Cheese Well

Also known as:
Minch Moor
Nearest town:
Innerleithen (4km WNW)
OS reference:
NT357335
OS sheet:
73
Latitude:
55° 35' 26.71 N
Longitude:
3° 1' 13.24 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Cheese Well (Sacred Well) by Martin

7/12/03- the grave shaped stone which simply says ‘Cheese Well‘

Martin
Martin Dec 9, 2003
Image of Cheese Well (Sacred Well) by Martin

7/12/03- the diamond shaped stone with the Thistle motif, ‘Cheese Well’ and ‘1965’ inscribed on it.

Martin
Martin Dec 9, 2003
Image of Cheese Well (Sacred Well) by Martin

7/12/03- the main gurgling spring (which had lots of cheese in it!)

Martin
Martin Dec 9, 2003
Image of Cheese Well (Sacred Well) by Martin

7/12/03- overview of the well and stones from the Southern Upland Way

Martin
Martin Dec 9, 2003

Articles

Cheese Well

thelonious
thelonious Mar 11, 2012

11/03/2012 – I’d been looking forward to visiting this well for a long time. No antiquity but anything connected to fairies is good with me. Parked at Traquair village hall (NT 3308 3458) and climbed Minch Moor via the Southern Upland Way. The well is very near the top. Many coin offerings there. Lovely view. It didn’t disappoint.

Cheese Well

Martin
Martin Dec 7, 2003

Sunday 7/12/03
Just over one hour of climbing up the Red Bull XC you reach the summit of Minch Moor at 567 metres. The beautiful climb up on singletrack gives way to an eye watering swooping bermy descent down to the Southern Upland Way, where, just over the other side of the Minch, the Cheese Well gurgles away. The sun has yet to reach this part of the hill and it’s still frosty and very nippy. This is a fairly lonely and isolated spot, but the stunning scenery all around and the atmosphere here gives this place a, well, just one of those feelings- it’s very hard to describe. There are two natural springs here- the flowing and gurgling one and a small pool which trickles. A small path from the SUW leads to the springs and two stones- one shaped like an old grave stone which is inscribed with “Cheese Well”. The other is kite shaped with a fab thistle carved into it with “Cheese Well"and “1965”. The sound of the water is mesmerising. I have no cheese for the wee folk, so I leave them a fizzy cola bottle instead hoping for a safe passage across their moor!

Folklore

Cheese Well
Sacred Well
Hair Bear
Hair Bear Jun 13, 2007

James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, interviewed the last man known to have had contact with the ‘Banshees of the Forests of Yarrow’.
‘Green was the special colour of the hill fairies.‘

Folklore

Cheese Well
Sacred Well
Martin
Martin Nov 20, 2003

Tradition has it that travellers crossing the Minch Moor should leave pieces of food (cheese prefered!) for the little people to ensure a safe passage across the moor (which can be a bloody cold and bleak place at times so get yer sandwiches out for the wee folk!!)

Miscellaneous

Cheese Well
Sacred Well
Martin
Martin Nov 20, 2003

In 1965 two inscribed stones were placed at the well by the resident of Camp Shiel. One bears a thistle motif, whilst the other is inscribed ‘Cheese Well 1965’.

Link

Cheese Well
Sacred Well
G
GaryB May 6, 2005
Ancient Stones

An entry from Ancient Stones, an online database that covers most of the standing stones, stone circles and other stones found in South East Scotland. Each entry includes details, directions, photograph, folklore, parking and field notes on each location.

Sites within 20km of Cheese Well

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