EHG6229 - Watching brief - borrow pit and substation, Camster II Wind Farm

A watching brief was undertaken by CFA Archaeology in 2023 at Camster II Wind Farm, Caithness during construction works for a proposed 11-turbine wind farm within commercial forestry to the south-west of Wick. As most of the wind farm area was under commercial forestry plantation, the survival of archaeological features was considered unlikely. The plantation was mature and it was suggested from local knowledge that multiple generations of trees had been planted on it, causing a high level of disturbance to the natural substrate. Existing access tracks along with new access tracks and turbine bases were excluded from the watching brief as there was a low potential of encountering archaeological remains in these smaller areas. Watching briefs were completed at both the area for the borrow pit and the substation. Overburden was removed using a tracked excavator with a bladed ditching bucket. There were no features, deposits or artefacts of archaeological significance identified during this programme of works. <1>