Latest Fieldnotes

Faskally Cottages
Wednesday 8/8/01 5:55pm
This ring is set in a well-tended garden next to some wee cottages (“Greengates”). I just got out of the car and was peering over the fence at the stones when the owner of the cottages appeared- a Mr. Ian Townsend- who stays at the end of Pitlochry as it happens!)- he asked if I was interested in the stone circle- indeed I was :). Mr. Townsned was a really nice guy who says it’s fascinating to have such a circle in is garden, but admitted there wasn’t as many visitors to the stones as there used to be which I thought was a bit of a shame. He’s just come back from his cottage at the very end of the row with a cracking picture of the site which he took (and for me to keep) which shows the circle in spring time with snowdrops and crocuses in the middle of it. We chatted about other Perthshire sites including Croftmoraig, Lundin etc.- he told me he had met Dr. Margaret Stewart- the excavator of Lundin (amongst others) who had visited Faskally before she died. He also has a copy of the 1908 excavation report from the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquities bound in brown card for visitors to the site to read whilst having a look at the stones. The report has a great opening paragraph-
“In a narrow strip of ground between the Highland Railway on the east and the great main road to the north on the west, is a garden, shielded from observation by a tall hedge on the roadside, and in it there are yet standing in situ the seven stones of this Circle. Never surely, was the pre-historic past brought so closely into contact with the steam power and motor traffic of the twentieth century. In addition to these more or less disturbing conditions, we are told that, during the most recent government survey, the men of the theodolite arrived at the conclusion that this little circle is really the centre of Scotland”.
There are six upright stones, well I use the term upright in the loosest possible sense of the word as one of the stones can only be about 20 to 30 cm tall! But the largest stone has a beautiful sloped top from west to east and has split into three huge chunks. Two other large stones with three small make up this circle of six, 21 foot in diameter, with the large stone to the north four foot outside the circle according to the 1908 survey. Was the north stone always the prominent one in this circle? Okay- so maybe this site doesn’t have the quiet atmosphere of the nearby Clachan-an-Diridh, but it is a charming place and well worth a visit- I’m sure Mr. Townsend would be very happy to speak to other interested folk about the circle in his garden. From here it was a glorious early August evenings drive back to the Kavan across the moors with a soundtrack of Ganger.

PS- Chris- this is definately a real site! (well- according to the excavation report etc). I found it
in Burls “Stone Circles of the British Isles” as ‘Faskally Cottages’.

Directions
Travelling through Pitlochry to the North on the A924, look out for the “Greengates” sign for cottages to let on the right hand side of the road.

Meall Nan Clachan (AKA Na Carraigean Edintian)
Sunday 12/8/01 3:15pm
It’s taken a trip of almost 4 hours to get here- 1 hour travelling from the Kavan at Bridge of Cally and another 3 hours walk from the car park at Allean. Saying all that we’ve got Harrydog who has been tracking deer through the forest and Aedan in his heavily-laden off-road buggy, plus we also stopped off for lunch! We’d tried before to get to this stone circle a few years back, but we set off a bit too late on a Winters afternoon and it was starting to get dark whilst we were still on the Allean forest trail so decided to leave it for another day. This is one of the best preserved of the Perthshire four-posters and is in a fantastic setting- I expected the circle to be set in trees, but these have been felled since the last OS survey leaving a great moorland top. There’s views over to Schiehallion and Farragon to the south and Ben Vrackie to the east with Beinn a Ghlo just hidden by a line of trees. The stones are four fairly large granite blocks which run in a perfect N/S E/W alignment. The southernmost stone has a beautiful spiralling quartz pattern with rose quartz veins. Up here there’s only the sound of very distant dogs barking, flies buzzing past (on the way up here we saw some monster dragonfly- we’ve seen smaller birds than those), and the occasional squeal of delight from five month old Aedan who is looking at a map of the area with Kat. Another cracking site that’s well worth the journey.
NB-see the folklore section- I never noticed the hut circle (not on Pathfinder map) or the avenue lined with stones- however, this was probably written before trees were planted here and could have all been lost in the cultivation process.

