EHG6423 - Walkover survey - proposed Glen Ullinish II Wind Farm, Skye

A walkover survey was undertaken by Headland Archaeology in 2023 of all areas of anticipated disturbance as a result of the proposed development footprint of the Glen Ullinish II Wind Farm (i.e. turbine bases and internal access track routes) as it existed in September 2022, in order to inform an Environmental Impact Assessment. A navigational grade GPS loaded with the proposed development infrastructure was used to guide the survey, in order that all areas of proposed disturbance could be visually inspected. Each proposed turbine base/crane pad location was visited and visually inspected with exceptions. The aim of the site walkover was to visually identify any hitherto unknown positive or negative surface earthwork features or built structures, including surface features that were in anyway human-altered (such as stones with carvings or benchmarks). In addition, in order to inform the assessment of the ISAs’ archaeological potential, potential features identified through desk-based assessment (primarily LIDAR assessment and historic map regression, also loaded into the GPS) lying within or just outwith areas of proposed disturbance as a result of the proposed development were visited for ‘ground truthing’. In addition, the vicinities of SM918 Dun Mor, fort, SM90325 Dun Beag, Broch and SM13662 Dun Arkaig were visited due to the high number of known heritage assets in these areas; this allowed for a visual inspection of the form, nature and preservation of the known heritage assets in these areas. One previously unrecorded feature was noted during the site visit: HA17, field boundaries. The field boundaries are located at the south-central area of the ISA North and comprised two curvilinear turf banks measuring approximately 1m in width and up to 0.4m in height. The boundaries did not appear on any historic or modern OS maps and were assessed as probably being modern in date. <1> NOTE: Features HA27, HA28, HA29, HA30, HA31, HA32 and HA33 lying within the Inner Study Area (South) as detailed in <1> listed in the gazetteer were assessed as being of modern date and therefore of negligible status because they do not appear on OS mapping until 1967. However, on aerial photographic evidence these are clearly much older features not recorded by the OS for the 1st Edition and subsequent editions until the 1960s [IS-L 02/09/2025]. Following stakeholder consultation and revision of the extent and layout of the proposed wind farm (which included the removal of the southern area to the southeast of the B885 - referred to as 'Inner Study Area (South)' in the original EIA) an amended cultural heritage chapter was issued, though no additional desk-based study or fieldwork was undertaken. <2>