drewbhoy

Very easy to find this cairn is it is in the field in front of the House of Dun. Take the A935 west from Montrose and follow the signs to the House. The cairn is in the field and can’t be missed. Several wee information boards give info on the site.

It is 25 meters wide, 1.5 meters high and has a 12 meter flat section on top. Kerbs to poke their noses thru the turf. And as for the lintel left on top I’ve no idea what that’s for :-)

Visited 30/12/2014.

At 35 meters wide and 3 meters tall I would have liked to see how this place stood originally. Much damage has been done to east and south sides but it still is an impressive place. The trees seem to add to status and age here. Neolithic discoveries prove that this is a very old site. Built to dominate the skyline it overlooks the Montrose (River South Esk runs into here) Basin and Montrose but can’t really be seen because of the trees. However a fantastic place to build a cairn with excellent all round views, to the east the North Sea and the west has the Grampians/Cairngorms. So a significant place for a significant feature.

South of Montrose take the A934 west and park at the war memorial near Maryton Farm. Walk up the minor road in front, then after the first corner go over the gate and climb westwards. The cairn is at the top of the hill westwards.

Visited 30/12/2014.

Leave Kirriemuir on the B955 heading north east and take the first minor road north. Then take the 2nd minor road heading east, then take the next minor road west. This cairn is only 200 meters or so further along and is easily seen right next to the road.

It is an oval cairn measuring 26 by 22 and is over 2 meters in height. Plenty of cairn material sticks thru the grass but I didn’t see any kerbs. Cists have been found here and there is a hint of a depression on top of the cairn which probably marks the location of one of them.

Beautiful site set amongst beautiful scenery, Culhawk Hill dominating the view. The snow was an added bonus.

Visited 27/12/2014.

What a weird and wonderful place this is!!! Canmore say it is a kerb cairn but it looks like a four poster. People who know more than me can argue amongst themselves. It survives right next to the road near East Campsie farm.

Basically head north on the minor road at Airlie and keep going. Or the first minor road south after Lintrathen cairn.

At least 3 stones appear to be properly standing and a 4th appears to have taken a dunt. Several stones are in the cairn, which is around 4 meters in width, might be kerbs. An intriguing little place and worth a visit.

Visited 27/12/2014.

The last climb of the day proved to be the best and worst. Scenery around here is stunning, snow covered mountains to north, lochs north and south, superb walks near Lintrathen Loch and a cairn to finish. There the good news almost stops.

The fact that the cairn still survives is good but sadly it has taken one hell of a hammering. Robbed and multilated, further insult is added by the building of a small concrete block hut. Heaven knows what this is for. To the east all sorts of things have appeared another concrete thing, pipes sticking out of the ground etc etc.

Still it survives at 13 meters wide and 1 meter. Scattered rocks look like possible kerbs including one at the south side. But impossible to tell such is the damage. But yet it has the scenery which is a compensation.

Head east from Lintrathen church and pull in at the small reservoir. Luckily a nice stepped path heads up the hill. Keep going after the reservoir, go past the pile of field clearance and the cairn is over the fence. Easily spotted thanks to the wee building.

Visited 27/12/2014.

By pure chance I’d written down the wrong map ref for this (not the first time) and looked in completely the wrong place (a common nuisance). Still this proved fortunate as the farmer appeared in his tractor as I was climbing the fence half way up the Knock Of Formal and promptly said that the stone was next to my car.

The stone is now gradually getting covered in moss and grass. It might possibly be forgotten about altogether. Still the farmer has other ideas and wants to re-erect the stone at some point. So HS have been emailed with all the contact stuff so fingers crossed that they pull the finger out.

It is a nice shaped stone being over two meters in length and is a meter wide. Couldn’t see any markings once I’d cleaned the snow away. Hopefully the next time I come here it might maybe be standing.

Visited 27/12/2014.

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.

Unlike Nick I parked at the Bruceton entrance jumped the wee dyke and strolled down the slope to the stone. The carvings are now barely visible. Still another lovely stone in a lovely setting.

Went back up to the road and walked west to the Shanzie souterrain, which needed another look.

Visited 27/12/2014.

Lovely stone in a lovely setting. The snow and frost certainly add to the atmosphere around this re-erected stone. I parked further along than the two other fieldnotes (first wide bit in road after the lodge heading west). Spying a handily placed tree I climbed up and jumped over the fence.

Visited 27/12/2014.