Head direct north from Knock Hill and you will walk straight into this small cairn which nestles between two hills. (same field) Some kerbs remain with height of the cairn being 0.4 meters and width being 6 meters.
From here back to Fernyhowe is fairly easy. A track heading west should be followed until a track heading south can be found. This evenually leads to behind the bunch of cottages at Fernyhowe. Fernyhowe, Knockargety Fort, Knock Hill and Corblelack a walk containing some easy bits, climbs, bogs, fences, streams and track. A fine way to spend a morning.
In speaking of the rebel laird of Blelack, it may be added that the fairies abode in the Seely Howe, a hollow in the Carne Hillock, upon that property; and, before leaving for the wars of the '45, the laird, determined to dislodge them from his lands, employed for that purpose a reputed magician, named John Farquharson, tacksman in Parks. The fairies, however, refused to obey his spell until he should assign them some other place of abode, which he did by sending them to the Hill of Fare, near Banchory! But, disliking their new quarters very much, the superstitious aver that the fairies pronounced this imprecation upon Gordon:--
"Dool, dool to Blelack,
And dool to Blelack's heir,
For drivin' us from the Seely Howe
To the cauld hill o' Fare!"
The malediction of the fairies against Farquharson was still more eldritch:--
"While corn and girs grows to the air,
John Farquharson and his seed shall thrive nae mair!"
It is added that Farquharson, whose circumstances went to the bad from the day he dislodged the fairies, left his native country and was never again heard of. Matters also went ill with the Gordons. The rebel laird died without lawful issue, when the estate passed to Charles Rose, a sister's son...
From 'Epitaphs and inscriptions from burial grounds and old buildings in the north-east of Scotland' by Andrew Jervise (1875).
Log in |
Register
0 discussions
Show map (inline Google Map)
Add an image 
Posted by drewbhoy
Posted by Rhiannon
Top of page