18/02/2012 – Parked car in car park (NO 69657988) next to Drumtochty Castle. Followed tracks south through wood to just east of Black Hill then path west to trigpoint on summit of Strathfinella Hill. Took ride south to col between top and the spur. So far so good. All went wrong after this. Last 300 meters to Smart’s Cairn took over an hour. The wind fell was terrible. Trees and branches everywhere. Cold and windy. Finally made it to cairn, which is hidden in the middle of quite dense wood. All felt a bit secretive. Best to use the rides from the south for this one. Cairn very overgrown but still nice. I don’t know who Smart was but the cairn is linked with the slaying of a huge serpent.
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Took cross country route up to Smart's Cairn. No foot paths from main track. Again trees and branches everywhere. Cairn is magnificent hidden inside the dense trees, just set back from an old tree "working" area. Very mysterious and rather spooky place...! And, I sensed the huge serpent was still there living on...
I really like the look of this one, and the location. Excellent stuff.
Well done you for finding it. I'm still not quite sure how I did that day, must have had my lucky hat on!
'magnificent hidden' - I like that.
I very much liked the little dark clearing where the cairn is. A place where other things dwell no doubt :-)
Just been having a look on the internet to see if there is more info on the name of this cairn and the serpent. Found this from Kincardineshire OS Name Books, 1863 - love how it ends.
"A considerable cairn, of stones about 14 feet, in diameter and about 3 feet, in height from the base; situated on the south side of Strathfinella Hill. The traditions, relative to this Cairn are so extravagant, and wild, that none of them can with propriety be given here."