The Western Isles’ top tourist attraction is in a muddy mess after recent drainage works.
Visitors to the world famous Callanish Standing Stones are asked not to walk around them until the issue is fixed.
Tens of thousands of people tour the historical wonders annually which were erected
around 5,000 years ago and are one of Scotland’s best-
One tourist, Ken Stewart, was not impressed when he went to view the giant megaliths
-
The independent mainland-
“I enquired in the visitors centre and apparently they have been clearing blocked
drainage and as part of their back-
“The result is an awful sodden mess.”
Government agency, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which manages the historic site, said increasing number of visitors, more rainfall plus blocked drains forced the ground around the centre stones to be dug up.
A HES spokesman said the existing drainage system was blocked with soil.
He added: “The works involved upgrading and modernising this drainage system to deliver more effective drainage in future.”
At the same time, “the ground at the centre ring of the monument had eroded through higher than usual rainfall, combined with increasingly high footfall at the site.
“Topsoil was spread to replace what has been lost to erosion and to protect the underlying stones, however heavy rainfall has affected the repaired area.”
The works should be finished by Easter, weather permitting.
The spokesman warned: “We have also cordoned off the immediate area around the stones to visitors in the short term and would ask if they can please refrain from walking on this area in the interim while it repairs.”
He added: “We hope that over the next few days, the weather will improve sufficiently to allow the topsoil to dry to an acceptable level so that the works can continue.”
HES intends to lay locally sourced turf and grass seed to finish off the works which will require a short period of time to bed in.
Muddy eyesore at Callanish Stones
30 March 2017
Photo: Ken Stewart
Callanish Stones