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The elevated position of this sculptured rock overlooking the lower reaches of Glen Lochay leads one to think of similar places like Dunadd and Dundurn. It certainly is a commanding location for a place of power on this sun-drenched day. Cup and ring marked rocks are close by. Moirlanich longhouse is a mile down the glen and the delights of Duncroisk await upriver.
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To the South of the road this stone stands on a small mound called Tom a' Mhoid or Moot hill. Christianised by the incision of crosses on both sides, the Northern face has a distinct cross whereas on the Southern face it's less obvious. I didn't spot it at first whilst there, as the fantastic face in evidence is dominant. Take a look at the picture and you'll see the branding on the forehead.
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A few days after the midsummer solstice and my first visit to this magickal site. Coloured chalk symbols on the flankers and on several other of these seven upright stones. Some may object to this, but for me it enhanced a remarkable place and as long as it's subtle, then the rain will wash all away soon enough.
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Once again a circle situated not on the crest of a hill which would have the best view, but is on the
southern slope giving restricted views to the SSW. Canmore database notes say the setting is only
visible from the immediate vicinity;I'll confirm that. It also says that it stands on a slight terrace
which is infested with rushes, contrasting with the rough pasture of the rest of the hill. well, there
ain't just one set of rushes on this hill, there must be a dozen in the immediate vicinity. Maybe the
people who built this one had reason to conceal it, because unless you know it's there you ain't going
to find it.The views from the site are magnificent.Once you've seen it,walk north for 200 metres to a
three stone alignment on a crest (not the hilltop) for a 180 degree view with Norman's Law (classic
mother hill shape) and The Bishop above Kinross both in view. From here there is an enclosure on John's
hill to the NNE and continuing in a straight line, the Grey stone directly over Chapel hill.
Southern stone has maybe fallen inwards as it does not have the beautiful flat faces of the other three.
Canmore says: It comprises four stones, which define a trapezium measuring 3.2m along its N and W sides,
2.7m along the S and 2.5m along the E. All the stones are set square at the corners with their long axes
lying E and W, and they present a long flat face to the interior. The two on the N are markedly larger
than the others, and that on the NW is also the tallest. The dimensions of the stones are as follows: NW
- 1m by 0.5m and 0.65m high, NE - 0.8m by 0.4m and 0.3m high, SE - 0.73m by 0.43m and 0.2m high and SW -
0.73m by 0.38m and 0.4m high.
To get to this one it's uphill all the way. In fine weather, allow at least 90 minutes to get there from
the roadside parking below Youth hostel north of Glendevon village. There's usually space for 2 or 3
vehicles as long as you leave space for any cars at the end to exit. Turn left uphill and through the
gate with a sign to Auchterarder and Glenfoot cattery. Walk up the track to the cattery and take the
gate to its right. Through this it's uphill again to a junction with another path coming from your left.
Cross a style into an old stone corral at the end of which the gradient eases somewhat and the path
leads on northwards. The conical White Creich hill is ahead of you with two burns at its foot on your
right. At this point it is possible to take a track to the right and downhill which crosses the Creich
burn (the left of the two) and follow this around White Creich hill. This one is not marked on the map,
but I observed horsemen using it from the circle so it should be ok. At this point,I followed the old
drove road up the left hand side of Borland glen to grid ref 070988 which will take you completely past
White Creich hill and from here you strike off the path downhill to the right and follow the 400 metre
contour of Green Law to Sim's hill and the four poster circle on Sim's hill. There are two burns to
negotiate, with steep sides, so appropriate footwear only please. Once on Sim's hill itself, I found
finding the circle a bit more difficult than I thought, as the long approach up the glen gave a view of
the site area and a circular bed of rushes was seen which I thought was the spot. On reaching this, I
discovered not one stone! A search of the area between the two burns on Sim's hill eventually proved
sucessfull.The RCAHMS co-ordinates are NN 9976 0709, but my feeling is that it's a bit further to the
east than this. I did not have a gps, so I can't confirm.
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This little group of stones is sublimely placed, as they stand at the end of a tongue of raised land which is surrounded by low lying ground on three sides, and to its north by an ox-bow lake; which is the remnants of the ancient position of the Almond river. It must have been a commanding and secure site in the past. Alignment here is NE-SW for the upright stone, and with the recumbent stone and smaller outlier 50 yds away at edge of present field. Length of upright 51 in, breadth 16in and depth 14in. No cup marks seen. The recumbent stone next to it is very interesting in that it has an X mark on it which appears to be natural white quartz. I would name it the Saltire stone, and who knows what inspiration it has had over the millennia... L 51in, W 28in, H 11in.
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The middle stone of a group of 3 in this area is 44in high, with a breadth of 18in at base, tapering to 12in at its top. It has been worked to a four-sided shape and aligns to the cardinal points on the compass. Cup marks are all sub-1in in size and the E face has one, while the N face has four in a line. Views to the S and E are extensive and overlook the probable position of the river Almond several thousand years ago. The rivers present position is about a thousand yards to the south.
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The eastern stone of a group of three in this area. It leans to the south and downslope at quite an angle, is four-sided and not loose despite obvious rub marks. It's four feet in length, with a breadth of 16 in and depth of 11 in, with height from top to ground of 40 in. It aligns NSEW with 27 small cup marks mainly on the North face and one on the east face.(They may be caused by minerals leeching from the stone, but I ain't no geologist...) The stones in this group are all four sided which may mean that they're more recent, however, this area is full of energy and bears all the hallmarks of the sacred landscape.
Apart from the other two sites close by, I came across evidence of stones which had been dynamited into oblivion sometime in the past and an alignment of eight stones which may be significant.
If visiting, please be aware that this land is private and is used for shooting between October and February. The gamekeeper was friendly however and although he didn't know anything about the stones was ok about visits as long as people called at Lyndoch house on the way up.
Ian
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