Blue Cairn

Also known as:
Balronald Wood
Nearest town:
Ballater (11km SSW)
OS reference:
NJ411063
OS sheet:
37
Latitude:
57° 8' 37.82 N
Longitude:
2° 58' 24.43 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Blue Cairn (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

From a’top the cairn. Quite a substantial one, too.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2016
Image of Blue Cairn (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Kerb stones or (earlier?) stone circle? The recumbent can be seen top centre

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2016
Image of Blue Cairn (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

And looking along the recumbent in the opposite direction...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2016
Image of Blue Cairn (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Looking along the recumbent... a wonderful microcosm with all sorts of stuff going on... if one can be arsed to look.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2016
Image of Blue Cairn (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Certainly looks like a stone circle from here...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2016
Image of Blue Cairn (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

The recumbent... was this an RSC with massive internal cairn.... or a kerbed cairn with added recumbent?

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2016
Image of Blue Cairn (Stone Circle) by GLADMAN

Approaching the cairn.... wonderful setting in a woodland clearing.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 30, 2016

Articles

Blue Cairn

thelonious
thelonious Jan 14, 2012

14/01/2012 – We left car at NJ 4186 0582. Walked west then north past Ladieswell cottage. The circle is 400m further on, just off to the left of the track. Last time here the RSC was nearly hidden with bracken. Today it was easier to see with everything died back. Very cold start (-5). This is an odd circle with a recumbent but no flankers. The recumbent seems to lay below the cairn on the slope of the hill. The rest of the stones are nearly lost in the cairn. Lovely setting in a wood. Winter visit (if possible) is better for this one, due to the amount of bracken.

Blue Cairn

drewbhoy
drewbhoy Jun 15, 2009

Head north from Logie Coldstone on the A97 and turn left at Loanhead Farm. Parking can be found at the end of the tarred section of this road. Taking advantage of a rather pleasant day I walked from here taking the first right past Ladieswell Cottage. The circle is short walk from here. A small path, to the left, leads to the site which consists of a remarkable recumbent stone, inner cairn, circle stones and a dyked pen. (I’m not really sure what this is) At one time this had been fenced but time had taken its toll. The Ladies Well spring is a short distance to the south.

From here I continued my walk in a circular fashion, no pun intended, arriving at Balgrennie. The residents here explained that several visits had been made by Historic Scotland people with a view to restoration. Nothing has happened yet which is maybe a good thing as at this site history and nature seem to be at ease with each other. The forest and ferns giving the place a real sense of time.

Visted 12/6/09.

Blue Cairn

greywether
greywether Nov 2, 2005

Surrounded by trees and overgrown with bracken, this unprepossessing site is rather puzzling.

It is listed as a recumbent stone circle and there is certainly a large (3.4m long) recumbent stone in the right location. There is no evidence of the flankers and the recumbent, which currently lies in a position with a flat level surface uppermost, doesn’t look like your typical RSC recumbent.

There are some circle stones although they were difficult to find in the bracken. The centre is filled with a massive cairn which towers above the recumbent.

Visited 21 October 2005

Sites within 20km of Blue Cairn

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