Balnabroich

Also known as:
Stylemouth
Nearest town:
Rattray (14km ESE)
OS reference:
NO102569
OS sheet:
53
Latitude:
56° 41' 42.58 N
Longitude:
3° 27' 59.33 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Balnabroich (Stone Circle) by nickbrand

A little further down the field, there are the remains of many cairns. This is one of them, which I felt had been a kerbed cairn.

nickbrand
nickbrand Feb 1, 2005
Image of Balnabroich (Stone Circle) by nickbrand

As you can see, the cairn is pretty disrupted. I suspect half the dykes in this area have been built from stones robbed out of here.

nickbrand
nickbrand Feb 1, 2005
Image of Balnabroich (Stone Circle) by nickbrand

This view of the eastern hut circle illustrates reasonably well why it might be mistaken for a stone circle.

nickbrand
nickbrand Feb 1, 2005
Image of Balnabroich (Stone Circle) by nickbrand

Looking across the western hut circle, with the Grey Cairn in the background

nickbrand
nickbrand Feb 1, 2005

Articles

Balnabroich

nickbrand
nickbrand Feb 1, 2005

Taking the Big Red Beast (TM) out for her final field trip before trading her in for a newer model, I wound up back here in an attempt to track down the alleged circle. A beautiful cold but very bright day, not a cloud in the sky. And this place is most definitely worth a good look. I didn’t find a circle, but I found damn near everything else...

There’s the remains of a large cairn at the top of the site. Immediately below it are two perfect hut circles, which could easily be mistaken for stone circles by someone who didn’t know what they were. They’re certainly two of the best I’ve seen. And the field leading to these is absolutely covered with the remains of small cairns, one of which (though fairly disrupted) had the familiar look and feel of a kerbed cairn. What a place! I spent nearly two happy hours here pottering about, and I suspect I’ll be back. This place is just begging for another look!

There’s a rough track up to Stylemouth farm, where you can park easily enough off the track. Then it’s about a ten minute walk up through a few gates, muddy in places. Unfortunately there wasn’t anyone home when I called as I’d like to have had a word with the farmer about this place. Maybe next time.

Sites within 20km of Balnabroich

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