I never met an RSC I didn't like, and this was no exception. Lots of fun walking up and down the conifer plantation was had in trying to find it, but it was well worth the effort.
The photos tell most of the story, but can't convey how big the ring was, and how impressive it must have been when complete. Several complete stones are laying, fallen, and the stumps remain of the others. The recumbent has a banded crack running around it, which suggests it may not remain whole for many more winters: see it while you can.
Of the three remaining stones still upright, they seemed an example of each of the common types you seem to see at most sites in NE Scotland. The flanker is a rounded stone, with a tapering top, one of the stones is definitely triangular, and the other is oblong, with squared sides. Given the re-occurence of these shapes (to my eyes at least) across the RSC's I wonder if the stones were shaped and erected to a common specification in addition to the grading of heights, quartz pavements, cup-marks & SSW alingment of the recumbents. Nothing was random.
This site is now signposted from the road, but you are left very much on your own in the forest. I would recommend: OS map, compass if your SOD is not up to much, waterproof boots in all but the driest conditions and waterproof clothing. The forest tracks are ok, but the grass can be thigh high when you leave them. You will see that the circle is marked to the north of the main track, opposite a southerly track. When you stand at this junction, two paths to the north will greet you: take the left hand one and in 75-100m look for a path to the left-this will take you to the circle in less than 30m. I would say that the circle is slightly to the west of where it is shown on the map.
Should you visit? If you've one day to fit in as many sites as possible. then no. If you're here for the week, then absolutely - it is an essential companion to Strichen, Berrybrae, Aikey Brae and Netherton.
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This place is huge! So many cairns have been robbed out or reduced, that I wasn't fully aware how big they can be. And what a charming setting!
So many of our sites have been urbanised, but at least they're still here. Yes there are the usual broken bottles & beer cans around, but not too many, and the estate doesn't look too bad (and I've seen a few).
This cairn is great-an overpowering physical presence, big stones and numerous chunks of quartz scattered about, the view over the Dee valley must have been fantastic, and glimpses can still be seen.
Do visit this site: its about 150 yards off the A93 a few miles outside Aberdeen: if you're visiting Aberdeenshire, you WILL drive past this.
Access: In Cairnlee Avenue, off Cairn Road, off the A93 in Bieldside, near Milltimber. The road is in the local atlas. I must give a recommendation for the Phillips blue road map books: They show every road in Aberdeenshire, and as they're based on OS data, most circles and cairns are in them (except this one! but Cairnlee Avenue is) - invaluable on a day's Stone hunting.
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This site has just about everything you could wish for in one place. Stone circles, burial mounds, outlying standing stones, kerb cairns, cup-marked rocks and a very peaceful setting make this a place you could linger for hours. Although there are over 60 known 'Clava Cairns' as a type in this part of Scotland, (Corrimony being one) these are the originals the others were named after.
Three beautiful cairns in a wooded river valley, each surrounded by their own Stone Circle. Although all of the cairns are now roofless, this does enable you to see and understand their construction better. Different coloured stones were deliberately placed for effect, and several stones were decorated with 'cup-marks' for reasons we can only guess at. All in all a wonderful site, and I can think of no-where better for your final resting place.
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"This circle was comparatively complete
until about forty years ago. The recumbent stone remains in position,
but was shattered several years since by the kindling on it of a
Halloween fire. One of its side stones remains erect. The other is
thrown down; while beyond it, or two spaces or distances, a stone is standing in position, having been spared, as forming a handy rubbing
stone for cattle. One large stone had been removed, and laid length-
wise to form a good portion of a stone fence; another had been long since taken ' to be used as a bridge across a small burn; another had been
utilised for the keystone of a thrashing mill support. The form of this
enclosure seems to have been an oblong. From being able to identify
the exact spot, through one who had assisted at the removal of one of
the absent stones, sufficient data were obtained to realise the form and
size of the circle. The size of the single stone is considerably in excess
of the average, and when complete and standing in the skyline, the
circle must have formed an imposing object. So far as could be ascer-
tained this circle would appear to have been an exact counterpart of the
next to be noticed, situated about a mile east, viz Loudon Wood "
From the Proceedings of the Society of Scottish Antiquaries June 1885.
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"This circle was prettycomplete about forty years since. The recumbent stone was a prominent object in the field until sixteen years ago, when it was shattered by gunpowder by thoughtless young apprentice masons working in the neighbourhood. A single stone now only remains, spared, as in a former case, to be desecrated as a rubbing stone for cattle. "
From the Proceedings of The Society of Scottish Antiquaries June 1885.
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Remains of a 'stone circle', thought to be more likely a Clava Cairn.
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Just down the road from the remains of Auldearn Stone Circle, lies a 'mutilated & overgrown' cairn some 13 m in diameter. Of the six stones in the adjoining row, only 2 remain upright, but both are over 1m tall.
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A runied ring cairn by the roadside. The kerbstones ranged up to 2.9m in height, although most of the cairn material is gone. A single standing stone 4.5 feet tall remains, with possible fallen stones in the vegetation.
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In 1972, three stones remained of a possible stone circle. Given the remoteness of this site, I'd say go for the walk, and view any stones as a bonus!
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Two stones remain of this circle. One a full 7 feet high, the other now fallen. Visible from the road.
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A definite cairn, two standing stones suggest that it may once of been surrounded by a stone circle. The cairn is largely destroyed.
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Two stones around 1.7m high are all that remain of this circle to the south of Lhanbryde. The rest were destroyed in 1810 to make a bridge.....
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A circle of six stones, around 1m in height. Not marked in the OS it lies approx 200m south of the York tower.
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Although there is little more than a crop mark to see, this is a very interesting site. Aerial survey in 1976 revealed the presence of the largest Neolithic timber building in Britain, dating from around the 4th millenium BC. Excavation revealed a building used to store grains which had burnt down in prehistory, but the postholes & carbonised grain remained to be found.
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Burl describes a line of 4 ring cairns, the outer two of which have stone circles. He rates them as ruined, but recognisable.
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Burl describes this as a wrecked Clava Cairn. Three stones remain standing, ranging from 4.5 to 8 feet tall.
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The third circle in this group (along with New Craig )was rumoured to have stood near Daviot Church. According to Burl it was demolished in the 1800's to make way for a house......
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A single stone, over a metre high, is set into a dyke and is all that remains of a circle of 19 stones destroyed in the mid 1800's.
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Fantastic RSC-is there any other kind? Although its pretty obvious that all megaliths are heavy, the first thing I thought on stepping out of the trees is 'Wow, this is big.' A real feeling of scale is given by this site, assisted by the fact that the remaining standing stones are all over 6 feet.
A real use of colour was again made here: the embanking stones being a mixture of pink & grey granite, the circle stones all grey. The recumbent, huge and pitted was obviously set in place 'just so'. It would have lain much easier rotated around 180 degrees, but the use of chocking stones to achieve a particular relationship with the horizon is very obvious.
a23's directions are spot on, and we should be thankful he suffered, so we don't have to ;-) I will just add that ACC have installed some 'Stone Circle' road signs to assist you as you get nearer.
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Great birds-eye view of this site.
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