Carlin Crags
Eaglesham, East Renfrewshire
Cup Marks Canmore
Also known as Carlin Craigs

There is a small limestone outcrop amidst a wide expanse of open moorland with some good flat areas, although disappearing under the turf and often covered in moss and lichen. Being limestone, and so easily weathered by the rain - and it does rain occasionally here in Scotland! - there are many patterns and shapes in the rock that are tempting to see as art but which are just natural weathering. It was easy to find plenty of cup marks here, but I'm unconvinced that many of them are human-made. But there are certainly a few that are quite credible.

The day I was there it was dry and sunny, and had been dry for a good few days. I think it's worth a return visit in damper conditions when the surface of the rock will look quite different and see if there are any more convincing signs of prehistoric decoration.

Images ©2017 Martin McCarthy, Theasis Photography

Nearby Sites

5km Deaconsbank Golf Course Cup and Ring Marks; Millstone Quarry; Dovecot
5km Rouken Glen Cup and Ring Marks
7km Covenanters Stones Stone Circle
7km Moyne Moor Cist; Cairns; Stone Setting
9km Corkerhill Golf Course Barrow
10km Crookston Castle Castle
10km Pollock Ring Work Iron Age Fort; Hillfort
14km Craigston Wood Cup and Ring Carvings
15km Bothwell Castle Castle
18km Castle Semple Collegiate Church Church
19km Bearsden Bathhouse Roman Fort
(NB: All distances are as-the-crow-flies. Lochs, mountains and beautiful winding roads will make it further. Sometimes much further.)