drewbhoy

With the snow gradually melting I decided to leave early and head down to Strathdon, at the moment my favourite area. On the way two cairns at Smallburn would meet our feet. Only one was visited as the snow became very deep and there is another day.

At 8 meters in width and less than a 1/2 meter high this cairn has been badly robbed. However there is a possible kerb on the cairns east side. Also the cairn has been hollowed out but today it nature made it whole. The snow filled it in and all was at peace.

Tap O Noth looked magnificent across the valley. Easy to see the placement of the cairn.

Also a special thanks to Paul Butler, who lives nearby quite literally at the end of the road, for his help. I should warn him that I’ll be back for the other cairn.

Visited 8/3/2010.

On top of Lumphart Hill is a very ruined cairn which has been badly robbed because of its use as a quarry in days gone by. Possibly one kerb remains but the rest have gone. The cairn stood up 14 meters in width with east/west edges standing at almost 1 meter. Magnificent views of Bennachie and Garioch are all around. Nearby is a cup marked rock found by Tiompan at Cuttlecraigs.

I left the B9001 heading north from Inverurie towards Rothienorman at the Oldmeldrum junction heading east. Take the first minor road north, towards Daviot, and park at the Cuttlecraigs entance. Plenty of room at the disused quarry. Climb over the hill, then over the next till the summit of next hill, Lumphart. A walk of a 1/2 mile.

Unfortunately as one of the foties show the hollowed out cairn has other uses. Various sleepers and farm waste have been burnt here. Tragic considering the beauty of the place!

Visited 6/3/2010.

(Thanks to Patrick for the tip.)

Went up again in rather different conditions than the last time. Obviously there is a lot of snow, it started snowing again during this visit.

On the cross incised stone there is also the initials C.M., probably a previous farmer or the guy who carved the cross. I like this place and the snow seemed to amplify it’s beauty.

Re-visited 4/3/2010.

A stone circle moved and placed in a wall has long been the subject of myth and speculation amongst the inhabitants of Turriff and Inverkeithney. For many years I was led to believe that the walls at Laithers and Muiresk might provide an answer. However one of my friends asked about Drachlaw, Carlin, Sheilburn etc. Standard answer check TMA, check Canmore and Scotlands places. He phones back and says which one at Drachlaw. Immediately the Sherlock Holmes in me went to work. On checking there was a circle that stood at West Drachlaw, so returning from Huntly gave me an excuse to investigate.

The Backhill of Drachlaw farm is 3 miles west of Turriff on the B9024, on the track just to the north. Turn at the Drachlaw farm signpost, the complete stone circle clearly visible from the road. Drive up the entrance to the farm and stop. The stones are in the dyke to the left. 4 stones are in the wall, 1 was removed to form a gatepost a further 100 yards west. The missing sixth stone has also turned up. An outbuilding collapsed during storms so the lintel was removed and used as the other gatepost. At least it has been given it’s original job as a standing stone, it did stand in a circle 28 feet in diameter, albeit not quite in the same place and different employment.

Yet another investigation closed, Sherlock would be proud! (I hope)

Visited 22/2/2010.

Whilst parking at Newton farm I was approached by the farmer who asked what I was about to do. I replied that I was looking for a nearby cairn. The answer to that was that he’d show me something better. Intrigued we walked the half mile west from the farm to the site.

In an area teeming with RSCs this location was perfect. It is on the same side of the valley as Dunnydeer and more famously Stonehead. Now I thought I knew about most of sites up here but how did I miss this. The recumbent stone is massive being over 5 meters in length, 11/4 meters tall the same wide. Chokes appeared to holding the stone level underneath. Looking carefully to the hills in the south west it appeared, to me, that the recumbent was aligned to the nearby Correen Hills. Also one flanker remains lying on the ground, when standing this would have been well over two meters. Some cairn material remains but was hidden by the deep snow.

The farmer has said that he will look out all the details, old plans and maps, he can for my next visit, he also added that as far as he knew these stones had always been there. This time the cairn will be found and hopefully more light will be shed on these stones which I think must be the remains of a ruined RSC.

Visited 20/2/2010.

The remnants of this once massive cairn, also called the White Cairn, can be seen in a field just north of Brankston Farm. From the A96 at Colpy head west following the Largie signpost. Turn right at the junction, heading further west past Lenchie farm. Brankston is a 1/2 mile further on the opposite side of the road. If driving park here, then cross the road, over the gate with the cairn being 40 meters into the field.

Today it was covered in snow. Now it is a scattering of stones, 15 meters wide, with a small pile of cairn material in the middle. However the views towards Bennachie are superb. The Hill of Skares stands to the north.

On a reflective day it was nice to stand in a reflective place.

Visited 20/2/2010.

This cairn can be found in the woods in front of Leochel-Cushnie parish church. It has a width of almost 13 meters and it’s maximum height is close to one meter.

As I was returning to my car an elderly gentleman, visiting his wife’s grave, explained that there had been another cairn. This had been used to built the dikes surrounding the graveyard. Nothing remains of this cairn.

Visited 15/2/2010.