Aberdeenshire help

Aberdeenshire 30

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Vicster Jan 13, 2008 16:52:43

OK folks,I know that you all love pointing others in the right direction, so......am planning a 5 day trip to Aberdeenshire in June (I like to plan ahead!) purely stone-hunting. I've looked at lots of sites that I am keen to check out but what I really need to know is:

1) Where to stay? Ideally somewhere within v close distance to a site or 2, so we can wander round in the evenings and are not always confinmed to the car. This would especially useful as we will be there for solstice.

2) is there anything I REALLY SHOULDN'T MISS? Any hidden gems you know about that would be easy for me to miss?

3) The best site to spend the solstice?

Any help what-so-ever will be appreciated as I haven't been to this neck of the woods before. I place myself in your ever-helpful hands

Cheers

petplanet Jan 13, 2008 20:06:55

Replying to Vicster

Hello there. I used to live in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, but moved back to East Lancs about nine years ago, so I daren't give you any hotel advice, as it'll be out of date!! One thing though.....it's VERY rural, and when I lived there if I was "without car" it was impossible to get around, apart from local walks of course...you need someone who's just visited,or indeed lives in the area to give you advice on somewhere to stay. You won't be disappointed with Aberdeenshire. If you can spare the time, climb Bennachie ( a hill near to Inverurie) and check out the coast, it's fantastic. Banff's a good bet for a stroll on the beach, or Portsoy for a look. Make sure you buy a good map of the area, or you'll get lost for fun!! I'd move back for tuppence, to be honest. But heed my advice on the map.......buy a good 'un.Er, that's it!

Jane Jan 14, 2008 18:33:39

Replying to Vicster

Hi there Vix

My blogs about Aberdeenshire are here. You might find some interesting stuff among this lot, and certainly about what might be do-able in a day.

Hot stuff in Aberdeenshire: the pleasure and the pain:
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/48981/weblog/

Hot stuff in Aberdeenshire: fried brain overload:
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/48971/weblog/

Hot stuff in Aberdeenshire: stone-baked:
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/48959/weblog/

You asked ‘Where to stay?’ We stayed at the Rothie Inn, a pub in Rothiemay I think it was. Very central to many sites.

You asked ‘is there anything I REALLY SHOULDN'T MISS?’ Sunhoney, Sunhoney, Sunhoney!!!!

You asked ‘The best site to spend the solstice?” Easter Arquoithies (can’t spell it!) or Sunhoney! More advice coming from Moth shortly…

Oooh you're going to have SUCH a fab time. Happy planning!
J
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postman Jan 14, 2008 19:49:41

Replying to Vicster

I'm sure janes blogs have put you on to a goodun, sunhoney is gorgeous, and just down the road from Midmar Kirk. If your driving there through the Cairngorms try and see the Spittal of Glenshee. Then when your on megalithic meltdown take a morning off and go see Dunnotar castle near Stonehaven (mel gibson starred in Hamlet at this castle ooooh)

Moth Jan 15, 2008 00:22:56

Replying to Vicster

I'd strongly recommend Inverurie (or somewhere near it) as a base - good for the Dunideer circles and for heading south to the ones near Aberdeen. And not too bad for the ones further up north.

It's also deffo the place other than Aberdeen itself (which for a biggish city is also a nice place) for restaurants - had a nice curry there....

Must sees that I can think of are East(er) Aquhorthies, Loanhead of Daviot, Midmar Kirk, Sunhoney, (Cullerlie's quite nice & near the last 2 altho way over-restored), Tyrebagger, Tom(e)naverie (& nearby Culsh Souterrain), Rothiemay, Castle Frazer/Balgorkar.

There are a few really good ones that hardly anyone goes to -Sheldon/Shieldon, Clune Hill, Netherton & particularly, North Strone and South Ythsie spring to mind, as well as (the weird) Shethin. (I liked Druidstones too, but others might be disappointed….)

Clothiemuir Wood (& nearby Old Keig), Image Wood, Strichen, Aikey Brae, Auchquhorthies (& to a lesser extent Auld Bourtreebush next door) Backhill of Drachlaw, Thorax and Yonder Bognie Wardend are all well worth seeing. Nine Stanes is cool & if you see that, the Esslies (Greater & Lesser) are worth a look. Whitehills is ok but didn't grab me, personally.

Deer Park is a nice 4-poster but quite difficult to reach. Broomend of Crichie is a henge & right by Inverurie, so worth a look.

To 'do' the Dunnideer thang around Insch (Stonehead, Dunideer, Candle Hill, Wantonwells, Inschfield, Hatton of Ardoyne, Old Rayne etc) is really interesting, but most of 'em are pretty trashed in themselves.

Loadsastuff in some of the threads indexed here (I've mostly copied what I've said before above) http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/forum/?s_id=437

I've probably forgotten some….

love

Moth

Penske666 Jan 15, 2008 11:13:18

Replying to Vicster

I always find Google images really useful:

http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk

http://www.coflein.gov.uk/showcasehispy.html

http://www.arcl.ed.ac.uk/arch/fschool/white.htm

Are just three Neolithic sites/detailed web pages. Is there any specific time period/objects you are looking for?

Chris Jan 15, 2008 21:35:47

Replying to Vicster

What Moth said ;-)

I'd also add Berrybrae & Loudon Wood, and with shameless self-promotion point you here:

http://bigstone.awardspace.com/aberdeenshireindex.html

I've tried to add some tips on finding & parking etc. where appropriate.

Inverurie would be a very good spot to stay as it's very central & has good bus links, an actual real live railway station and plenty of places to eat.

A car would make life an awful lot easier, even if you only rent one for a day or too, but this page will help you if on foot:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~lib266/stones/main.htm

East AQ will be heaving with hippies & crystal botherers* on the Solstice, so you may find more solace on one of the more remote sites-archaeolink is also worth a look for a rest day, but pricey.

Aberdeenshire: More than you'll ever see in a dozen visits!

* ;-)

PS, RCAHMS have just released a new book, 'In the shadow of Bennachie', it's £30 but well worth it.

tiompan Jan 15, 2008 22:39:08

Replying to Vicster

If you do decide to stay at Inverurie the nearby Broomend of Crichie , as well as being the site of a henge also boasts the remains of a stone circle (there were two ) an avenue and a recently discovered timber circle . Often overlooked it was obviously a major landscape .

drewbhoy Jan 9, 2010 20:58:07

Replying to Vicster

oops

faerygirl Jan 11, 2010 22:31:57

Replying to Vicster

YAY! I'm off to Aberdeenshire in 2 weeks (I must be a sucker for punishment, was it really -20degrees at the weekend??!!) so all these links have come in everso helpful!

If I find anything lovely, I will let you know ;)

Thanks folks
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