Happy New Year from all of us at SCAPE! Thank you to our volunteers, followers, partners and funders for all your support in 2025. We look forward to seeing you as we survey Scotland's coast in 2026... #coastarch #hessupported #scotarchstrat

#5- our final pick in our highlights of 2025 - the discovery of a photo archive of Zulu herring drifters at Findorn linked to the fishing boat graveyard we investigated with Findhorn Heritage in 2015. This stunning set of stereoscopic glass plates show them on the shore in 1917.

#4 of our #Top5 2025 - A new date for Newark, Sanday. Fish, whale & dolphin bone, recorded here over many years, suggested a specialised fish processing site. In early 2025 Storm Éowyn exposed stone buildings buried in sand. We sampled fish bone for radiocarbon dating. The result? ...

At #3 a newly identified Rocket Pole, Ness of Duncansby, Caithness Invented in the mid-1800s a mobile rocket apparatus fired a line to a ship in distress. A harness was attached to carry passengers&crew to safety. Rocket poles stood in for the ships mast in practice drills- very few survive!

#2 of our 2025 highlights - coming face to face with history revealed in eroding coast edges… As the sea cuts into the land, it reveals layers of past human activity, like layers of a cake, revealing glimpses of past events. Here’s a few favourites from the Yell and Dornoch surveys. #coastarch

We’ve had an amazing year of fieldwork - here’s our #Top5 2025 highlights: Pick #1 Broch of Burland, Shetland mainland. It looks spectacular from the air and like many on Shetland, is in a highly defended location - bounded by the sea on three sides and with massive banks and ditches.

Gletness made it into the Top 5 archaeological discoveries of 2025! Thanks to our collaborators and volunteers @archshet.bsky.social - we had a great time!

The strong winds of Storm Bram coincided with high tides, potentially causing coastal erosion. When it’s safe you can help monitor changes by reporting any damage you see. Use Dynamic Coast's new Coastal Erosion Reporter tool at www.DynamicCoast.com Thank you! #stormbram #coastarch #hessupported

In 2018, @coastarch.bsky.social raced against the tide to investigate a submerged prehistoric forest on a beach in Na h-Eileanan Siar (the Outer Hebrides) 🌳 It's one of the many sites in Scotland that are under threat from erosion and rising sea levels: www.digitscotland.com/how-to-help-...

The Dornoch Firth Coastal Survey (Mar/Apr2025) Report is out! Highlights: a monumental fish trap, Bonar bridge coastal engineering, & a wonderful discovery of zulu sailing drifter. Download here: scapetrust.org/wp-content/u... #coastarch #scotarchstrat #hessupported

Gletness Excavation Report is out! In May, SCAPE & Archaeology Shetland excavated an eroding Middle-Late Iron Age settlement & a Bronze Age burnt mound. Short visit, big archaeology. Download the Report: scapetrust.org/wp-content/u... @archshet.bsky.social #coastarch #CoastalHeritage #hessupported

A mystery solved. . . Back in May, we asked for help identifying a wreck in Sandladie Voe, West Sandwick. Amazingly, someone gave us a possible name: Candace. #hessupported #shetlandwreck

Join us on the latest Walk of Discovery in North Yell, Shetland. First up is the broch at Fillacomb point, not much to see except the faint outer traces of the bank. The coastline is exposed to the high energy of the North Atlantic Ocean battering against the rock (1/4)...

Tovakuddas are coastal rock pools and clefts used by Shetlanders between the 12th to 17th century to shrink or waulk 'Wadmal' - a handwoven wool cloth. The cloth was secured in these protective pools and the motion of the sea strengthened and thickened it... (1/3) #tovakudda #hessupported

This remarkable site at Sands of Breckon, Yell, is revealing layers of history. Coastal processes have exposed prehistoric houses and burial cairns. @archshet.bsky.social @standrewshist.bsky.social #HESsupported #coastarch #scotarchstrat

Our excavation at Gletness in Shetland with @archshet.bsky.social revealed the heat-shattered stones of a burnt mound, a beautiful, manly limestone paved area, and excitingly, the closing slabs at the top of subterranean corbelled structure - possibly the roof of a Bronze Age well! #hessupported

Sand layer from a possible tsunami 1500 years ago. A penny road built as a famine relief project in the 1840-50s. Eroding prehistoric settlement and a giant noost! Just a few highlights from the June survey in Yell. Huge thanks to everyone. Yell is a very special place. We had a wonderful time.

What progress over just 4 days with the amazing @archshet.bsky.social on the Gletness dig. One or more big Iron Age buildings and a Bronze Age burnt mound. Done and dusted for now. Thank you everyone! #HESSupported #coastarch #ScotArchStrat

Gletness Day 2 with @coastarch.bsky.social

Excellent first day with @archshet.bsky.social on the Gletness dig. Thank you everyone! #HESSupported #coastarch #ScotArchStrat

You can’t do a coastal survey in Shetland without encountering brochs. These epic monuments of the Iron Age never fail to impress and interest us. What's your favourite Shetland broch? #hessupported #coastarch #scotarchstrat

You never know what’s round the corner. This re-used saddle quern hints of a nearby prehistoric site - and sure enough - a few paces further, an Iron Age settlement is revealed in the eroding section. We look forward to returning to Yell in June for more! #hessupported #coastarch #scotarchstrat

Shetland horizontal mills - used for a 1000 years - now mostly ruinous. You will find them alone or in groups, like these examples in North Yell. An intact working example survives at the Crofthouse Museum in Dunrossness which you can visit! #hessupported #coastarch #scotarchstrat

Building of the day - a ruinous Böd – (store with accommodation associated with commercial fishing) on the shore at Lindburn, West Yell. We'd love to know more about the history of this interesting building! #hessupported #scotarchstrat #coastarch

