thesweetcheat

Approaching the cairn from the north. Beyond is the southern summit, with its “modern” cairn. Corndon looms over to the left.

Corndon Hill looms behind.

The central stone, under beautiful Shropshire skies.

The southeastern arc.

Lichen on the central stone.

Looking WNW. The largest remaining stones are on the southeastern arc.

Looking east.

Hoarstones circle, looking SSW into Wales, towards multiple-cairned Corndon Hill.

From the west.

In Spring sunshine.

Showing the lean. The quartz vein runs from top right to bottom left.

Showing the top of the stone. The quartz vein runs right across.

From the NW.

A vein of quartz cuts diagonally right through the stone.

The northwestern arc of the bank.

The better-preserved embanked northern side of the cairn.

The south-eastern arc of the cairn, lost amidst gorse and heather.

Cairn material at the base of the tower.

Selattyn cairn and ruined tower. Shropshire stretches out beyond, to the hills of the Long Mynd and the Clees.

Churchdown Hill seen from Leckhampton hillfort.

Sunset over the rampart.

The round barrow.

The newly-cleared round barrow in its square enclosure, seen from the rampart.

Sunset from the topograph inside the fort.

Lovely bone toggle from the cairn, in Inverness Museum.

Food vessel (front) and cremation urn, recovered from Stoneyfield cairn. On display in Inverness museum.

Pieces of Neolithic pottery from the Stoneyfield cairn. On display in Inverness Museum.

The beach near Caird’s Cave. The cave is at the far right behind the grassy bank.

Showing the cave under its pink-tinged cliff.

The interior.

The entrance to the cave.

The huge recumbent of Wantonwells stone circle.

Hill of Dunnideer from Wantonwells stone circle.

Showing the enormous fallen flanker.

Looking ESE, towards a snow-covered Bennachie.

Hill of Dunnideer and the remains of Wantonwells circle.

The enormous recumbent and flankers.

Looking ESE, with Dunnideer to the left and Bennachie behind.

With forted Hill of Christ’s Kirk behind.

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.