Sarsgrum (Cairn(s)) — Images (click to view fullsize)

Posted by markj99 25th April 2024ce

Sarsgrum (Cairn(s)) — Fieldnotes

Visited 03.09.21 As Gladman suggested, the house adjacent to Sarsgrum Cairn has been renovated. The A838 is now part of the NC500 leading to more traffic passing the cairn, however it is still relatively easy to stop and view the cairn. Comments (7)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by markj99 25th April 2024ce

Creag Nan Uamh (Cave / Rock Shelter) — News

Inside Scotland's ancient Bone Caves High on a limestone cliff in the north west Highlands are caves that have fascinated visitors to the area for at least 135 years. More info : https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqvng3z9pqqo Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 17th April 2024ce

Loch Pityoulish (Crannog) — Folklore

This loch, situated between the River Spey and the foothills of the Cairngorms, has an eerie reputation. It is said to harbour a water-horse, which, in defiance of the "each uisge" tradition, is black in colour. This animal is believed to inhabit a sunken "crannog" or prehistoric loch-dwelling, the site of which at the bottom of the loch can be seen on calm days deep down through the clear water. According to local tradition, the black horse appeared one day many years ago to the young heir to the Barony Of Kincardine as he played with other children at the side of the loch - as a coal-black steed decked out with a silver saddle, silver bridle and silver reins. The boys grasped the reins, which galloped off with them to the loch, and only the young heir remained lived to tell of the encounter, as he alone had had the presence of mind to free his fingers from the reins with a knife. R MacDonald Robertson - Highland Folktales Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 30th March 2024ce

Dun Ghallain (Stone Fort / Dun) — Folklore

A local chieftain fell in low with a beautiful but low-born maiden. His mother. opposing the match, caused the girl to be transformed by magic into a swan, which the chief, when out hunting, shot (by arrow) and killed. He was horror-struck to see the swan at the moment of its death resume the form of his beloved. Overcome with grief, he fell on his own sword, and the lovers are said to still lie together beneath the ruined walls of Dun Ghallian. Exploring Sunart, Arnamurchan, Moidart and Morar Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 25th March 2024ce

Cnoc Na H-uiseig (Chambered Cairn) — Folklore

When the site was excavated it looked like a small green hill, but stone slabs breaking through the surface betrayed the cairn beneath, and also that at some time it had been disturbed. Local knowledge of the man-made constructions inside such seemingly natural mounds probably inspired the tradition that fairies lived in the 'hollow hills' and might still be encountered by those who entered. Similar to Bruan. Reverend George Sutherland (1937) Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 5th February 2024ce

Bruan (Broch) — Folklore

In the parish of Latheron are the remains of a broch known as the fairy mound of Bruan. In 1937, the Reverend George Sutherland related that two men once passed the broch carrying a small keg of whisky for New Year celebrations. A door in the broch was open, and inside fairies were dancing to bagpipe music. One of the men wanted to join the dance and went in, but the other was more cautious and waited outside. A long time passed and the waiting man called to the other, who replied, 'I have not got a dance yet.' After another while the man outside took his whisky and went on his way, expecting that his friend would be home by morning, but the next day he had still not returned, and the broch was closed, with no sign of a door, and no trace of the fairies. The man did not give up hope of his friend, however: It was an old belief that in such a case the same scene would be enacted in the same place a year after, accordingly on the anniversary of that day he went to the Bruan Broch. It was open, the music and dancing were going on as before, and his friend was there. He put some iron article in the door to prevent the fairies from closing it, as they are powerless in the presence of iron or steel. He went to the open door and said to his friend, 'Are you not coming home now?' His friend replied, 'I have not got a dance yet.' The man outside told his friend that he had been a year in the broch, and that it was surely time for him to come home now, but his friend did not believe that he had been more than an hour inside. The man then made a rush at his friend, seized him, and dragged him out by sheer force, and they set out for home together. It was difficult for him to realise that his sojourn with the fairies was such a prolonged one, but the fact that his own child did not recognise him, together with other changes that had taken place, convinced him. The man who wanted to dance was lucky to have a loyal friend - some who enter a fairy mound never come out again. This is one of many similar told throughout Britain of the supernatural lapse of time in fairyland. Caithness has numerous antiquities traditionally said to be fairy dwellings, among them a horned cairn known as the Fairies' Mound, or Cnoc Na H-uiseig The Lore Of Scotland - A Guide To Scottish Legends Westwood & Kingshill Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 5th February 2024ce

Cnoc Na H-uiseig (Chambered Cairn) — Links

Canmore Links to Bruan Broch Legend. Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 5th February 2024ce

