EHG4998 - Walkover survey, Metal-detecting survey, and trench evaluation - Banquo's Walk, Torcastle

An archaeological walkover and metal-detecting survey and trench evaluation undertaken on Banquo’s Walk, located at Torcastle, near Fort William. Banquo’s Walk, a wide, tree-lined avenue with parallel banks, has long been believed to have been formed as a ceremonial route associated with folklore attached to the nearby ruins of Tor-castle. However, the 8m-wide route, which ended abruptly at both ends, was located in line with no known sites or features. Combined with its extreme width and low-lying surface, the assumption of it construction as a road was brought into question. Archaeological evaluation in November 2016, undertaken by Lochaber Archaeological Society and AOC Archaeology, revealed indeed that there was no road surface present within well-built banks defining “Banquo’s Walk”. Evaluation of the soil strata, which contained a thick natural layer of clay, revealed that the best possible explanation for its construction was for use in clay extraction. The fieldwork has dispelled 150 years of myth attached to the site. <1>