a big, simple, hulking smooth-topped lump up on the Braes of Fowlis. and a standing stone
Image credit: Andy Sweet
BigSweetie
Visited here on a gloriously sunny crisp day today. It’s shocking to have to admit, but despite having lived in Dundee on and off between 1997 and now, this was my first visit to Balgarthno.
The site had been cleared of grass, and was completely “bald”, save for quite a bit of broken glass. However, I didn’t get the feeling of sadness that others have mentioned – I found it quite a cheery place, even despite the noise of the A90, the power lines and the industrial estate.
One thing I did notice that isn’t mentioned on CANMORE or here is that there appeared to be a “causeway” of some kind stretching off to the east. It was a frosty day so that may have helped show it up, but there was a definite raised section running about maybe 30m in length by 3 or 4m in width, with what appeared to be a very shallow ditch on either side. There’s no sign of this to the west, so it doesn’t look like a natural feature, it does smack of an “entrance” or processional causeway of some kind.
‘Caledonia’ was carved before 1860, as it’s mentioned in the OS Name Book from that year
This has variously been described as a homestead, a dun, a fort and a ring fort, the last by the Forestry Commission information board at the site. The walls are around 3m thick, and defense is what immediately springs to mind. The 24m diameter seems too big for it to be domestic, particularly given its location. It sits high above Loch Tummel, guarding a strategic path through the hills, and is reminiscent of the forts around Glen Lyon (see Caisteal Cona Bhacain).
Directions – coming in to Blair Atholl from the south, turn left just after the garage and just before the bridge over the Tilt, following the signs to the Bridge of Tilt caravan park. Pull in to the park and ask at reception – they’re quite happy for people to go and look at the stone. It’s situated next to caravan 12.
This stone is situated in a caravan park, and as such we found it hemmed in by caravans and white plastic garden furniture. However, while the initial thought is that the site isn’t very atmospheric, at least it is safe. The stone is actually well-protected by the nearby caravan and tree, and will no doubt fare better than some stones out in the middle of nowhere.
A Shufti at Sheildon – Peter Donaldson dowses at the remains of the Sheildon stone circle
This stone has now been removed, but only temporarily. It wasn’t scheduled since Historic Scotland deemed the site’s archaeological importance to have already been compromised by excavation in 1854 when the stone was lifted so that underneath it could be examined.
But when planning consent was given for the development of the site (open cast coal mining of 750,000 – 1,000,000 million tons over four years, followed by development as a retail and business park) it included the stipulation that the stone had to be re-set in its original position.
The stone is currently in storage, and it’s estimated it will be re-erected in about 3 years time. Unfortunately the plans show that there will be a roundabout on the stone’s original site, so the county archaeologist faces the dilemma of putting it back there, or re-locating it close by so that the public still have access to it.
Directions – it’s fairly impossible to miss the Law from anywhere in Dundee, and generally speaking, if you head directly towards it you’ll find your way up it relatively easily.
And more detailed directions – the easiest way to approach the Law is on the A923 (Coupar Angus road) in Lochee, from where it is sign-posted with brown heritage signs. Assuming that you’re coming from the centre of Dundee, head out on the A923 towards Lochee, and just after you pass the steep turn-off onto Ancrum Road to your left, you’ll spot a “Dundee Law” sign pointing right up Loon’s Road at the traffic lights. Take this road, and when it curves round to the left, turn right onto Byron Street, and then right again up Lawton Road (still following the signposts). At the top of Lawton Road, turn left onto Law Crescent and then after a short distance right up Law Road, which will take you to the summit of the Law. There are loads of paths criss-crossing the Law which will take you to the top, and several places to park the car if you’d prefer to walk the last bit, but there’s also space to park at the very top too.
old photo showing the bank
A book on the maze.
Geoffrey Russell suggested that the terracing around the Tor may once have been part of a sacred maze design, a design which may also have given rise to the Cretan Labyrinth legend. This belief was also held by Professor Philip Ratz, who excavated the Tor summit in the 1960s.
If this was the case, then the maze is supposed to end with a tunnel into an underground chamber. Several other legends suggest that the Tor is hollow, including Rhiannon’s post below.
For more information about the maze theory, see the link at the bottom of the page.
an alternative view of the great recumbent stone circle including an account of it being dowsed
account of the excavation and restoration of Tomnaverie
Hecateus of Abdera, a Greek writer writing in the 4th century BCE, wrote of a large island to the north of Gaul populated by a race called the Hyperboreans. Their chief god was Apollo, and they had a city dedicated to him, with a “remarkable round temple”.
The large island is thought to be Britain, and the round temple has previously been identified as Stonehenge. However, the Greek word translated as “round” is “sphairoeides” which actually means “spherical” and not round. Geoffrey Ashe in his “Mythology of the British Isles” suggests that the word in question has been misspelled at some point in the past, and originally may have been “speiroeides”, meaning “spiral”.
Ashe discusses the possibility of a “spiral temple” being a labirynth of some kind, or even rock art, but surely there’s a chance that Hecateus’ “remarkable round temple” – when “spiral” is substituted for “round” – could actually be Silbury Hill, with it’s spiral path?
aerial photo of the hillfort
A souterrain was discovered here in 1790, 470 metres north-west of Balloch farmhouse. It was situated on the crest of a terrace on the south side of the Hill of Loyal, and its passage was 1.2m wide by 1.8m in height.