Clach Clais An Tuirc (Standing Stone / Menhir) — Folklore

Sir Donald MacKay (1591- 1649) led an eventful life. He was imprisoned for adultery and suspected of bigamy, led a regiment in the Thirty Years war (1618-48), and, having accused his lieutenant David Ramsey of treason, was challenged by him to single combat, though the duel was prevented by the intervention of Charles 1. In 1628 he was created first Lord Reay, and a contemporary said of him that in his own estates 'he tyrannizes as if there were no law or king to putt order to his insolencies.' After his death he became remembered in folk legend as a magician, Donald Duibheal or Dubhuail MacKay, and many tales are told of his occult exploits, several of which are included by George Sutherland in his Folk-Lore Gleaning (1937). It was said that while serving as a soldier under Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden (1594 - 1632) he had met the Devil and had been invited by him to attend the famous Black School Of Padua. In return for his teaching, the Devil required that the last student to leave at the end of the session should be forfeit to him as payment. As they filed out, it happened to be MacKay who was the last one out of the door and the Devil tried to grab him, but the canny MacKay turned around and pointed to his shadow, saying, De'il tak' the hindmost.' The Devil accordingly seized hold of the shadow and before he realised he had been tricked, MacKay himself had got safe away. The story is a local version of an international tale known as Escape From The Black School in which a student of the Black Arts deceives his satanic master, a ploy also attributed to Michael Scot, the Wizard of Balwearie and Sir Robert Gordon of The Round Square (Aberdeenshire) When MacKay returned to the Reay country, people soon noticed that he cast no shadow and therefore must be uncanny. The Devil meanwhile had pursued his prey all the way from Italy, and they had a fisticuff fight which ended with MacKay giving the Devil a beating and getting from him a swarm of little demons or fairies who did all his work, ploughing his land, harvesting and threshing his corn and so forth. This was all very well, but when he had run out of jobs for them they still clamoured for employment, and MacKay found himself trying to occupy his troublesome assistants. One idea that occurred to him was to get his imps to drain the loch on the east side of Clash Breac, Broubister, where a pot of gold was said to be hidden. They set with a will, but when the Cailleach of Clach Breac saw what was happening she shouted to the workers 'In the name of God, what are you doing here?' At once the imps vanished, unable to hear mention of the sacred name. In fury, MacKay picked up a spade and split the Cailleach's head with it. The unfinished work is still to be seen in the form of a deep ravine extending for about two hundred feet in the direction of the loch, but not reaching it. On the north side of this ravine there is a standing stone with the top part of it cleft in twain. This is said to be the Cailleach with her cloven head now turned into stone. Spoil from the canal dug by the imps was hung up to make the conspicuous steep sided hills of Creag Mhor and Creag Bheag ('big crag' and 'little crag') south-east of Reay. As to the 'loch on the east side of Clash Breac', this probably refers to an area east of Cnoc Na Claise Brice, not a loch but a bog, a fact that could have been cited as 'proof' that the imps had partly succeeded in their drainage works. The petrified Cailleach is Clach Clais An Tuirc, a standing stone south-east of Loanscorribest. The Cailleach, as a guardian of deer and other wild animals, may have resented the imps' interference with the landscape. It is not explained, why she, a supernatural being, is able to speak the name of God when the imps cannot bear to hear it. The Lore Of Scotland - A Guide To Scottish Legends Westwood & Kingshill Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 5th February 2024ce

Hill O'Many Stanes (Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue) — Folklore

Unique in Britain to Caithness and Sutherland are multiple rows of small standing stones set out in parallel lines or fan shapes, thought to date from the early Bronze Age. They are found sometimes in the neighbourhood of cairns, that is, burial sites, and may have had a religious function, though in the 1970s Professor Alexander Thom argued that they were used to calculate the movements of the moon. Whatever their original purpose, such rows are still a fantastic sight. The best preserved run down the slopes of a low hill at Mid Clyth known as the Hill O' Many Stanes. They are small flat stones wedged upright with their broad faces aligned in more than twenty rows, fanning out slightly towards the southern end. Today about 200 stones remain, but it is thought the pattern could have involved 600 or more. A popular belief that gold was hidden beneath the stones may have led to the removal of stone, and others have been destroyed by agriculture or removed for building, but as in the case of stone circles, it was said to be dangerous to interfere with them. A farmer at Bruan is said to have removed one of the Mid Clyth stones to use as a lintel above the fireplace of a kiln. When the fire was lit, the stone burst into flames but remained mysteriously unconsumed. This made him so fearful that he hastily returned the stone to the place in the row that he had taken it from. The Lore Of Scotland - A Guide To Scottish Legends Westwood & Kingshill Comments (0)  |  Add a comment  |  Permalink

Posted by drewbhoy 28th January 2024ce