In the field containing the RSC, about halfway between the fence and the circle is a stone poking out of the ground which certainly could be another outlier (part of an avenue?). The two standing outliers are directly behind me..
Another possible outlier stone lying at the edge of the trees near to the two ones still standing
What things this circle must have seen.
As seen on 8 Oct 2025 CE
10/11/2018 – Morning light on Ardlair stone circle. Lovely Tap o’ Noth behind.
05/05/2012 – On the way to Ardlair
05/05/2012 – Ardlair
05/05/2012 – Ardlair
05/05/2012 – cup mark at Ardlair
The eastern outlier, looking towards the western, with the circle on the hill immediately behind and Tap O’ Noth beyond.
The western outlier, with Pictish symbols.
The outliers, looking SE.
Zoom on the outliers from the circle. Bennachie provides the backdrop.
The recumbent and flankers.
Looking SE.
The remaining non-flanker upright.
Looking towards Tap o’ Noth.
The recumbent and flankers to the right, together with a single upright, are all that remains in place. The remaining stones are a jumble now.
Towards Tap o’ Noth.
Taken from Ardmore distillery.
Recumbent (2.6m long) and flankers (1.3m and 1.4m) from outside the circle.
Recumbent and flankers from inside the circle.
Spot the stones at right agles to the recumbent. One on the left possibly but, on the right, ...??
The “outliers” with the circle above the stone with Pictish symbols.
This circle is in a magnificent spot atop a small hill roughly equidistant between Mither Tap and Tap o’Noth. So no wonder the Picts marked an already ancient stone, they must’ve loved this place as a prominent point between two forts, especially ift hey used beacons. I figure an ancient track went past it, and it was probably quite the highway back in the day.
It’s a real shame that a bunch of heathens has tried so hard to blow up the recumbent, it looks a bit sad now, all angular at the ends and yet still unbroken in spirit. Ritchie was already commenting on this attempted idiocy in 1909, so it’s not recent damage. I would blame the ancient landowner but Welfare mentions shepherds who used the recumbent as the back of an almighty fireplace for boiling tar!? I really don’t know why you would do that at the top if a hill, but the stones still standing in the RSC do bear black marks :(
The fallen stones at the circle are a blend of field collection, a possible inner cairn and probably a few fallen orthostats. As my pix show, there’s a stone in the ground halfway between the circle and the outliers, plus another possible outlier at the edge of the trees. The pinky sunset was lush!
Leave Kennethmont, situated on the B9002, using the road opposite the primary school. Ardlair farm is about a mile from here. The farmer has signposted the route. Up the hill for some pretty decent views. The two outliers are supposed to have pictish markings, but I couldn’t make out anything. Still it’s worth a visit.
Visited September 08.
Couldn’t get worked up about this RSC.
It might have been the field clearance or the half-hearted flankers or the rather irritating fire-damaged and now speedboat-shaped recumbent. Nothing seemed to fit.
One interesting feature of the site should be the stones at right angles to the inside of the recumbent (unusual but best seen at East Aquhorthies) but the field clearance behind the recumbent makes it difficult to know what you are looking at.
One of the two low outliers to the SE has two Pictish symbols carved on it.
You’ll get all the usual views etc from here but, I’d suggest, not one to go for if you’re pushed for time.
Access. Easy parking near Ardlair Farm. Through one gate for the RSC and over a low fence for the outliers.
Visited 18 March 2005
The Jaggy recumbent macfriendly.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/stones/Pages/Image71.html
Anyway what a brilliant place – I am blown away. I am particularly drawn by the marker stones in the fields adjacent to the circles.
What fascinating shapes!
macfriendly.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/stones/Pages/Image80.html
Such superb views although the small coniferous copse spoils the panoramas it is still wondorous.
Pics of Ardlair stone circle & nearby standing stones.
This is the official web record of the Royal Commission of Archaeological and Historical Monuments for the Ardlair site. Descriptions of the site are presented including standing stone and Pictish stone elements. Further embedded links to original drawings and photos, some dating as early as 1906 are provided.
Really good pictures of circles on this site, including some of the more obscure RSCs. This particular page has a 360’ panorama of Ardlair.
