Cairn building is a surprisingly meditative experience that can bring you closer with the earth and community. It’s a great way for you to get your mind off of the everyday and focus more on balance and permanence.
Cairns have been used by many cultures throughout history for a variety of purposes. They could have been built to mark a path, indicate a food supply, or warn of danger. In North America Native Americans also made cairns to serve as burial places, a tradition known as inukshuk.
The word cairn comes from a Gaelic term that means „heap of stones.“ They are usually built in the form of a hill of rock. cairn making They range in size from small rock sculptures to large man-made hills of stone, some of which are comparable to kistvaens and dolmens but built of stone rather than ephemeral earthworks.
Cairns serve many purposes, and are particularly useful to hikers. They can be used to guide hikers back to the trailhead after a tough day of hiking, or to aid them in finding their way in remote areas of wilderness.
A well-placed Cairn can help save lives, and guide a hiker group that is lost or having trouble finding their trail. Some people claim cairns are not part of the natural environment and that they violate Leave No Trace.