Latest Fieldnotes

A lot like Maes Howe but smaller, this tomb has the same distinct build of staggered walls. By this I mean that the stones that make up the walls are placed in such a way that makes the tomb taper towards the ceiling. Like a pyramid. Maes Howe uses the same design, so maybe the two are linked in someway?

A torch is left outside for visitors to use. You have to crawl through a 2-3m passage to get in, on hands and knees. This tomb seems to have it’s original ceiling of stone and has 4 cells.

Careful when standing on the top of the tomb. Best not to really!!

Excellent view from the opening of the tomb, as it is positioned on Cuween Hill overlooking the Holm of Grimbister next to Finstown. See photo.

Getting there:

Can be reached by car, and then a short walk up the hill to the tomb. Heading towards Kirkwall on the A956 look for the turning towards Grimbister just after Finstown, then watch for the sign.

This interesting stone stands in the middle of a field approximately 3 kilometres east of Alyth. Take the B952 east from Alyth, to the fork onto the small road marked Airlie. Past Shanzie Farm on your right, less than half a kilometre on the left is the turning in to Bruceton Farm up on the hillside (well posted – Bed and Breakfast sign). Park on the verge, and walk back to the berry field on the other side of the road – an open gateway here takes you into the field. Walk east then follow the stone dyke south towards the River Isla. You will see the stone on your left in the field beyond the dyke, if the field is not in crop. You will have to climb over the dyke to gain access, and permission should be sought at the farm before doing this. It is well worth it, as this Class 1 stone, though eroded somewhat, still bears a distinct horseshoe mark without decorations, plus a Pictish beast (sometimes called an ‘elephant’) below. This carving is quite worn and less distinct. The stone lies on an ESE axis almost exactly equidistant between the Shanzie and Philpie stones.
According to Jervise (1857) a number of stone coffins were dug up around 1840 some 20 metres north-east of the stone.

In the Perthshire village of Dunning, where the Dupplin Cross is housed in the local kirk, this stone stands just down the lane from the church a short distance into a field. There was a very limited area round about it, and several signs of damage in the form of scrapes and traces of orange paint show that the farmer here does not care for this megalith the way we would hope for. No distinguishable features apart from the damage.

Visited 24th October 2002: We originally set out to find two sites, but the first eluded us completely. When we got to Cei Bach I was expecting Llwyn-on-Fach to be something small and obscure, which is probably why we drove straight past it at first.

Second time around I walked along the road and spotted the stone on the edge of a grass covered car park (bloody obvious it was!). By local standards it’s quite large, so I was pleasantly surprised. On the eastern side of the stone are two lumps of metal, circular in cross-section, embedded in the stone. There is another on the western side of the stone.

I’m guessing that the stone may have been part of a boundary at some stage, and these pieces of metal indicate where the fence met the stone. I’m not sure whether this idea tallies with the stone’s existing position though, or the irregular heights at which the metal is embedded in the stone.

Llwyn-on-Fach is thought to be a Bronze Age standing stone, but reading between the lines, it looks like not everyone is convinced of its antiquity. The stone isn’t marked on the OS, and it isn’t listed on the RCAHMW database.

This was going to be Alfie’s first antiquarian expedition, but as he was asleep when we arrived so we decided to leave him in the car.

Standing next to a trig point on the prominent hill of Aleck Low this barrow is very disturbed. Several limestone kerbstones are visible around the outer edge of the mound.

The views over to Hawks Low and Minninglow are worth the short walk. Room to pull off the A515, just south of Newhaven, by the track/path that leads up the hill.

This spectacularly dull stone is included only out of completeness. It stands outside the parish kirk of the little fishing town of Crail, which in itself is worth a visit, but I wouldn’t do it just for this stone. Don’t miss visiting Crail just because of the negative review of this particular lump of rock, however. It’s worth a look, and the fish is always fresh.

This large stone stands within the grounds of the Swallow Hotel (formerly the Graystane Hotel) just off the main Dundee-Perth dual carriageway, the A85. A small road to Denhead of Gray leads off the roundabout, and there is ample car parking at the hotel. Ask for permission to view the stone, which is readily granted. It lies behind the Conference Centre to the right of the main hotel. Adjacent to a section of railing, there are no cup marks or similar, though there is evidence of carved initials on the north facing – probably 200-300 years old.

