Maes Howe is a Neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave and is one of the largest on Orkney. The cairn gives its name to the Maeshowe type of chambered cairn, which is limited to Orkney. Maes Howe appears as a grassy mound near the south-east end of the Loch of Harray.
The mound encasing the tomb is 115 feet (35 m) in diameter and rises to a height of 24 feet (7.3 m). Surrounding the mound is a ditch up to 45 feet (14 m) wide. The grass mound hides a complex of passages and chambers built of large carefully crafted slabs of flagstone. It is aligned so that the rear wall of its central chamber is illuminated on the winter solstice.
Maes Howe is within the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Map, Directions & Contact Info
Maes Howe, Orkney, Mainland, Orkney Islands , United Kingdom
Get directions to Maes Howe
If you want more information on the area visit our local
Mainland Destination page or our regional
Orkney Islands Destination page. Make this page your own. Sign in to save places, add private notes, and plan future coastal trips.
Loading weather forecast...
Nearby Places to Stay
At Coast Radar, we try and keep our details up to date, but unfortunately, we sometimes don't keep up. If you see a problem with this entry or think we have missed something, please use the report button below to let us know of the problem.