Looking forward to heading up to the beautiful island of Yell, Shetland for coastal surveys with the community 20-24 May and 4-6 June. Join us as we explore this historic coast or get in touch with your knowledge of Yell’s coastal heritage and coastal change #Coastarch #Hessupported #ScotArchStrat

A Norse fish processing site, a rocket pole, limekilns, intertidal poetry and more – all within an hour’s walk of John O’ Groats. Read about this wonderful coastal landscape on the Walk of Discovery blog scapetrust.org/a-walk-of-di... #hessupported #scotarchstrat #coastarch

If you encounter a monumental erratic like these ones at Roy’s Bay, Portmahomack, check if it's named on the historic OS map. Named rocks serve as landmarks for navigation and are often associated with local stories. They blur the lines between natural & cultural heritage. #HESSupported #CoastArch

Such a great project covering loads of important maritime and coastal heritage! This report will be really useful for our work going forward. Congratulations on getting this substantial piece of work out! 🎉👏

We had a great time on the Dornoch Firth over the last few days, discovering and recording the area's rich maritime heritage and sharing knowledge with enthusiastic local volunteers. Thanks to everyone who came out and helped with the survey! #CoastArch #HESSupported #ScotArchStrat

It was an absolute pleasure to have you and the rest of the gang from @arcdurham.bsky.social with us! Thanks for all your help, and we'll keep you posted on when we are out next! #CoastArch #HESSupported #ScotArchStrat

We had a cracking first day on our Dornoch Firth Survey, exploring the Rubha nan Sgarbh headland, which, according to the farmer Mr Simpson, means Point of the Cormorant - a place name with Gaelic and Norse elements. Thanks to the volunteers & Mr Simpson for his knowledge. #CoastArch #HESSupported

Our first coastal survey of the year will be along the southern coast of the Dornoch Firth! Join us March 7–10 & April 5–7 as we explore this historic shoreline or get in touch with your insights on the area's coastal heritage & knowledge of coastal change. #CoastArch #HESSupported #ScotArchStrat

The last big 'reveal' of the Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard AHRC-funded project: the reading of the long runic inscription. Proud to say I played a small part in cracking it by spotting the two puncts around the final rune. The Hoard has now begun its worid tour! www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Tidal swimming pools around the coast of Scotland have long been in decline, but recent interest in wild swimming has led communities to see the benefits and value of these historic pools. Thanks to groups in places like Cellardyke and Pittenweem in Fife, many pools have been revitalised. #CoatArch

This ruin at Strond, Isle of Harris, holds a rich history. Home to the Paisley Sisters, Marion & Christine Macleod, it’s where the first documented sale of Harris Tweed occurred in 1864. Trained in Paisley, they first spun the Murray tartan for Lady Dunmore, whose patronage helped popularise #Tweed.

A Viking Great Army Veteran in Scotland? ⚖️ My blog on the potential links been the Kiloran Bay boat burial and the #Viking Great Army. Making good use of the fabulous resources from the @ads-update.bsky.social and @ntlmuseumsscot.bsky.social. drtomhorne.com/2025/01/22/a...

Some really important papers on Coastal Archaeology in the latest issue of the Journal of Field Archaeology including from our old colleague @ellster17.bsky.social Check it out! #ClimateHeritage

On the south edge of Ascog Bay on the Isle of Bute is a unique site – the mostly unaltered ruins of a salt panhouse. Three hundred years ago salt was made in this building by boiling sea water in iron pans, with coal supplied from a nearby mine. #CoastArch #HESSupported #CoastalErosion 🏺🌊🧂

Happy Hogmanay and all the best for 2025 from all of us at SCAPE! Thank you to our volunteers, followers, partners and funders for all your support in 2024. We look forward to seeing you as we visit more of Scotland's coast in 2025. #HESSupported #Coastarch #ScotArchStrat

The final site of our 2024 roundup is the wreck of the James A Wright, off Baile Sear Beach, North Uist. Wrecked in 1877, all 18 of the crew were saved and the ship was sold as salvage. A low tide in March revealed much of the outline of the 150-year-old vessel. #maritimearchaeology #CoastArch

Our penultimate site: the Kelp industry on Orkney. Stronsay led Orkney’s kelp production from 1722, producing potash & soda from seaweed for the glass industry. Working with Stronsay High School, we surveyed drying walls & burning pits at Grice Ness, where erosion threatens the site #CoastArch 🪸🏺

Our third highlight is a magical Iron Age site at Huisinis, Isle of Harris. A circular structure, built with glittering pink & grey Lewisian Gneiss rocks, dates back 2-3000 years. Partially buried in sand, it includes walls, bones, shells, & burnt stones, with more waiting to be revealed #CoastArch

Next Up: the millstone quarry at Brunerican Bay, Southend, Kintyre. A rare millstone site with history. In the 1800s, farmers hauled millstones two miles to Machrimore Mill cheered on by crowds. Horses dragged the stones, guided by men with poles, ending with a feast of tatties, fish, and whisky 🥃

In the lead up to Christmas and as part of establishing our presence on Bluesky we thought it would be fun to share our favourite coastal sites that we recorded in 2024. We’ll post one a day until the 24th. #CoastArch #Archaeology 🏺 #HESSupported First up - Fassenden’s Wireless Station. 👇

"A glimpse into a prehistoric world hidden in plain sight" 👀 After being noticed by volunteers, charcoal and tools made from quartz and flint were found below the turf on the eroding coast in na h-Eileanan Siar (the Outer Hebrides) earlier this year: www.digitscotland.com/five-of-scot...

The award-winning SCAPE Trust is a Registered Charity and a Company established in 2001. We work with the public on the archaeology, history and past environments of the coastal zone of Scotland. scapetrust.org/who-we-are/