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After an interesting presentation of the Inveravon Pictish Stones – the church is heading into community ownership apparently and the mound above the stones has never been excavated – we thought a quick visit to Lagmore East would work out before it rained, and it did.

The gate to the field can be opened and we respectfully saluted the sheepies. On looking at HER, it’s claimed this is a clava cairn, I’m not sure about that there’s not really enough left to see. There’s also supposed to be another fallen stone with cupmarks which was not visible under the turf.

We discussed how it’s kind of odd that one of the remaining stones looks rectangular and pretty easy to repurpose as a lintel, but it wasn’t looted. Our last theory: this was an unfinished circle and never had a full complement of stones.

20/2 & 17/3/06 This site is at the top of Tankerness beyond the Hall of Yinstay. Entry to the field is through a gate arrangement. In 1906 J.W.Cursiter excavated an earthhouse here that unusually produced burnt wood, as well as the usual shellfish, sherds and animal bones. He observed that the modern cairn had been built from non-local stone as well as broch-like blocks. A standing stone had been removed in living memory. From the contents of a next-door field (black earth, burn stones, animal remains, liberal pottery fragments) he deduced the former presence of a settlement here.
On Friday I took a closer look at Yinstay and can confirm most of what J.W.Cursiter said about the area. The first time I went I saw stones in a recently ploughed field almost diagonally opposite that of the souterrain site.but only paid a cursory glance as I did not know at the time that this was the field referred by him as adjacent. The farmer is ploughing a third of this field at a time. Its southern boundary running roughly E-W not many yards N from the cairn. Today the middle section was being ploughed and is very dark earth. However this does not appear to have any extraneous material. Upon closer viewing of the now dry ploughsoil (HY50881034 to 51021031) from the southern section boundary I could make out some burnt stone and small nuggets of what appears to be pot. The modern cairn also appears to contain at least a couple of burnt stones as part of the infill. This is 2.0m across and 2.0m at its greatest height in an arc facing the road, but only survives to any height for less than a third of the circumference, rapidly tailing off. There isn’t much of the red sandstone remaining but the outer wall is certainly mostly built up with broch-style blocks, some obviously carved (especially one with a well chamfered corner), though that this came from its field rather than another in the area is to my mind doubtful. I looked for signs of the souterrain by a field corner but what looked like a prospect (HY50841032) for where the discoverer broke through is at the fence a few yards to the north of the cairn, where by a tall toppled stone there is a slight depression of a few feet in length. Coming down to the road I noticed a water-filled depression (HY509103) that looked like something, but there isn’t anything I can point out and it is some distance away.

Visited 28.04.10

Directions to Dun Edinbane Broch: Take the Upper Edinbane turn off the A850. Follow the narrow road S through Upper Edinbane for c. 0.9 miles. It is possible to park up in a large lay-by at NG 3510 5063 at the end of the public road in Upper Edinbane. Walk N back along the narrow road for c. 100 yards to a green shed on the right. Enter the field on the right then head N to the field margin. Follow the field margin NE for c. 300 yards then head NW for c. 50 yards to a green mound containing the ruined Dun Edinbane Broch. My walking route is viewable on Dun Edinbane Broch.

Myself and my partner visited this site seeing the signs off the road on our way back home from visiting Chûn castle and Quoit. Parking up where the pathway begins, the site is managed by CASPN denoted by the sign. Continuing along the footpath, twice to the left are access ways to the holy well/ bog like area where fabric offerings adorn the trees. I attempted to go further up stream but it becomes quite unaccessible without the correct footwear especially as this was in October. There doesn’t appear to be more to the site besides these decorated areas and the Chapel ruins which are reached further up the path, this ruin is quite beautiful adjacent to a rather large tree, inside the chapel now long missing it’s roof is an altar. Quite a beautiful and hidden location. Worth visiting especially I imagine in summer and a walk continuing beyond the site.

Visiting this site October 2025, the site is quite overgrown and maps within the book ‘journey to the stones’, and via Google maps were quite unhelpful in navigating the walls and fencing of local farmers. Though much of this fencing is in disrepair, and the farmers structures and equipment in the area appears abandoned with minor farming activity in the area. When we visited there were other explorers there, so myself and my partner weren’t the only ones to venture off the path to find this site.

Worth a visit despite the challenge as the area is littered with stone ruins of interest, the higher field give away very little with a few sparse round houses whilst the field below is full, with entrance ways clearly visible and quite intact walls and structure outlines reminiscent of Carn Euny settlement minus the Fogou.

This site is a short distance from Chûn Quoit and Chûn castle so all could be tackled in an afternoon, parking up by Men-an-Tol Studio. Follow the signs to Chûn castle at a crossroads to make your way to the castle and farm that these sites reside by.

I was exploring the most excellent Cruickshank Botanic Gardens when I saw the mound and knew I had to investigate. What a great location next to the Don, it seems notable that St. Machar’s Cathedral was plonked close to it. The HER link tells about the recent excavations.