Old Rayne, I'm so glad I meet you at last, Old Rayne.

Old Rayne, five thousand years have past, Old Rayne (to be continued)

A fallen flanker joins its earth stone, the giant green recumbent

This is a DOOBRIE. Eight gigantic circle stones and a reclining submarine recumbent in full sight of Mither Tap, Dunnideer and Tap O'Noth. Yes, it is a LENS, my third today (if you include Dunnideer RSC where I had lunch), It's F'ing enormous. Tooled to perfection. It even has a "lug" which would have fitted perfectly inside a notch cut out of the flanker. See photos below.

A flat, broad disc shaped recumbent, now sadly fallen but complete and ready to stand again!

The flanker has fallen at 90 degrees to the recumbent, but I couldn't fail to notice the obvious fit between the stones, given the highly worked notch cut into the flanker and the rounded lug tooled out of the recumbent. As both stones were destined… — The flanker has fallen at 90 degrees to the recumbent, but I couldn't fail to notice the obvious fit between the stones, given the highly worked notch cut into the flanker and the rounded lug tooled out of the recumbent. As both stones were destined to stand together, this system would have locked them together for a good four thousand seven hundred years, until some bright spark got it inside his head to knock them over.

What the recumbent might have looked like when it stood. Much like a wall of stone. The singularity of this obvious man-made structure still deconstructs reality for me. Ah, sweetness.

The hilltops of Mither Tap form the impressive backdrop to this neolithic temple.

The recumbent and its flankers are having a kip - waiting to be woken?

THOUGHTS ON THE MOON ALIGNMENT THEORY OF RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLES

The Architect had visited the people of Old Rayne with a view to them building a recumbent stone circle...

"Soo, as I was saying ta yer mate over there, yae got tae help me oot here. You and yer hardest workers. Got tae handle lifting shite heavier than the cast a fuckin' Eastenders too eh.

I'll personally guarantee ye a miracle for all ye hand shaggin' work. Listen, ye see that moon up there, eh? Aye that thing. In eighteen years time, not a minute fucking moor or less, it will COME DOON from the sky, it will HOVER, and I shit you not, it will SET upon the top of one a them wee stones.

The top of the recumbent! It will be like God himself kicked a fitba' straight intae the net from fiftae yads eh?! You won't regret it. Ye have to remember tae stand back a bit, eh, and not let little Scottie climb all over it at the crucial moment, or those eighteen years might as well have passed having yer arse raped by a pine martin. Got it?
So, well have a deal then eh?"

The response came immediately: "YOO MUST BE OOT OF YER FUCKIN' MIND SON!!!!"

Hence why Aubrey Burl's moon "maximum Southern moon setting" theory doesn't wash with me.

Mar 8, 2017

Tyrebagger / Dyce

Extraordinary heavy metal circle near Aberdeen Dyce airport. One of the finest, most complete monuments of its kind. The growing urbanisation surrounding it cannot hold this druidic temple back.

Bennachie / Mither Tap

The high hill ridge of Bennachie is visible from all around Aberdeenshire. Its summit, Mither Tap, has a pronounced profile made all the more outrageous by its forbidding hillfort, which archaeologists believe was the seat of a Pictish King (AD800-1100 roughly). This is an extreme location at the centre of a Kingdom of earthly paradise.

Mar 7, 2017

Kenmay and Kintore

South Ley Lodge, Wester Echt, Nether Corskie, South Fornet and Nether Coullie are a few of the RSCs found between Kenmay, Kintore and Monymusk. I didn't have time to visit each one but have included some photos.

Clune Wood

A beautiful circle at the edge of Clune Wood near Banchory. It retains most of its original settings; is located in managed forestry and has a peaceful air (as all stone circles do; it's in their nature and their design). There is nothing imposing about the location or the circle itself; this was for a small and modest community I imagine.

Mar 6, 2017

Pictish Symbol Stones

Pictish stone carvings (classified according to their period and style) are found throughout Aberdeenshire incised into stone menhirs (standing stones). Many such stones have been moved form their original locations but the majority are still in open air and free to access. Like stone circles, the abstract nature of their symbolism leaves them wide open to interpretation.

Tomnagorn

Peaceful RSC set in an area reminiscent of Middle Earth. Finely shaped standing stones surround the magnificent recumbent and flankers, one of which has broken. Feels very much like a family circle.

Tap O'Noth Hillfort

The second highest hillfort in Scotland, Tap O'Noth is also a prominent landmark which commands exceptional views over the Grampians. Views reach deep into the Cairngorms to the West. The hillfort itself is high, isolated and barren.

Hatton of Ardoyne

RSC on hilltop location near Insch with spectacular views South over the Grampians, Dunnideer and Mither Tap (and Tap O'Noth if you must). The recumbent is in good condition but leaning precariously. It would be judicious to reinforce its base to save it from toppling. Finely worked flanker.

Old Rayne

Fine example of the "lens" family of recumbents, with oversized flankers in reasonable condition overall. With a bit of TLC this monument would stand as an almost perfect example of its kind.

LENSES TO ANOTHER WORLD - THE RECUMBENT STONE CIRCLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE