EHG3680 - DBA and walkover survey - southeast of Bettyhill, Sutherland

Subsequent to a DBA and walkover survey in early 2007 (see EHG2915), a further walkover survey of the site of a proposed wind farm (including the areas of the proposed turbine sites and access tracks) southeast of Bettyhill was undertaken by Highland Archaeology Services in October 2007. This was carried out due to major changes in the development proposals. Apart from a general inspection of the area, a radius of 50m around each of the two proposed turbine sites was checked on the ground in some detail. This survey also included the access route, proposed compound and other features. Although the area east of the turbines as now proposed had not been walked visibility across this area was good and it seemed most unlikely that significant archaeology was present and likely to be visually affected by the scheme. A number of locations beyond the site boundary were visited during the second site visit to check possible visual impacts. However, assessment of these was otherwise a desk-based exercise. Archaeological sites previously recorded and those found during field survey within 5 km of the turbines were checked against the Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) for possible visual impacts. The whole area around the southern site had been extensively cut for peat. It was, however, recommended that a watching brief on excavations might be advisable as a precaution, but it seemed unlikely that any significant archaeology survived here. Survey of the area of the northern turbine had been carried out in the earlier visit but this had focussed on the area of the access track and so it was felt necessary to re-visit the area. This revealed some additional mounds. No archaeological features were found in the locations of the proposed construction compound and 'substation' as marked on the development plans; and impacts were judged to be be minimal. <1>