drewbhoy

This standing stone is on the business centre side of the track, moving closer to the paper mill, standing beside a small farming building. Probably part of the stone row it stands at over 1 meter high and fits with Chris’s and my own theories about the henge. So another part of the jigsaw was found thanks to an auld granny giving me row for not using my eyes properly.

Visited 7/02/2013.

From the henge on the outskirts follow the road round until it ends at the barriers, to the left a business centre, straight on is the now sadly defunct paper mills. At the barrier head into the wood to the south and walk 500 yards or so.

It is pure fluke I found out about these as the grandmother of one of my pupils asked me if I’d looked properly in the woods at Broomend. Obviously I hadn’t and was glad for the tip.

Several cists have been pulled together to sit beside a capstone, 2 meters by 1 meter possibly made into a seat to overlook the man made lake. Looking at old maps the area was covered in cists and long before standing stones stood in a row coming from the henge. Sadly most of these have gone but my tipster told me there was one more nearby. She was right.

Visited 7/02/2013.

I don’t have a clue who Barbara is or was but she does have a most impressive ‘natural hillock’ named after her. There are strong rumours of a cist here but more interestingly local rumour has mentioned that there is a stone cist in the woods across the road above the small quarries. Something to look for during more summery weather.

Leave Turriff, a place of very great importance, on the B9025 and take the first minor road heading north indicated Dunlugas. (This road follows the River Deveron and is a beautiful walk to Banff) Keep going until The Haughs farm and a minor road heading east, marked Tillyfar. The hillock is directly behind the barns.

Visited 24/01/2013.

This must have been an impressive cairn ‘back in the day’ and it had superb views looking west and east to the Perthshire Highlands. Standing at least 30 meters wide, impressive trees encircle the site and it stands at 1 meter tall. Any kerbs left are covered in turf. A few bits of cairn material lift their heads above the grass.

Very easy to find this one, take the minor road just east of Greenloaning, on the A9, and immediately pull in to the path heading south. From here an easy walk until the path stops at a gate, look east and the circle of trees will be seen. Over the gate, jump the fence, job done.

Visited 18/1/2013.

From the cairn at Beaufort I walked back the road I’d came going past the Bruiach taking the minor road south after the ring cairn. This road is a bit up and down but very scenic.

As late as 1886 something must have stood here but now all that is left is an impressive grassy mound with perhaps 1 or 2 kerbs in place. The big boulders I assume are field clearence. Despite the damage the cairn still stands 15 meters in width and stands at just over a meter high. There is something defiant about this place as it clings on, the surrounding scenery is fantastic and with darkness falling very atmospheric. Plus it was eerily silent, nothing moved, no wind just me and some stars high above.

With that it was back to the car at Kiltarlity, another long but fantastic day.

Visited 3/01/2013.

From the Bruiach Rong Cairn head further west following the road as it gradually heads north. The cairn is to be found right next to the road on the east side after a fairly sharp corner.

It sits at almost 12 meters wide and is almost 2 meters high. Sadly the kerb is hidden by years of neglect, old trees and weeds.

This was going to be the last stop but I was informed by a passing local (this was a good day for info from locals) that there was a cairn near Boblainy. Night was approaching so the long legs moved into overdrive.

Visited 3/01/2013.