A bit better known than the nearby Netherton, I believe this RSC has been excavated by the estimable Mr Burl.

On a raised platform and ringed by trees. From memory, I think it has been restored.

It’s well worth a visit, though I was unable to enter the field on my visits (seperated by only a couple of days). Bullocks. A lot of bullocks.

AND I had my dog with me! Nuff said.

These stones stand beside a farm building, acting like gateposts for a field entrance. No significant markings on either of them. The farm road to Dunmay branches east from the A93 a couple of miles south of Spittal of Glenshee, crossing a small bridge. Cars with dodgy suspensions should avoid this road like the plague, as it’s suitable for tractors or 4X4’s only! The road bends to the right about 200m in, and park here at the wide space to ensure farm vehicles are not impeded. The stones are up on a low mound, above what appears to have been an old kiln. The farmer has no problem with people viewing them.

Leave the A9 at Bankfoot, and turn east into the Tullybelton road. Follow this past the turning to Pitsundry farm, and you will see the stone up on the rise to your left. There is an area to park beside the gate into the field. Walk up the side of the field by the fence to reach the stone. One eroded cup mark is evident on the lower left area of the stone on its eastern face.

This stone stands on GlenIsla Golf Course, on the 3rd hole, which is called Standing Stone. It lies just outside the town of Alyth, where 2 golf courses lie next to one another – the Alyth course, which is the more southerly of the two, and the GlenIsla Course. You may park at the course in the public car park, and ask permission to view the stone at the Club House. This was readily granted when I visited, and it is easy enough to follow the first two holes keeping in the rough. The stone itself is fairly unspectacular, no cup or ring marks visible, and the south face has been vandalised at some point in the past by having white paint applied, though this is slowly weathering away.

Been meaning to post about this one for ages...

Tucked away in (and probably protected by) a small copse by a modern barn at Netherton farm. A beautiful little RSC!!

The farm & copse are visible from the A90 from Peterhead to Fraserburgh, just north of Crimond.

Ask at the farm – when I did they were more surprised that someone was interested than anything....

Leave Perth on the A94 towards Scone, and take a right turn towards Murrayshall. Follow this road out into the country heading north east until you pass the golf course on your right – look to your left and you will see the stone in the centre of the field.

Spot on Chris, it is an unsung beauty. Reckon it must have been an RSC though – must look it up!

Thanks too – I visited it a couple of years ago but I’d forgotten its name & exact location when trying sort out my ‘stones’ photos into albums. (Knew roughly where it is but otherwise....)

Might have a chance to revisit soon.

I was once taken up here years ago. There wasn’t much to see, a low rubble bank and stones that may or may not have had something to do with the circle, and it was very overgrown.
Never found it since......

Definitely seems to be officially known as Clune Hill (thanks Zeppo!). Planning to revisit this one around xmas, I came across this: web.ukonline.co.uk/megalithics/scotland/clune/clunmain.htm

Found another alleged name for it – ‘The Raes of Clune’ on several sites that give no particularly useful info or pics.

My parents grew up around this area and as a very small child I remember being brought from my home city of Bath (not so very far away) to play at the tump one very frosty morning. Now 15 and taking my gcses, I was looking out of the car window as we drove to visit my grandparents (also local to the area) when I was suddenly reminded of this beautiful site. I asked if we could visit.

A 20 minute trip later and I was raving about the place – absolutly inspired for my pending art exam piece “architecture.” The next day found me sitting, protected from the howling storm outside, with candle and camera in hand and with only a large black spider and the slightly uncomfortable feeling of something else’s presense for company.

For me this place brought about a huge conflict of emotions. An overbearing feeling of warmth and womb-like protection coupled with the nagging reminder that I was sitting in a mass grave... The entrance is narrow, low-down and invisible once corners have been turned. Did anybody else feel that unease?

I’ll be back as soon as possible.

Tove
x x x

Balhomais lies on the B846 about 1km before the Dull turning, beside the farm road of the same name. There is a tumulus or cairn here, by the north side of the road, and the remains of what may have been a circle. Only the northern and western sides remain, along with a jumble of other stones by the cairn, one of which must have been pretty impressive when upright. Fallen, it is easily 2m in length. The stone in the most SW position has had an area chiselled out in the past, roughly the shape of a crescent.

