On a narrow isthmus between the Lochs of Harray and Stenness, and by the road from the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, stands a large monolith known as the Watch Stone.
This stone is ninteen feet tall, five feet wide and just over a foot thick.
The stump of a second stone was found nearby, and in such a position that it is possible that these two stones formed part of yet another stone circle that was lost when the sea level (and hence the level of the Loch of Stenness, which is open to the sea) rose.
1/7 Looking east. The yardstick is about six feet tall
2/7 The Watch Stone, looking east
3/7 The Watch Stone, looking north. To the left of the road is the Loch of Stenness, to the right is the Loch of Harray. There are two smaller standing stones by the house in the background. A little way beyond is the Ring of Brodgar
4/7 The Watch Stone, looking west
5/7 Looking southwest. The Stones of Stenness can be seen in the distance to the right of the Watch Stone
6/7 Another view to the southwest with the Stones of Stenness visible in the distance
7/7 Another view to the east
Nearby Sites
0km Barnhouse Neolithic Settlement Neolithic Settlement
0km Stones of Stenness Stone Circle
1km Maeshowe Chambered Cairn
1km Ring of Brodgar Stone Circle
2km Ring of Bookan Chambered Cairn; Henge
2km Unstan Chambered Cairn Chambered Cairn
5km Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn
8km Orphir Round Church Church
9km Rennibister Earth House Souterrain
9km Skara Brae Neolithic Village Neolithic Settlement
10km Wideford Hill Chambered Cairn
14km St Magnus Cathedral Cathedral
16km Gurness Broch
(NB: All distances are as-the-crow-flies. Lochs, mountains and beautiful winding roads will make it further. Sometimes much further.)