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Kilry

You can find parking at Kilry school during holidays. Walk across the Burn of Kilry past the Standing Stone cottage and a wee path leads to the stone.

Set amongst the trees this is a beautiful place with the Knock Of Formal providing a wonderful backdrop. Add a touch of snow and frost and the atmosphere totally changes.

A good place to spend a bit of time being quiet to soak in the surroundings.

Visited 27/12/2014.

Kilry

From Alyth take the B954 north until the road forks, signposted for Dykehead and Kilry. Follow this un-numbered road until you see Kilry School, a small building. There is a little cottage opposite, appropriately named “Standing Stone”. There’s not much in the way of parking here, and the road is very narrow. The stone is to the north side of the cottage down a private track – please ask before entering. It sits in a peaceful glade in the trees, and on the map, appears to be perfectly aligned with the Pitmudie Stone Row and the Auldallan Stones. You can’t see any one from the others, but try it on the map with a ruler.... Spooky! I’ll leave discussion of this coincidence to the believers in ley lines, etcetera.

Folklore

Kilry
Standing Stone / Menhir

In a small field near the confluence of the Burn of Kilry with the River Isla is a huge monolith known as the Standing Stone. It is about seven feet above the ground and ten feet in circumference at its base, tapering slightly to the top. While making agricultural improvements many years ago an attempt was made to remove it, but it was found to be so deeply embedded in the ground that the effort had to be abandoned.

That this monolith was raised to commemorate some great event, or fulfil some important purpose, there can be little doubt, but why it was raised or what people raised it are unknown. In all probability it was set up by the Druids, the high priest of whom performed his sacred rites and dispensed justice at the pillar. It is also said to mark the site of a battle between local rival families, when many of the combatants were drowned in the swollen river. Any such tale is unworthy of credence. Almost without doubt the stone stood where it is long before these families were ever heard of.

In the ‘Kirriemuir Free Press’ of 16th June 1955.

Sites within 20km of Kilry