Directions
Travelling through Pitlochry to the North stay on the B8019, past a caravan site on the left hand side, then turning next left over the Garry Bridge (still on the B8019) towards Queens View and Tummel Bridge. On past the Queens View visitors centre and just beyond is a sign for Allean Forest walks etc on the right. Turn in here and start walking! I used a combination of maps- Pathfinder 294, a rather good 1:10 000 orienteering map I had bought a few years before from the Queens View visitors centre and the guide to Tay Forest Park (mebbe a bit overboard, but I’m dead sad and love a good map to myself :)). The easiest way to get to the stones (though mebbe not the most direct route) was to follow the red way markers to a junction in the forest track at 862605 (basically the furthest northeast of the waymarked trail). From here we followed the forest track round Meall na h-lolaine (this was built after the OS survey and is only marked on the orienteering map) and had cracking views on the north side of this hill. A pretty indistinct path leaves the main track at 841619 approx NWW across the moor to the circle. Whew!

Wolfhill (AKA Blairmuir Wood) Standing Stones
Saturday 11/8/01
These standing stones are actually signed off the farm road past Loanhead as a Stone Circle. I happened to ask permission at Blackfaulds to visit Blackfaulds Stone Circle and the very helpful farmer pointed out many other sites of the Pathfinder to me- including this one. It’s a wild and dreich and windy day up here that adds to the atmosphere in this small strip of woods. There are two main stones, both large slabs one of which is quartz-veined. Immediately west there is a pile of small stones, but I suspect that these have been removed from the surrounding fields. The stones run in an approximate NW/SE alignment and are marked on the OS map as “Standing Stones”- but very nice “Stone Circle” sign nonetheless. There are many other examples of paired standing stones in Perthshire similar to these which makes me doubt this was ever a circle (plus the fact that these are pretty big blocks and would doubt someone to go to any effort to remove others from an uncultivated wood).

Directions
North of Perth on the A93 towards Blairgowrie. Just before the 30 mph signs for Guildtown there is an un-signposted road off to the right- drive up here and keep heading straight towards Blackfaulds farm on the metalled road. There is a new farm track before the farm buildings not marked on Pathfinder 337. Follow this up past Loanhead farm and the stones are in the woods on the left of the track in the strip of trees. Ask directions (and permission) at the Blackfaulds or Loanhead farms.

Saturday 11/8/01.
In a birch woods off the track to Blackfaulds Farm there is a squat circle of approximately 10 stones, but it’s difficult to tell due to the fact that all are covered in a thick blanket of moss. This also makes it impossible to see the questioned cupmarks mentioned by Burl. I, of course, have left the car without bothering to put on my hiking boots and gaiters and now, consequently, have soaked feet- ah well- worth it I s’pose. This is a very calming wood and a long forgotten site by the looks of things-it’s so overgrown but I can see that at least one of the large stones has split into 3 pieces. According to Burl, there are two sites here- Blackfaulds A and B, but I’ve had a scout in the surrounding woods and this has proved fruitless- however, both A and B are on the same co-ordinates. I climb into a tree to try and get a decent photo of the circle- the tree’s soaking so I’m sliding all over the place and it doeasn;t help that it’s windy so the tree is also swaying (as it turns out re-writing this afterwards the picture I took is all over the place!). Back at the car I find my pockets full of twigs...

Directions
North of Perth on the A93 towards Blairgowrie. Just before the 30 mph signs for Guildtown there is an unsignposted road off to the right- drive up here and keep heading straight towards Blackfaulds farm on the metalled farm road. The circle is in the woods on the right just opposite an entrance to a field- best to ask at the farm for permission- the man (Guy I think his name was) was very friendly, helpful and had a great knowledge of local stones.

Wednesday 15/8/01, 1:40pm.

Wow- another magickal site! I’ve just done a very orienteering style romp through Druids Seat woods to get here and am now pouring with sweat as it’s very humid in the trees. A 10 stone ring in a rather great and very atmospheric forest. The largest stone to the SW is amazing- the outer face on this approximately 1m high block is very smooth whilst the inner face has a great stone wave! Someone has also been drawing spirals on the bottom of it- I also see in the middle of the circle is a Blair Witch-type setting of stone, twigs, pine cones and feathers. This circle has a real amazing atmosphere and I lit up when I spied it through the trees. There are six trees in the middle of the stones and they almost feel part of the circle as they draw your gaze up to the open sky above. I’ve just noticed that the forest floor is covered in mushrooms. I feel very very strange here...

Directions
North of Perth on the A93 towards Blairgowrie. Just before the 30 mph signs for Guildtown there is an unsignposted road off to the right- opposite this is a farm road signposted to Loanfolds. Follow this into the woods and look out for a very indistinct path second on the left. The stones are almost at the end of this track- best to use the Pathfinder 337 map.

