Research Our Projects Loch Achilty Crannog Loch Achilty Crannog Project 20th September - 26th September In September 2025 we partnered with the North of Scotland Archaeological Society to investigate a medieval crannog (lake dwelling) in Loch Achilty, Strathpeffer. During a week in September we documented and excavated a section of the crannog to better understand its occupation and use. Attribution: © Copyright: NOSAS (James S Bone Collection). Courtesy of HES. ------------ The recorded crannog at Loch Achilty has been dived on three occasions, including by NAS members. A tape and offset survey of the above water and underwater structure was completed and a plan drawn. Two timber samples were obtained which were submitted for carbon dating. These have yielded dates of c.1060AD and 1359AD, suggesting it is of medieval construction. Image: NAS member Duncan Ross exploring the Loch Achilty crannog Crannogs from the medieval period are very rare and very few of them have been studied. There is minimal knowledge of the construction techniques used in the Highland area, or of the function to which crannogs were put. NOSAS believe that Achilty crannog would be a good subject for more detailed study, possibly a partial excavation with a view to determining the method of construction. This may even reveal clues as to its purpose. Achilty Crannog provides an interesting comparison with Loch Kinellan crannog, only a few kilometres away. Kinellan is also thought to be medieval, from pottery excavated in antiquarian times, but its construction is completely different, entirely formed from timber, brushwood and clay with almost no stone. ------------ Find out more about the North of Scotland Archaeological Society (NOSAS) here Find out more about the NOSAS Crannogs Project here Read the report on the 2023 Topographical Survey of the Loch Achilty Crannog here Read about the Loch Achilty crannog on the Scottish Canmore National Monuments Record here The project has been supported grants from the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and SSE Renewables ------------ Manage Cookie Preferences