This stone monument, measuring roughly 12.5 metres east to west and 12 metres north to south, rises up to 1.5 metres high and is constructed from loosely heaped angular slabs and stones. The cairn’s flattened top spans about 5 metres across, whilst its sides have slumped broadly over time, particularly on the eastern and southwestern edges where the natural ground drops away sharply.

The cairn’s strategic position offers commanding panoramic views that help explain why this spot was chosen for such a significant monument. To the east and south, the dramatically conical Errigal Mountain dominates a range of peaks, with Dunlewey Lough nestled at their base. Looking north and northeast, the views sweep across coastal lowlands out to Tory Island, whilst to the south and southwest, the Gweedore lowlands stretch into the distance. This location overlooks what was once an important route to the coastal plain west of Gweedore and northward to Gortahork, suggesting the cairn may have served as both a burial site and territorial marker.

Unfortunately, modern visitors haven’t always treated this prehistoric monument with respect. A circular depression, about 2 metres wide and up to 40 centimetres deep, has been hollowed out at the northern end of the cairn’s summit, bordered by a low wall of heaped stones that likely served as a makeshift shelter or windbreak. Despite this damage, the cairn remains an impressive testament to Ireland’s ancient past, its weathered stones continuing to mark this windswept summit just as they have for thousands of years. A small modern cairn, built 11 metres to the southeast, shows that people still feel compelled to leave their mark on this evocative landscape.