Wednesday 15/8/01, 1pm.
This is mebbe only the second or third time I’ve actually stopped in this circle, but have driven through it umpteen times on my way west from Blairgowrie. I always expect, when driving through this circle, to suddenly feel the car lifting of the ground as we travel supernautically through here! Another ring in a very curious location (see also Faskally). Six large stones make up this ring and according to Piggot in “Scotland Before History” thestones on the north side of the road have been moved (undoubtedly to make way fro the road). Was the B947 to Dunkeld always a trackway through this circle that has been built upon over the centuries? A dangerous circle to explore due to the traffic speeding to and from Blairgowrie, but an amazing setting nonetheless.

Also known as Callanish VIII, Gerald Ponting (Margaret Curtis’ first husband) names this site as Cleitir (Cletcher).

As you can see from the photos, this is a fantastic setting, and has such a ‘pull’ that I found it very hard to leave.

When you get to Lewis ensure that you get a copy of ‘The Stones around Callanish’ By Gerald & Margaret Ponting (Curtis). It’s got all the detail you need on the so-called minor sites. If you look across the strait from the site you should see a lone standing stone to the left of the road-this was moved during road construction and was re-erected my Margaret and Ron Curtis, as was one of the menhir at the main site. Ron has actually left his initials near its base!

An essential visit.

This has to be the most fabulous cairn in Orkney! Yes, it’s dwarved by the might and elegance of Maes Howe, but it beats them all on atmosphere for my money.
The tomb is set up a farm track, well signposted, about half a mile out of Finstown (if coming from Brogar). There’s a gentle slope to climb, and the monument sits pertly nestling inot the hillside. Historic Scotland provide a torch beside the entry, and the tomb wasn’t locked (day or night).
Creeping inside for the first time is a bit of an act of faith...esp if your torch is low on batteries! There is a low, narrow entrance of maybe 5.5 metres, which was wet and made one mess of my jeans. Inside the tomb is beautifully restored and entirely dark – no artificial roof with light panels here. The main chamber is a good height – maybe 61/2 -7 feet and there are 3 chambers opening off. Each of these is also of good height, allowing you to stand erect inside but the entry to each is narrow and not for those of a claustrophobic disposition. The chamber facing the entrance has a double chamber inside.
The construction of the tomb is beautifully done with small flagstones and if you switch your torch off inside you could easily be back the 5000 years to it’s building. The symbolic crawling back inside the mother was particularly strong in here – I could have stayed for hours! So good we visited it 3 times over our week on the island. A must!

Heading from the great mothership of Maes Howe towards Stromness, take a R (signed) shortly before the junction that leads to Stromness and park at the house. You reach this beautifully formed “mini-maes howe” down a fenced path – it appears to be open round the clock , as we visited late evening. The entrance chamber has been cut away, but inside are the stalls and the gravel covered floor. Much of the walls is incomplete, and there is not the fine stonework seen at “big sister” or at Cuween.

Take a R off the A90 onto farm track just after the Portlethen junction. Park at the abandoned farmstead and head over the fields to the stones, which are obvious on the gently sloping hillside. The first circle you come to is Auld Bourtreebush – a ruined but rugged circle. The stones are large and of reddish quartz – fascinating feelings of desolation and despair hit me walking around the stones. Heading on E the circle of Auchquhorthies is easily visible, and reached by walking along the field edges plus a bit of barbed wire crossing. The stones are again of a good size and surrounded by what appears to be a ring of smaller stones. Our visit to this site was cut short as the cows which were stubbornly surrounding the stones, and making no sign of being frightened by us, got a lot more assertive when their bull arrived – unfortunately the adjacent field through which we had to leave also contained a bull (whom we hadn’t noticed on our approach) and some nifty footwork was required! As we beat our escape the 2 bulls bellowed at each other – but whether in emnity or rejoicing at repelling the human invaders, I dunno...

This is an oddity! On the way out to Midmar, Sunhoney etc, take a L turn down to this site. The “restoration” is initially offputting, detracting from the sense of antiquity, but spending time soaking in the landscape around and contemplating the smooth, curvy stones themselves pays dividends. The boy, however, was not impressed (no recumbent!) and we headed off...