Canmore suggests a diameter of 66’ feet for the circle, but also states that things have changed over the years – the barrow has been partially quarried away on the east side, and 5 stones were noted originally, one of which became incorporated into the wall by the roadside.

We left Long Meg and set off to find Little Meg. Unlike others, we could see the stones from the gateway – the field was just sprouting its crop and the pathway was flat and open. We walked around it (doesn’t take long!) and wondered about the “hows and the whys” before sitting and embracing the warmth and the sun which had reappeared. It felt about 10 degrees warmer than Long Meg had just 10 minutes earlier. It took me ages to even find traces of any of the spirals on the stones but they still felt and looked wonderful

As we started back, we noticed our car (parked on the other side of the fence) had been surrounded by HUGE black and white fresians, who were sniffing and licking it. We watched and laughed as they stared over the fence at us, rubbing themselves against my little car, before being herded down the road for milking. When we reached the car, it was covered in cow spit and it kind of felt like the perfect ending to the most incredible day!

Finally made it to Long Meg last weekend after several aborted attempts over the last 2 years. I am so pleased we waited until now though as everything seemed just right.

As we approached we both started to feel a tingle of excitment, wondering whether the site would live up to our expectations and then suddenly, we were almost in the middle of it! The vastness and the sudden realisation that you are about to drive straight through the middle of it is amazing! Unusally, we were the only 2 people there and we just went quiet at the beauty and size of it. Then we started jumping up and down with excitement and had to calm oursleves before exploring further. The trees are magnificent, the surrounding views with the clouds heavy with rain yet sat in a blue sky, incredible. We walked around the cirlce and it seemed to get bigger and bigger. The smiles on our faces were doing the same!

We sat there, in the cold wind and just talked about finally being there, watching the rain filled clouds moving closer and then the most beautiful rainbow appeared – magical! the rain never actually arrived, but moved away and we really felt like we had witnessed nature putting on a private show for us in the most beautiful “theatre” imaginable.

Turn off the A90 at Longforgan and take the road towards Knapp. Turn right onto the small road about a kilometre up the Knapp road, and park about 200 metres east on this road. The Falcon Stone lies out in the field to your south.

Close by the village of Airlie, off the A926 from Alyth, a small road runs north. About 300m up, a gate blocks access to an old quarry. Enter here and walk heading due east, over fairly stony ground and a couple of old fences, until an old stone hut is encountered. Just past this you will see a telegraph pole, and the stones are located either side of this. There are many other smaller stones around, as there is an abandoned quarry just north of them. These stones are unremarkable, with no visible cup or ring marks. Interestingly, however, they lie on an ESE axis, at the eastern end of an almost perfect line between the Shanzie stone with the Bruceton stone almost exactly in between. The hillside where the Shanzie stone is located is clearly visible, but Bruceton is in a hollow and is hidden.

Revisited 9/2/03, two more images added.

Take the turning into Glencarse from the A90 between Perth and Dundee. Head NNW just after the hotel, and follow signs for Gouktoun. Take a right, then right again for Balthayock, and follow this road for about two miles. The stones lie within the farm lands of Commonbank Farm, lying to the west of the road. They are accessible via the farm road and through the fields, but permission should be sought from the farmer as stock are in the fields. I found the people on the farm to be very helpful. There is supposed to be a stone circle here at NO177247, but I could find no trace of it, and the farmer did not know of its existence, so it is presumably lost.

From Forfar head east on the A932 Friockeim road. Turn north onto the un-numbered Aberlemno road by Balgavies Loch, until a small crossroads is reached. Just north of this junction you will see the stone in a field on your left (west side of the road.) This at first appears an unassuming stone, standing about 1.2m high. Flat-faced, with the faces approximately due south-west/north-east. However, it repays closer examination. Along with 5 cup marks along the top ridge, on the SW face is (allegedly) a very faint outline of a man. I had a good look, and could make out some faint lines, but the stone is very eroded.

Blackgate cottage lies on the B9134 east from Forfar. Turn onto the track and Blackgate cottage is third on the left. Ask permission from the owners of the cottage, as the stones are within their yard.