EHG5591 - Watching brief - Knocknagael to Tomatin, 275kV Overhead Line

A programme of archaeological survey, mitigation and watching brief was carried out by AOC Archaeology Group in 2017-18 on land between substation sites at Knocknagael and Tomatin, between Inverness and Glen Kyllachy. The work was conducted during and in advance of the construction of 19km of a new 275 kV double circuit overhead line. Previous survey in 2015 had made recommendations for mitigation and monitoring and formed the basis for these works. The fieldwork was carried out intermittently between May 2017 to August 2018 as ground works progressed through different areas of the development. Archaeological survey of targeted areas identified a number of new sites, while sites identified in the 2015 survey were demarcated where required. Archaeological watching brief identified buried features in only one location in a cable trench near the Knocknagael substation. Excavation was required at two sites where micrositing of development locations was not possible. Sixteen new archaeological sites were surveyed during the works and two buried archaeological features were identified. Excavation was undertaken at two hut circle sites as part of mitigation measures and these have been reported on in two separate AOC reports (see EHG & EHG). <1>