EHG6286 - Walkover survey - proposed cable route, Bingally, Knockfin

An archaeological walkover survey was undertaken by GUARD Archaeology in 2024, in an area proposed for the installation of a cable route at Bingally, Knockfin, near Fort Augustus. The walkover survey wasintended as the first phase of the work, prior to the ground investigation (GI) works commencing. During the course of the initial desk-based study and the subsequent walkover survey, no trial pits or boreholes were identified as posing a potential risk to known cultural heritage sites apart from TP2-40 and BH2-29 and BH2-67. Trial pit 2-40 and boreholes BH2-29 and BH2-67 were to be located on an area where clearance cairns were noted. However, some other trial pits and boreholes located on the northern half of the route were to be located in positions with a high potential to yield further archaeological remains or artefacts as they were near hut circles or clearance cairns. Although none of the known cultural heritage sites were identified upstanding across the site during the walkover, this may have been due to the overgrown vegetation on the ground which would have obscured them from view. There was still potential for archaeology to exist as negative cut features and artefacts within and beneath the topsoil as the topography of areas of the site would be suitable for past human use and habitation. Although the walkover survey did not encounter any upstanding archaeological sites, the desk-based study did note previously known above ground archaeological sites within 200m of the proposed route northern half, visible on LIDAR survey. As a result, the potential for archaeology to survive within trial pit and borehole locations in the northern half of the site was considered more likely. Therefore, a watching brief during ground investigation works would likely to be required by HCHET during the GI works on that section of the route. Access to the trial pits and borehole locations was also assessed during the walkover survey. In some areas the existing road provided easy access to these locations. Where the road was not sufficient and tracking over the site would be required it was advised that these routes be surveyed in advance by the on-site archaeologist, and then monitored for the presence of previously unknown archaeology. Since no archaeology was encountered on the southern half of the route, it was advised that the monitoring should only concentrate on the northern half of the route though that would only be with the agreement of HCHET. <1>