Aikey Brae

Also known as:
Parkhouse Circle
Nearest town:
Ellon (17km S)
OS reference:
NJ959471
OS sheet:
30
Latitude:
57° 30' 50.87 N
Longitude:
2° 4' 6.4 W

Images

Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by costaexpress

Not going to mention the weather again just to say I was so pleased this site is bordered by close set woodland, very pleasant place to sit and watch from waiting for a break in the rain

costaexpress
costaexpress Apr 3, 2018
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by costaexpress

What a fabulous site this is. I didn’t get this far North on my last visit so was really pleased to eventually spend some time here.

costaexpress
costaexpress Apr 3, 2018
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Rubbish weather, but this dishevelled recumbent ‘circle just felt ‘right’, you know?

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Dec 17, 2010
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by Chris

You really can’t help but see cocks everywhere you go with these sites....

Image credit: Chris Lodge
Chris
Chris Jun 28, 2009
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by Chris

The entire circle, after emerging from the trees....

Image credit: Chris Lodge
Chris
Chris Jun 28, 2009
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by pictijim

Parkhouse RSC and Ring Cairn: Reconstruction Illustration – view from North toward Wind Hill Cairn

Image credit: Jimmy Summers
P
pictijim Jan 23, 2007
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by Chris

The embankment stones are pink granite, the circle stones grey.

Chris
Chris Oct 1, 2006
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by Chris

More chock stones under the recumbent, seen from outwith the circle.

Chris
Chris Oct 1, 2006
Image of Aikey Brae (Stone Circle) by greywether

Looking SW with the three surviving upright stones, the recumbent and the east flanker.

greywether
greywether Mar 21, 2005

Articles

Aikey Brae

Outrage after north-east stone circle damaged by fire

LesHamilton
LesHamilton Jul 25, 2022

Visitors to Aikey Brae Stone Circle, near Old Deer, discovered the remains of a fire on the grounds this week.

Pictures from the area show burned logs and a large fire mark in the centre of the circle.

P&J Link Report.

Aikey Brae

postman
postman Jun 24, 2022

Loudon Wood stone circle was my initial destination for our party of five, but we failed to get anywhere near it (another one for next time) and with only so much time I took us to Aikey Brae instead.
Aikey Brae was much easier to find, there is room for two cars which is good cause Eric has a car now too. We walked up the track, turned right at the appointed place and blamo, stone circle.
Our party of five consisted of my two lifelong erstwhile stoning partners Eric and Philli and their two partners Laurence and Megan and me. We got in among the stones and sat down for a while. I’d already explained about RSC’s the other day so no lessons in stone circle typology needed. After the strange orange spot spider got googled, I needed to take some photos, round and round I went, all the trees have now been cut down opening the splendid view up 360 degrees. I tried to get up onto the tallest tree stump but fell off backwards, there was blood and pain and a little bit of embarrassment. Eric climbed up for me and snapped the pic, another one was taken by Philli sat upon Laurence’s shoulders.
Aikey Brae is a superb site, not even slightly overgrown, good long views, and easy to get to.

Aikey Brae

thelonious
thelonious Jan 16, 2012

15/01/2012 – Last RSC of a great day out. Parking is a bit tricky for this one. Space for a car at start of track to circle (NJ 9561 4704). We headed NE up the track to information board then SE through wood to circle. Aikey Brae is a must see. The size of the stones and setting get me every time. I love the way you emerge from the dark of wood onto the circle. Great view from here as well.

Aikey Brae

Nucleus
Nucleus Jun 28, 2011

Aikey Brae ranks among the TOP5 RSC in Aberdeenshire for me. A splendid location, a huge recumbent, large stones (some fallen) and great views across the countryside. Even the track through a dense woods that leads to the circle is brilliant and mysterious.

Highly recommended!

In addition to a23’s directions, there is now a offical sign at the start of the field track to the circle, as Aikey Brae is part of the “The Stone Circle” trail.

Visited June 2011

Aikey Brae

Chris
Chris Oct 1, 2006

Fantastic RSC-is there any other kind? Although its pretty obvious that all megaliths are heavy, the first thing I thought on stepping out of the trees is ‘Wow, this is big.’ A real feeling of scale is given by this site, assisted by the fact that the remaining standing stones are all over 6 feet.

A real use of colour was again made here: the embanking stones being a mixture of pink & grey granite, the circle stones all grey. The recumbent, huge and pitted was obviously set in place ‘just so’. It would have lain much easier rotated around 180 degrees, but the use of chocking stones to achieve a particular relationship with the horizon is very obvious.

a23’s directions are spot on, and we should be thankful he suffered, so we don’t have to ;-) I will just add that ACC have installed some ‘Stone Circle’ road signs to assist you as you get nearer.

Aikey Brae

Jane
Jane Jul 30, 2006

As we parked it started to rain a few drops. But I was looking forward to this. The approach to it is marvellous, too. The overgrown track takes you up a hill, through a deep dark pine wood which softened the rain to mist and muffled our footfalls on the carpet of needles, then throws you out in the circle!

Wow! Wow! Damn the rain for coming now, for I would have liked to paint here, but at least I’ve seen it. The best bit is that thrillingly, the recumbent is a giant penis!

The rain was falling steadily. Dampened spirits? Not a chance. Cock on!

Aikey Brae

greywether
greywether Mar 21, 2005

An excellent recumbent stone circle. The west flanker has fallen but it remains an evocative site with its massive recumbent and largely open outlook.

What a difference from when I was last here in 1987 when the circle was completely surrounded by trees (see posted image).

Access. a23’s directions are spot on. The parking place is at NJ 9561 4706.

Visited 19th March 2005

Aikey Brae

a23
a23 Aug 24, 2001

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.

Folklore

Aikey Brae
Stone Circle
Rhiannon
Rhiannon May 12, 2005

There are other curious traditionary notices of the Rhymer in Aberdeenshire; one thus introduced in a View of the Diocese of Aberdeen, written about 1732.

’ On Aiky brae here [in Old Deer parish] are certain stones called the Cummin’s Craig, where ‘tis said one of the Cummins, Earls of Buchan, by a fall from his horse at hunting, dashed out his brains. The prediction goes that this earl (who lived under Alexander III.) had called Thomas the Rhymer by the name of Thomas the Lyar, to show how much he slighted his predictions, whereupon that famous fortune-teller denounced his impending fate in these word, which, ‘tis added, were all literally fulfilled:-

Tho’ Thomas the Lyar thou call’st me,
A sooth tale I shall tell to thee:
By Aikyside
Thy horse shall ride,
He shall stumble, and thou shalt fa’,
Thy neck bane shall break in twa,
And dogs shall thy banes gnaw,
And, maugre all thy kin and thee,
Thy own belt thy bier shall be.‘

So maybe not exactly the Aiky Brae stones. Though it seems to good a landmark to miss if you’re going to dash your brains out. From p21 of ‘Select Writings of Robert Chambers: popular rhymes of Scotland’ 3rd edition, 1847. Online at Google Books.

Topics

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