Showing 1-50 of 3,785 posts. Most recent first | Next 50  
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I parked at first track after Orditeach on the A941 and walked north hoping to find the Chapel cairn as well, sadly I didn't and became lost instead. Now looking at a map (which I'd stupidly left in the car) I found I climbed the Hill of Oldmerdrum, down the other side and waded the Kirkney Water to get back onto the main forestry track. Good fun this if somewhat tiring. I doubled back to the bridge, found the wee car park complete with henge and hillock.
I've always wanted to come to this place. It certainly has superb views of Noth. The maze of roads offer superb walks. Take an OS map, helps a lot.
Visited 24/5/2012.
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The Dead Wife's Cairn on Clayshooter Hill is practically gone but it still has truly wonderful views. Hillforts at Tap O Noth, Wheedlemont and Cairnmore can be seen at different angles, as well as looking down into Kildrummy and north west into the wild and lonely Cabrach (home to the Grouse Inn). Head south from Rhynie on the A97 then head west on the B9002, past Craig Castle, Whitehillock, home to a standing stone, and pull into the track after Silverford. Like a lot of small farms this place is now desolate and resembles a small ghost town.
The track, today, is a mixture of dry, flooded, swamp, fords and in parts brand new as new fencing is going up. Various marker stones indicate the names of estates nearby Clova, Craig etc. After a small loch the cairn can be seen looking north east. It is over 5 meters wide and almost 1 meter high at it's tallest. Only a couple bits of cairn material are visible as the cairn is covered in turf and heather.
Still the scenery is wonderful, nature seemed happy with itself and it was warmish. Well worth the trek!
Visited 20/5/2012.
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These stones are at the eastern gate of Rhynie Square. (opposite the shop on the A97) Originally they stood at the opposite side of the road, with garden of Rhynie's Free Church manse surrounding them. Sadly the southern stone has been broken. A repair job of sorts has happened.
Visited 20/5/2012.
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Just like the last time I parked at the layby just north of Mains Of Afforsk, this time with a lot of gorse, grass etc being cut down or flattened by snow a forestry track could now be seen. This isn't the safest of paths, it is littered with fallen trees and branches, the recent rain has turned it into a series of small lochs. Still as it meanders west all over the place it climbs steadily until it meets another track in a clearing. In the south east quadrant at the crossroads sits the ring cairn.
It reeks of age probably due to the trees and Mither Tap which looks down on top. (It was busy today!) Although badly overgrown and damaged by forestry the ring cairn survives. Sitting at 14 meters wide and 1 meter tall. The inner section isn't central and is 4 meters in width. I wonder what a 'dig' would show.
The other cairn complete with cross incised and ogham marked stone is also quite difficult to find but can be found by heading west and uphill amongst another clearing.
Lovely area, lovely walk but drenched on the way back.
Visited 17/5/2012.
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Beware this isn't a very easy place to find.
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Sadly only scattered cairn material and one stone of this circle remains and even it is drill damaged. It is housed in a fenced section just north of the steading at Westpark. The other stones were taken away to help build the nearby Mill Of Tynet. Like the King's cairn there is excellent views south, the views north somewhat hidden by trees and the Meikle Hill.
The easiest way to get here is to go south on the B9016 and take the first minor road east thru the wee village of Clochan, shortly afterwards head south at the next minor road. This road comes to an end but head east on the track stopping at Westpark. Here I was met by the occupant who kindly allowed me park. The remains of the circle are behind the building, a short walk of 200 meters to the fenced section.
Visited 15/5/2012.
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Opposite the Buckie junction (A942) on the A98 take the minor road south to Drybridge and keep going until the road stops at the Redburn Farm track. Unfortunately, for me, I misread the map and headed up the wrong track and ended up having to go cross country to the correct track. However I was rescued by the farmer who told about me about Meikle Hill, local musicians and re-energised me with a cup of tea. I should have gone by Redburn track and then taken the first track south. This heads up over the Addie Hill into the trees. At the top the trees clear with the cairn being to the east of the track just before a forestry track about a 1/4 mile south
King Indulphus wouldn't be to impressed with what has happened since he was laid to rest. The cairn has been houked, ploughed and even worse drilled and blasted. It is somewhat nothing short of a miracle that anything remains but somehow despite everything it survives, just. To the east a sunken path contains cairn material which has fallen, to the west the forestry people haven't been to careful. It stands at 8 meters wide and almost reaches 0.5 meters in height. Two very large boulders remain, as well as cairn material, showing damage caused by drilling. The old king certainly had beautiful views to keep him company.
With that it was back over the hill and back to the car via the proper route, which was much easier and much, much shorter.
Visited 15/5/2012.
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Cairns and stones circles have often been recycled for places of execution, courts, towers, beacons, bases for crosses, roads, houses etc etc. This is the first one I've seen rebuilt into a windmill on the spot where it stood. Originally a stone circle probably surrounded the cairn, also in the same field, to the west, a barrow stood. Wonderful views to the Moray Firth and south to Durn Hill.
Situated to the north of the A98 between Portsoy and Cullen just east of the Sandend junction. Pull in at the Glasshaugh Distillery (tragically closed, or it looked closed as it was deserted). The unusual remains of the cairn are in the field to the west.
Visited 15/5/2012.
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Showing 1-50 of 3,785 posts. Most recent first | Next 50
Still doing the music, following that team, drinking far to much and getting lost in the hills! (Some Simple Minds, Glasvegas, Athlete, Us3 on the headphones, good boots and sticks, away I go!) As well whistling Lostboy tunes soon to be whistling another bhoys tunes. Soon!
(The Delerium Trees)
Protect your heritage!
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