Cairn building is a surprisingly meditative experience that can bring you closer with the earth and community. Making a traditional or creative rock cairn can help you take your mind away from the daily grind and focus on permanence and balance.
Throughout history, cairns were used by different cultures for a wide range of purposes. They may have been made to mark a route, to indicate a food source, or to warn of danger. Cairns are also used as burial sites by Native Americans in North America. This practice is known as inukshuk.
The word cairn is derived from a Gaelic phrase that means “heaps of stones”. They are typically built in the shape of a hill. They can be small rock sculptures or large man-made stones hills.
Cairns are used by many people, but they are most commonly used by hikers. Cairns help hikers find their way back to the trailhead, after a hard day of hiking.
A well-placed trail cairn is a lifesaver and can guide stranded hikers or those who have difficulty finding http://cairnspotter.com/what-is-cairn-making their way. However, some people argue that cairns are not a natural part of the environment and are in violation of Leave No Trace principles.
