22/02/2026
Plenty of ancient structures to explore along the north coast. What's your favourite?
Tigh na Fiarnain, wheelhouse, Laid
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This enigmatic structure known as Tigh na Fiarnain (House of the Fingalians) is set in an uncultivable area of almost bare rock at a height of over 900ft. It is an unusually well-preserved example of a wheelhouse which is a stone built circular house with inner partition walls radiating like the spokes of a wheel. These are found in western and northern Scotland and date from about 100 BC to AD 100.
Mystery surrounds this wheelhouse as it is of type that is common to Caithness rather than Sutherland and was built at a high elevation as all the nearby wheelhouses lie below the 50 foot contour. Why was this one built so high up in such an isolated spot?
One explanation, which of course can never be proved, is that strangers, possibly coming from Caithness, who were allowed only this spot to make their home, built it. It measures 5.5m NE-SW by 5m NW-SE within its dry-built wall, 1.1m thick and 1.4m high, with the entrance in the E. In the interior is a circle of seven upright slabs (orthostats) set at a distance of about 1m from the wall, one of which is lintelled, another partially so, and possible roofing slabs lie about. On the W, an annexe, 8.5m long and 3m broad, defined by erect slabs bedded in the peat, curves round the structure. The peat in the interior has been scooped out. To the N are traces of an outer wall which appear to curve in towards the annexe wall; and to the SW are vague traces of yet another enclosure formed by erect slabs, now collapsed, and bounded by rock outcrops on the S.
This site is part of the Laid Heritage Trail.