We scurried to this site in the face of an approaching storm. If you’re heading from Dunnideer then you park before the small road heading S and walk a hundred yards or so down that road. The stones are in a horse field on your L. The remaining stones (flankers & recumbent only) rear up at an angle like crazy teeth in a giant’s skull. The sheer size of the recumbent is truly astonishing – my boy who had been attracted to recumbents all thru this trip had to accept defeat when trying to climb up onto this one! To imagine the circle intact! sends shivers up my spine.

This is very near to Old Keig and makes a special ending to a day out. The circle is easy to locate – assuming you have an OS map that is- simply park on the forest track at the first “crossroads” and head north into the field, going along the wall west – then keep going straight ahead thru the trees til you come upon the circle. A wonderful place – the stones of an impressive size and a huge recumbent which is almost cylindrical in shape. The trees/bushes/other foliage all around add to the magical feel – you almost expect to see fauns and satyrs coming out of the trees. Birdsong, nature at her most tranquil...I sat near the kist for a while and played a bit of Pink Lady Lemonade by AMT – heaven!!

Heading north 6 miles out of Aboyne brings you to this site – turn L into a parking area beside the stones. There’s a quarry behind the stones which has encroached very near the circle itself – there was info about a restoration project at the site, so perhaps the balance will be addressed! Most of the uprights are toppled (and some disappeared into the quarry), leaving an impressive recumbent and her flankers, nicely bracketing Benachie in the distance. This is a difficult site to get a “feel” for with the desolation/destruction around, but it’s got a lot to offer if you take the time to absorb what’s around you...

Sunhoney – a most apt name as the place seems to drip with the essence of summer. We visited midmorning in July, taking the farm road (R) for Sunhoney Farm. Park at the further away farmhouse – friendly inhabitants suggested the best route to take. Head up the lane and along the side of the cornfield. The stones stand in the midst of a small copse of trees and are just delightful – a wide grin split my face when we first entered the ring. There are nine good sized standing stones plus the rather “recumbent” recumbent which has toppled forward, revealing cupmarkings on it’s rear face. So near to farmland you could be a thousand years away. Lovely!

Went up here for sunset last night (24/aug/2001). Absolutely breathtaking, not least because the awesome gradient of the hill.

The Ridgeway runs along the bottom of the hill, but the real action takes place further up, if you dare ascend (or park at the top). Densely thick woodland, paths twist and turn off in every direction, some leading to burial mounds, some to large bushes of stinging things. Forget getting a signal on your phone or gps, you’re on your own up here.

Just before sunset, I burst out into a clearing. This view stretches on for miles, bathed in a golden light. The sun sank, I sweated like a pig, flying ants swarmed and I was in the middle of thick woodland on an incredibly steep hill. The Gps reckoned the actual cross was about 300m away to the NE, but there was no way I was going to make that and back before sunset.

Tumbled down the hill down what looked like a path, but probably wasn’t --- found some strange things facing out towards the sunset that looked like burial mounds lodged into the hillside (but probably weren’t) – like the ones in Malta, back into even more woods, steeper hill,clinging onto the battered fence-cum-bannister, out onto more twisting turn paths ... a path dug into the earth like it was a trench ready for a cable ... this path has been walked for *thousands* of years

creepy creepy ... paths go up and down, dunno which way to go, the compass says go this way, but it’s all dense wood, can’t go that way, don’t want to go up again, my heart can’t stand it

hit a path that goes down, thank you, where am I ... GPS technology marvellous with a clear sky, no use in woods. Bloke with a dog, at least I’m still in 2001 ...

road ahead --- open air, check the gps to find where I am ... wallop, it’s the *exact* same way as I came in ... cars 2 minutes away

woah

never made the cross, knackered, smelly. Get yourself up there ... it’s all rather strange. I think you’ll like it ...

RG

Used to live near Merrivale and often return to visit this magical spot...
Has anyone else come across the large circular stone (a bit like a mill wheel) that sits atop three small stones? It looks for all the world like some kind of crazy altar... It is on amongst the main group of hut circles near the stone row. I have never been able to find anyone who can tell me what it might be.

Anyone any clue?

On the map, this site looks dead easy to find. Driving west from Mintlaw there’s a large parking site at a quarry which looks the obvious route. Cut over the hillside, through virtually impenetrable firtrees, gorse,etc and you find...you’re lost. Many scratches later go back to the car, drive on taking the next Left – you drive down almost to a farmstead. On your left is a small walled lane going towards a copse of trees. Park there, go up the lane and into the woods. A path marked by stones leads you to the other side of the trees whereupon you come across the wonderful , magical circle of Aikeybrae. There are 5 largish uprights and a giant, phallic looking recumbent. This place conjures an atmosphere of serenity and spellbinding – I’d love to visit late at night & see the site by moonlight.

