EHG6392 - Walkover survey - proposed forestry, Challenger Estate, Sutherland

A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were undertaken by C Dagg in 2022 in advance of a proposed forestry planting scheme on the Challenger Estate near Lairg, Sutherland. The estate was known to contain a large number of archaeological sites, most of them recorded on the Highland HER, making up a relatively untouched relict landscape of prehistoric and early modern settlement. The object of the assessment was to clarify the boundaries of known archaeology, identify previously unrecorded features and propose areas with no archaeological potential which would be suitable for planting. The relict landscape of archaeological features ranging from the Bronze Age to the 19th century stands out as an undisturbed cultural heritage asset, in contrast to the adjacent landscapes of dense coniferous planting and as such it was considered that the potential for tree planting would be limited. The township of Craggie at the east end of Loch Craggie stands in contrast to Dola, where the main individual features of the township have been left unplanted but are surrounded by trees, breaking up the overall site and in the process causing the loss of minor contemporary features and sub surface deposits. This approach to archaeology was probably acceptable in the 1980s but would now goes against all advice. It was considered that there would be the potential for planting outwith the defined archaeological landscape, although this was either low waterlogged ground or high and exposed. If the entire estate were to be deer fenced and stock taken off to allow planting of selected areas, the increased vegetation cover over the archaeological features would, while not causing damage, completely obscure many, particularly if bracken were allowed to take hold. It was considered that continuation of grazing would be by far the better management option. <1>