The two Grey Cairns of Camster are among the oldest stone monuments in Scotland. They were built over 5,000 years ago. Even before their excavation and restoration by Historic Scotland in the later 20th century they were two of the best preserved burial tombs surviving from the neolithic period anywhere in Britain. The remains and stories of those buried were lost to tomb raiders many years ago, but they were farmers of a landscape very different to the one we see today.

Historic Scotland describe the two cairns in more detail:

The round cairn
The round cairn is the smaller of the two, measuring 18m in diameter and rising to a height of 4m. A low, narrow entrance leads into a cramped passage to the burial chamber at the centre of the cairn. The chamber itself is surprisingly roomy. Inside, you can stand to full height and admire the structural sophistication attained by the neolithic builders over 5,000 years ago. Pairs of large upright slabs divide the chamber into three distinct compartments, and the walls are cleverly corbelled on the inside to support the stone roof.

The long cairn
The long cairn stands in marked contrast. The elongated stone structure reaches the same height but stretches nearly 60m long and 20m wide. It has two curved forecourts, one at each end. The NE one is the more elaborate, with a stepped arrangement; unusually, though, it did not frame an entrance into the tomb. Instead, two separate small passages lead to two discrete large burial chambers from one side of the burial cairn. Once again, the journeys into the depths of the monument are awe-inspiring – but don’t forget to take a torch.