My small tribe likes to drum and dance on a full moon and this is an ideal spot. A steep hill with a sort of enclosed plateau with amazing views over the northern plain of the isle. The night we last went up we saw a moon bow as the full moon was behind us and it was drizzling. a truly magical place.

I don’t know if this circle has a name. Margaret Curtis didn’t either – so maybe it doesn’t! Well worth a visit – take the B8011 heading from Callanish and drive towards the island of Bernera – linked now by a bridge. Park immediately after crossing the bridge and the circle is on your left, just up from the roadside.

The stones are impressive, 4 large standing and it appears that the southern edge of the circle has fallen into the sea due to coastal erosion. The stones are of the same gneiss that the Main Callanish complex is constructed of, but have assumed fantastic shapes with whorls and spirals suggesting an almost human form. In the centre is an odd arrangement of stones which forms a natural seat – rumoured to be a birthing chair. Indeed, if you sit in the “chair” with your feet up on the facing stone there would be no more natural position for birthing.

About 500 yards away to the other side of the road are a series of cupmarked rocks along the water’s edge. Continue along the road for another few miles and you come to a lovely little beach, where pictis houses were discovered in the late 1970’s

Go and see this circle – but do it on a dry day!
The site is reached by taking the B8011 about 1 mile before Callanish village (from Stornoway) It is easily visible on the righthand side of the road, on a rigde. There’s room for roadside parking – access is over a swampy verge and barbed-wire fence, then up the hillside.
There are 5 large stones in a sunken circle of very marshy peat – I guess caused by animals using the stones to scratch on. The stones are half covered with lichen, giving a bearded appearance which is most unusual. There’s a rugged, untamed feel about this place – remote and hardcore. As with the other Callanish sites, the orientation is towards Sleeping Beauty and there are lunar alignments.

This has to be the most blatantly sexual circle! Essentially a ring of stones, some missing, some fallen, surround an enormous phallus addressing the triple goddess with Sleeping Beauty providing the backdrop. As with the other Callanish circles (and there are 21 others discovered at present) the positioning towards Sleeping Beauty is paramount, and like the main Callanish site, this one has lunar alignment.
However it’s the sexuality of these stones that impresses. The phallus is replete with glans and whorls of quartz stream from the “eye” in a representation of semen. The Goddess is represented as maiden by the smooth white stone on the left, as mother by the reddish central stone, which has unmistakable breasts and as wise woman by the right stone, tall and more impenetrable.
Staying in the Smiths’ house, which is all of 300 yards away from this site, is the perfect location to visit at all hours of the day or night...
Location is dead easy, right beside the main road (on the left) as you come into Callanish village (before the cattle grid!)

Wouldn’t this place be a great place to do your rock’n’roll! What a space! ! Go to other white horses near by Devizes way and compare the geological similarities. Like a big bowl of vibrational energies. As for the hill fort – what were they guarding? Treasure? Food? hmm -perhaps they weren’t really guarding anything after all. And the chalk mound where St George slew the dragon. hmm internal dragons? Looks a little like Silbury doesn’t it.

Fang Circle is unique amongst the Callanish sites (ie those that take their basis from “sleeping beauty”) in that it is sites at her “feet”, looking up towards her belly. The name appears to be a corruption of [sheep] fank and indeed, a fank is what the circle has been converted into.

To reach the site, take the main road from Stornoway to Harris, pass through the strung out village of Baile Ailein and take a left turn down a narrow track. Continue for approx 5 miles until arriving at a farmstead on the right – you can park at the farm. The circle is then about half a mile along the loch shore, partly built into the walls of a disused sheep fank. At least 5 stones are identifiable, 2 standing free of the surrounding stonework.

The setting is one of the most peaceful in Lewis – we were fortunate to visit on a calm, bright morning. The waters of the nearby loch were still as glass and reflected Sleeping Beauty as she rose above. This is indeed a place for worship, reeking as it does of ancient atmosphere.

aaaah! the nine ladies of stanton moor – so peaceful so subdued so wonderful, its quite a long walk from the road from some directions but once there take your time and chill!!!!!!

my companion for the trip was my mother who had only ever seen Stonehenge in terms of a site.

whilst walking there she was complaining but on the return she had returned!

another magical moment