23/06/2023 – Pink of Ronas Hill Granite meeting the grey of Felsite.
thelonious
OS map of the area with British Geological Survey of the bedrock overlaid. Pink is the Ronas Hill Granite with the yellow strips of Felsite dykes running through it which the Neolithic people quarried.
26/05/2023 – Loch Builg crannog (maybe). Distant photo. It was about as close as we got.
Painting by Queen Victoria (1863) of Loch Builg and its crannog (if it is a crannog).
Image credit: Queen Victoria
19/04/2023 – The cairn with trig plonked on top of it in the fading light. Nearly an hour past sunset now. Nearly time to head home.
31/03/2023 – Too soon it was time to say goodbye to Newgrange and head for the bus.
31/03/2023 – My favourite stone at Knowth I think. Phases of the moon maybe? Just wish for more time there.
31/03/2023 – Big Knowth to the right with its wonderful kerbstones. One of the many satellite mounds to the left.
31/03/2023 – The west passage entrance. Big kerb stones surrounding the base of the mound. Standing stones in front. The ground at the entrance is covered in quartz. I do like that big stone blocking the entrance.
31/03/2023 – The Mound of Hostages. Looking down the passage. Nice rock art on stone to the left.
21/03/2023 – Tuesday evening on Bennachie. Bit of a chilly wind but thankfully dry. We had tea on top, watching the sky go dark. Stars were good tonight. The view is across to Oxen Craig, where we were heading. It was a good twilight. Bennachie is a special place.
03/03/2023 – Friday evening walk to Hill of Christ’s Kirk. Reached the top after sunset and a dark stroll back after tea. Not much to see of the fort, that’s Bennachie in the distance. It’s the land of the RSC round here.
25/02/2023 – Trig to Trig walk after sunset. Nice quiet walk though a little chilly at times with the wind. My headtorch lights the trig and tor at the centre of the fort. It’s an unusual non-tapered trig without flush bracket. The granite tor that the walls of the hillfort surround is great (unless it’s a windy day!). We had a sit and brew before heading down. The feet were glad of the rest.
24/02/2023 – Day off. Visit to Tap o’ Noth hillfort. Rain mostly held off which was a bonus. Quiet walk. The interior of the fort was looking nice today.
24/02/2023 – Vitrified section of rampart also the top of the hill. I love vitrified hillforts.
21/02/2023 – Evening visit to Bennachie. The entrance to the hillfort on Mither Tap is great. Big walls either side. Not too windy on top thankfully. The walk over to Oxen Craig after felt dark tonight.
11/02/2023 – View across to Kerloch from Monluth Hill. After sunset now. It was going to be a dark walk across.
28/01/2023 – Scurriestone near Ballater. Where Glen Muick meets Deeside. A nice stone to start the day.
07/01/2023 – Walk to Cairn William. We started from the south today. Meant we could visit Whitehills recumbent stone circle and also the wonderful Luath’s Stone. Cloudy to start with but a bit of sunshine in the afternoon. Mild for this time of year. I love this big lonely stone.
07/01/2023 – Approach to the big stone. That’s Tap o’ Noth in the far distance.
07/01/2023 – Whitehills Stone Circle. It was looking good today. Quiet which was welcome.
31/12/2022 – It’s been a while since anyone posted a photo of this one so here’s a sunny winter snap. Last walk of the year, cold but the sunshine and stones were worth it. I like it here.
27/12/2022 – Chilly morning walk before the snow and rain. Looking over a hut circle to the large cairn beyond. 23m in diameter, the cairn in the Slacks on the outskirts of Aberdeen is a good one.
28/11/2022 – Looking over the cairn to the Northern lights and the Plough above. Cold on the hill tonight but no wind so felt OK. The night sky was very good.
30/08/2022 – Evening visit to Tap o’ Noth hillfort. Bit cloudy but the view north over the vitrified walls was as good as I’ve seen it. The Caithness hills, 110km away, stood out really well. Big Morven in middle, the 3 tops of Scaraben to its right. Also far left Ben Uarie in Sutherland.
14/08/2022 – Gouk Stone on a sunny Sunday afternoon. 3 metres of loveliness!
01/07/2022 – Heading down the east side of hillfort. Not much to see this side, just great views. Why didn’t they build walls this side? Anyone’s guess really.
01/07/2022 – Summit area of Ben Griam Beg hillfort. Mist starting to lift again.
01/07/2022 – Stone structures between the first enclosure wall and second wall.
01/07/2022 – Looking over the first enclosure wall to Meall a’ Bhuirich. Just a fantastic view from here.
01/07/2022 – Round stone structures outside the enclosure wall. Ground is steep here.
29/06/2022 – Cairn, River Helmsdale and Ben Uarie beyond. We were doing OK for time until this one. Just had to sit and spend some time here. Great cairn in a lovely landscape.
