drewbhoy

Cairn Mude has escaped my attentions in past due to the weather, running out of time or like yesterday (3/4/2012) gale force winds, blizzards and flying buckets. This was the fourth attempt and today it was much calmer and with supplies from the Alford baker I headed east from Lumphanan on the A980 taking the first minor road south to Kincardine O’Neil. I pulled in after Colliestown.

Head along a track, north west for about a 1/2 mile then head into the woods, south, for a further mile (approx) until a crossroads in tree breaks. Head east and the much ruined cairn is found in a clearence. Still it stands at 13 meters wide and a couple of meters high. Sadly wide trenches have been cut through it, even more sadly I’d left both my phone and camera in the car instead of in the rucksack. So I’ll have to go back, no problem as I now know a shorter route.

During my first attempt the farmer at Newton, home to ring cairns, told me that dead soldiers from Macbeth’s army were burned on the cairn. On that occasion I was beaten back by thick vegetation and ended up getting lost.

This time I decided to climb to the top of Stot Hill and managed to get lost on the way back down. Somehow I almost ended up in Lumphanan, but found my way back via the public stream, more commonly known as a footpath.

Visited 4/1/2012.

Clashholm is situated in a glen on the eastern side of the B9119, from the A980 head east at Crossroads (a pub) and stop at Cloak Wood. Walking past this wood reminded me of a tip whisky bottles, old bikes and some gas cylinders littered the wood. Just beyond the wood, jump the fence and head towards the bottom of the glen. The two hut circles are enclosed by a wall (rather ruined) and could easily be spotted amongst the snow. It’s shame the wall is in such a condition as beasts will probably trample all over this monument. Anyway for the moment they are still here.

Visited 4/1/2012.

Climbed up from the west side parking at Knockenbog. From there I used the path then climbed the fence and went straight up. For 3/4s of the way it was fairly long tough heather and jabby things but after jumping a ditch the heather becomes fairly short making it much easier to reach the top. At the bottom it was calm. At the top a major gale blew with occasional hail for good company. Still the trig provided cover for a wee sit down and a chance to admire the scenery before clouds and darkness moved in.

The small circle, same as Theolonius, wasn’t there the last time I was here but it looks very pretty with it’s little outlier. A couple of cairns are at the top, one a climbers cairn and the other a memorial to a youngster from Aberchirder who died tragically young.

Visited 2/1/2012.

I’d have to say, sadly, anybody wanting to find this cairn would be wasting their time. The cairn has been covered in field clearence and is now covered in turf and weeds. A small mound near the road is all that remains.

Going south from Dufftown on the B9009 taking the minor road east after Aultbeg, after a sharp corner the road heads south. I stopped at Croftburn and walked down a forestry track till a crossroads. The cairn is supposed to be in northern quadrant. Sadly this cairn has been almost consigned to the prehistoric rubbish dump. Almost a pity the flood didn’t do a better job :-(

Visited 14/10/2011.