring of that year. The area extended from Sandside Bay in the northwest (NC 968648) to the area of Shurrery Lodge (ND 031548) in the southwest to Scotscalder Station in the southeast (ND 096562) to Bridge of Forss in the northeast (ND 041688). The edges of the area were determined where possible by modern landmarks - notably roads - and it centred upon the valley of the Forss Water running north from Loch Shurrery to the north coast. The area comprised to a large extent unimproved moorland at the very limit of the Caithness Plain set upon a Geological Foundation of the Caithness Flagstone Group of Middle Old Red Sandstone at a point where this formation gave way, to the west, to rocks of the Moine Schist and Granite Gneiss complex. It, however, in its easternmost part, between the Bridge of Forss and Loch Calder for a band some 3 - 4 kms wide, comprised farmland utilised for both arable and pasture purposes. The whole area was inspected, apart from a small area around Knockglass (ND 053635), where permission for access could not be obtained. <1>