Monument record MHG55074 - Shieling, Allt Coire Dhomhain

Description
This site lies on the west side of Drumochter summit, between the Allt Coire Dhomhain (aka Corriedoin, Corghony) and the estate track, about 1 km up from the railway line. It is marked on the 1773 estate plan as the site of an old shieling. Coire Dhomhain was the oft-disputed march between Atholl and Badenoch, lying between the Boar of Badenoch and the Sow of Atholl, but slightly to the south of the watershed – at the bottom of the corrie, the burn turns south to become the River Garry. This corrie, or glen, over 5 km in length was very heavily grazed by livestock from both Badenoch and Atholl, as well as by drovers renting it for the summer before going south to the autumn trysts. From here the animals (excepting the milk cattle) gained access to the high plateau (3000’ plus), grazing there for most of the summer. Apart from this site, there were one or two other shielings higher up the corrie.

Structures
There are three small shieling huts evident. These were the closest shielings to the march on the west side of Drumochter, indeed they were right on it, but they appear to have been abandoned (or pulled down) early on because of their controversial situation. Taylor’s reference to this site as ‘an old sheal’ in 1773, suggest that the last use of these shieling bothies could be approximately mid 18th century. The disputes over the contraverted ground makes it unlikely that they were re-used at a later date.

Information from David Taylor. <1><2>

<1> Taylor, D, 2011, Unpublished notes on various shieling sites in the Drumochter area (Text/Manuscript). SHG25441.

<2> Taylor, D, 08/2011, Photographs of various shieling sites in the Drumochter area (Image/Photograph(s)). SHG25442.