Cairn building can be a surprisingly meditative practice that brings you closer to your community and the earth. Whether you’re making a traditional rock cairn or a creative stack of rocks, it’s a way to take your mind off the everyday and focus on balance and permanence.
Various cultures have used cairns for many purposes throughout history. They may have been used to mark out a route, to indicate food sources, or to warn people of danger. In North America, Native American peoples also used cairns as burial sites, a practice called inukshuk.
The word cairn derives from http://cairnspotter.com/here-are-some-interesting-facts-about-cairns a Gaelic word that means «heaps or heaps of stones». It is usually built as a hill. They range from small rock sculptures up to large manmade hills of stones. Some are similar to kistvaens, dolmens and earthworks but built with stone instead.
Cairns have many uses, especially for hikers. Cairns are used to guide hikers from the trailhead to their starting point after a long and tiring day of hiking. They can also be used to help them find a way through remote wilderness areas.
A well-placed Cairn can help save lives, and guide a hiker group that is lost or having trouble finding their trail. However, some people argue that cairns are not a natural part of the environment and are in violation of Leave No Trace principles.