Grand Designs at Forse? Traditional Cache

Approx. 1 hour easy walking, with superb views over Loch Bracadale; plenty of wild life to look for. An unusual structure, ideal for lunch on a rainy day.
Waterproof footwear needed as there are one or two burns (streams) to cross.
Please close all gates along the way. Keep dogs under control near livestock.
Please park at Orbost Farm. There is no vehicular access beyond this point for the public.

Along the way to Macleod’s Maidens (GC2YFYF) you will ford the burn at Forse.  Forse is a name, of Norse origin, meaning waterfall.  Other local place names :  Orbost, Brandarsaig and Idrigill are all of Viking origin so we can safely assume the Vikings settled here, although little physical evidence remains.  In fact, the area was probably inhabited long before the Vikings came.   Finds of small stone tools (microliths) made of bloodstone, normally found on the Isle of Rum,  are evidence that man has visited or lived here since Mesolithic times.

The archaeological record for the Orbost Estate covers of hundreds of sites from iron age hut circles to the remains of 18^th and early 19^th century villages.   In 1799, a manager and 7 sub tenants lived at Forse but owner, William Macleod, cleared the area people in the early 19^th century, to provide grazing for more profitable cheviot sheep .

The “grand design” near GZ doesn’t appear on any archaeological record.  The replica iron age house  was constructed by volunteers in 2008 – amazingly they had to get planning permission.

This cache is placed with kind permission of HIE who purchased Orbost Estate in 1997 in order to create new opportunities for sustainable rural development in this remote area.

The cache is a small plastic click box in a camo bag , contains log book, pencil and sharpener as well as a few swappables and FTF gift.

This cache is part of a series placed along the lovely walk to Macleod’s Maidens. Others in the series are: