Perthshire

Craig Hill, Kenmore, Perthshire

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Hut Circle: OS Grid Reference – NN 81327 45039

Getting Here

From Kenmore village, just as you’re going out of the village towards Aberfeldy (A827 road), turn right as if you’re going on the minor road on the south-side of Loch Tay. Almost immediately on this road, turn left and take the tiny, steep road uphill towards Amulree. After 2½ miles uphill, the road begins to level out and a small loch is on your left (north). Just past it, on the same side, a track runs onto the moors. Walk along here for nearly a mile where the track splits: keep to your left and the track follows the line of walling. Now’s the hard bit: after literally ⅔-mile, walk downhill and cross the burn (stream), then less than 50 yards up the slope on the other side, zigzag around…

Archaeology & History

Overlooking a small (unnamed) burn immediately to the right and a large wide marshy hollow to the front, is this small and seemingly singular hut circle, in a good state of preservation, surrounded by the scattered mass of cup-and-ring stones—some complex, some very plain—all over this moorland slope. It’s a very long journey to take just to visit a single hut circle, but I’d assume that you’d be wanting to see the petroglyphs surrounding it too—so mebbe have a look at this whilst you’re fondling the rock art!

Internally this is quite a small circle, measuring barely 5 yards (east-west) by 6 yards (north-south), seemingly with its entrance on the north. Its small size suggests it was constructed for the use of just one person; two at the very most. The structure is still in very good condition considering its age (possibly Bronze Age), with minimal damage apart from Nature’s wind and weathering. The circle is made up primarily of a number of large rocks with many filling stones, with the walling being a yard or so wide all round. In all likelihood, the rest of the building would have been made of timber, with a typical tented roof. It’s an excellent spot to base yourself to explore all the cup-and-ring stones on these slopes. Perhaps, just perhaps, this might have been a shaman’s hut, looking over the ancestral images on the rocks hereby…. ♥

Urlar Burn (4), Aberfeldy, Perthshire

08/10/202511/10/2025 megalithix

Cup-Marked Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 81875 44068

Getting Here

Take the long steep zigzag road from Kenmore to Amulree, and just where the road begins to level out, park up near the isolated hut by the roadside at the side of the lochan. Just past here, a track on your left takes you onto the moors, past the lochan. Nearly a mile along the track splits: bear to the right, uphill slightly, then it’ll wind downhill and you’ll pass another track on your right. Ignore it, keep walking along and where you find a grassy little passing-place on your right—stop! Now walk uphill, onto the moor, through the heather for 175 yards and the land has levelled out. Look around!

Archaeology & History

I came across this very basic carving when checking out a couple of others close by and found that it hadn’t been recorded before. It’s nothing special to look at, but is an outlier of the main Craig Hill cluster of carvings a few hundred yards to the west. The design consists of at least two cup-marks that have been etched near the top of the rock, although when I wet the stone it seemed as if a third one was next to the other two, as if in a line. The sun was at its peak when I found it, which meant that I couldn’t get any decent photographs to illustrate this—even when I watered the olde thing! It’s another carving that will only be of interest to the real petroglyph fanatics amongst you.

St. Bride’s Well, Pitlochry, Perthshire

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**Holy Well (destroyed): OS Grid Reference – NN 9397 5770**

Archaeology & History

It was more than a hundred years ago that the waters of this sacred well fell back to Earth. They emerged above the eastern side of the River Tummel, close to the bridge where previous there had been a local ferry at the site known as Port-na-Craig. The mythic history of the ferry and the holy well went hand-in-hand, according to local tradition. Its lore was was spelled out by the local author and historian Hugh Mitchell in a speech he gave when a new bridge was opened here in 1913. He said:

The Well was on the far side of the bridge

“The ferry at Port-na-Craig, though not as old as many ferries in Scotland, bears the respectable antiquity of something like eight hundred years. It was established by the monks of Coupar Angus when they got a gift of the lands of Fonab, and as Coupar Angus lay on the north side of the river Tummel, they established the ferry in order to have communication. In those days the ferry boat was made of skins stretched on branches or twigs, so it was somewhat dangerous to cross in, and the monks thought that they would improve the occasion by dedicating the well near the old ferry to St. Bride, so that people, when they ventured across the ferry, might propitiate the saint. It was customary for people to drop either a small coin or a brass pin into the well. He was afraid that brass pins rather prevailed, and no doubt, St. Bride, being a lady, would find them more useful. The well remained until recent times, when it had, unfortunately, to be filled up, on account of being contaminated by neighbouring fields.”

For “fields”, read sewage—for that was the actual reason it was closed. Mr Mitchell (1923) told as much in his subsequent history of Pitlochry, saying that “sewage was percolating into it.” John Dixon (1925) echoed the same thing a few years later.

The curative and magickal properties of St Bride’s Well had considerable renown for local people. Mitchell told that:

“It had a great reputation at one time for cases of lung disease… Pins and coins were dropped into the well as votive offerings, and the bushes above it were hung with rags to call the attention of the saint to the sufferer.”

A few miles north from here, at the back of Blair Castle, an old church is dedicated to St. Bride, whose celebration date is February 1. “The day was known as Candlemas in the Highlands,” wrote Mrs Banks, saying, in commemoration of the Celtic Brigit, “Feill Bride, the festival of Bride, displaced the festival of Mary.”

References:

Dixon, John H., Pitlochry, Past and Present, L. Mackay: Pitlochry 1925.
MacKay, L., Atholl Illustrated, L. MacKay: Pitlochry 1912.
Mitchell, Hugh, Pitlochry District: Its Topography, Archaeology and History, L. Mackay: Pitlochry 1923.

Clach Mhor, Aberfeldy, Perthshire

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Cup-Marked Stone (destroyed): OS Grid Reference – NN 8575 4901

Also Known as:

Clachmore

Archaeology & History

The Clach Mhor, or the Big Stone, is all but forgotten as an antiquarian relic in Aberfeldy. It’s history is somewhat piecemeal. First described in Hugh MacMillan (1884)’s essay on local cup-and-ring stones, he told that:

“A short distance above the village of Aberfeldy, where General Wade’s old road emerges from the houses, a huge stone, called the Clach Mhor, lies on the left-hand side in a slanting position half erect, as if supported by the garden wall of which it forms a part. …In all likelihood it originally stood erect, and formed one of a group of similar stones, its companions having been broken up in the formation of the road. …On the upper face there are some small cup-markings, not quite so well formed as usual, owing to the hardness of the material… The fact that they occur on only one side of the stone, and are scattered indiscriminately all over its surface, are sufficient to convince any one who is skilled in the subject that they are genuine specimens of prehistoric sculpture.”

Nearly thirty years after this initial description, MacMillan (1901) found that it had previously been a part of The Tullich stone circle, and following its destruction the Clach Mhor was moved and used as “part of a garden wall on the old military road passing along its base.”

More than fifty years later, the Aberfeldy historian N.D. Mackay (1954) told that up to 1910 the Clach Mhor was a conspicuous object, standing “as it were overlooking and to some extent overhanging the roadway down near the Square.” However, it

“was blasted and broken up in 1910 in the course of road widening operations, but a considable part of it was built into, and still forms the lower corner of, the garden boundary wall, nearest The Square, of the house which bears its name, ‘Clachmhor’. Its present position is slightly east of the site it occupied when I first knew it and, unless Wade’s men did actually move it, the site it occupied for centuries.”

Mackay also mentioned what he called the “indentations” on the stone which MacMillam deemed as cup-marks, but he pointed out that one Rev. John MacLean “believed they were made by the levers, jacks, etc, of (General) Wade’s men” when they cut the road into Aberfeldy in the 18th century, whilst

“A third solution was given by the son of a one-time local strong man called Big Robert, “What a strong man my father was,” he said, “he lifted that stone. Don’t you see the marks of his fingers on it?””

It’s not known what became of the Clach Mhor and whether it remains hiding in some walling, or whether it has met its demise….

References:

Mackay, N.D., Aberfeldy Past and Present, Town Council: Aberfeldy 1954.
MacMillan, Hugh, “Notice of Cup-Marked Stones near Aberfeldy”, in Proceedings Society of Antiquaries Scotland, volume 18, 1884.
MacMillan, Hugh, The Highland Tay, Virtue: London 1901.

Glen Ogle, Lochearnhead, Perthshire

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Cup-and-Ring Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 58727 24527

Getting Here

In Lochearnhead village start walking up the Glen Ogle road and, just past the last house on the right, a dirt-track bends down to an old building. Just before the building, keep your eyes peeled for the small footpath that runs down to the river. Walk along here and cross the river-bridge, then bear diagonally to your left and walk up the singular footpath. It snakes through the trees for a few hundred yards then opens out into a field. About 75 yards along the path in the field the land levels out. From here, walk through the grasses to your right about 20 yards. Zigzag about – you’ll find it.

Archaeology & History

The setting of this carving is, like many of Perthshire’s petroglyphs, quite beautiful. It was made when the ‘artist’ carving the stone was crouched or sat on the ground, gazing at the southern landscape and heights around Ben Vorlich, whose mythic nature may have been part of the design.

Comprising of a cluster of typical cup-marks, there are two, perhaps three very faint rings in the design, which seems to have been described for the first time in George Currie’s (2012) typically short minimalist way. He told that in the field,

“50m E of the Ogle Burn is a boulder 2.1 x 0.9 x 0.5m, which bears 21 cup marks, 2 of which have single rings.”

Much of the original design is difficult to see in full unless the lighting is good. We spent several hours here and counted 25 cup-marks and found rings around three of them—but these proved difficult to photograph and some more visits are needed to capture them. “Officially” at least, there are no other carvings close to this one. But that’s obviously not going to be the case. Well worth checking out when you’re in the area.

References:

Currie, George, “Stirling: Balquhidder, Glen Ogle – Cup-and ring-marked rock”, in Discovery & Excavation Scotland, volume 13 (New Series), 2012.

The Tullich, Aberfeldy, Perthshire

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Stone Circle (destroyed): OS Grid Reference – NN 857 489

Archaeology & History

In an early essay on the rock art around Aberfeldy, Hugh MacMillan (1884) remarked on what he thought was a tumulus on the southern slope above the town and where a large old petroglyph once lived. Subsequently (MacMillan 1901), in his beautiful artistic foray through upper Tayside, he revised his earlier remarks telling that:

“On the side of a high, tree-covered hillock, rising up abruptly behind the central part of Aberfeldy, called the Tullich, there was once a Druidical circle, one of the huge stones of which, called the Clachmore, forms part of a garden wall on the old military road passing along its base.”

The circle was mentioned in Mackay’s (1954) excellent work, albeit in the past tense, and he could add no more to it other than his memory of the whereabouts of the Clach Mhor (as it was more accurately known), on which were numerous cup-markings. (Note: the grid-reference to this site is an approximation)

Folklore

In bygone times the people of Aberfeldy observed the celebration of Samhain, the old pre-christian New Year’s Day—a.k.a. Hallowe’en—on November 11th. Interestingly for us, “bonfires were numerous and there was always a great blaze on the Tullich,” said Dr John Kennedy. (1901) Considering the small area of The Tullich, it would be unusual if such festivities did not have some relationship with the stone circle. Samhain relates primarily to the passing over of the dead in the cycle of the year: the spirits of the ancestors moving through the worlds. If this circle had such a relationship with the bonfires, it may have been a ring cairn and not a free-standing stone circle.

References:

Kennedy, John, Old Highland Days, Religious Tract Society 1901.
Mackay, N.D., Aberfeldy Past and Present, Town Council: Aberfeldy 1954.
MacMillan, Hugh, “Notice of Cup-Marked Stones near Aberfeldy”, in Proceedings Society of Antiquaries Scotland, volume 18, 1884.
MacMillan, Hugh, The Highland Tay, Virtue: London 1901.

Urlar Burn (8), Aberfeldy, Perthshire

31/07/202511/10/2025 megalithix

Cup-and-Ring Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 83297 45845

Getting Here

Take the A826 Crieff Road uphill for 275 yards then turn right up the Urlar Road. It’s a long uphill walk from here, up the private road, through and past Urlar Farm and along the track; making sure you keep to the west-side of the burn – don’t cross over it! Beyond the farm, the fields open up ahead of you into the distant hills. Keep along the track until, after a few hundred yards, on the left by the waters, the first small copse of trees appears. (if you reach the bothy, you’ve gone way to far) Here, walk towards the waters and you’ll see good-sized boulder sticking out of the ground and overlooking the burn below. That’s it.

Archaeology & History

This faded but decent cup-and-ring design, cut into an overhanging rock where you’d sit and dangle your legs, was first described by George Currie (2009) who, in his typically minimalist style told that it “bears 17 cups, 4 of which have single rings.” There may be more to it, but some of the stone is heavily covered in vegetation and on my visit here, the summer heat overwhelmed my ability to gain a complete picture of the surface.

Most of the design is near the western earthfast end of the stone. A long natural scratch in the rock, seemingly enhanced by the hand of man, separates at least three shallow cup-marks on one side (north) from the greater mass of the design on the other —which is where all the cup-and-rings can be seen. One of the rings is incomplete, whilst another has a natural crack running up to its outer edge, which may have been played around with slightly when the carving was first made.

I liked it here – and spent an hour or so under the bright sun before the heat pushed me away, to bathe in the pool below for a while…. Check it out when you’re looking at the other carvings in the neighbourhood

Folklore

Although there’s nothing specific about this stone, the burn to the side of the carving was haunted by an old urisk in times gone by: an elemental creature from Scottish fairy lore who inhabited lonely streams and waterfalls. The urisk of Urlar Burn was known as Brunaidh an Easain (his brother, Peallaidh, of greater renown, lived in the gorge of Moness close to Aberfeldy) and this spot may have been one of his abodes. Urisks are associated in some places with cup-marked stones, in which offerings of milk were given to placate them — and this is a good site for any urisk to look over his winding waters….

References:

Currie, George, “Perth and Kinross: Dull: Urlar Burn 1-4,” in Discovery & Excavation Scotland (new series), volume 10, 2009.

Urlar Burn (6), Aberfeldy, Perthshire

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Cup-Marked Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 82540 45022

Getting Here

Take the A826 Crieff Road uphill for 275 yards then turn right up the Urlar Road. It’s a long uphill walk from here, up the private road, through and past Urlar Farm and along the track (keeping to the west-side of the burn), past the impressive Urlar Burn (8) carving, until you eventually reach the bothy, 3¼ miles (5.2km) up from where you first turned off the A826. Walk 70 yards past the bothy then into the heather on your left where a large couch-shaped boulder stands. The carved rock is a couple of yards on the floor in front of you.

Archaeology & History

An unimpressive faint cup-marked stone consisting of between two and five shallow cups that are difficult to make out unless lighting conditions are good – and even then they’re troublesome! It was first noted by George Currie (2009) how described it simply as: “a rock 2.0 x 1. x 0.2m between Urlar Burn and Hill Park track bears five cup marks.” There are much more impressive carvings in this neck o’ the woods that you’ll want to see ahead of this one!

Folklore

Although there’s nothing specific about this stone, the burn to the side of the carving was haunted by an old urisk in times gone by: an elemental creature from Scottish fairy lore who inhabited lonely streams and waterfalls. The urisk of Urlar Burn was known as Brunaidh an Easain (his brother, Peallaidh, of greater renown, lived in the gorge of Moness close to Aberfeldy) and was likely to have lived further downstream from here. They are associated in some places with cup-marked stones, where offerings of milk were given to placate them.

References:

Currie, George, “Perth and Kinross: Dull: Urlar Burn (3),” in Discovery & Excavation Scotland (new series), volume 10, 2009.

Balrobbie, Killicrankie, Perthshire

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Cup-Marked Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 90884 62571

Getting Here

Roughly halfway between Blair Atholl and Pitlochry on the B8079 road is the village of Killiecrankie where, at the junction, you should take the road which leads you over the River Garry. Crossing the river, follow the minor road swerving to the right and after nearly 200 yards bear left up the very minor road. 200 yards up there’s a hairpin bend; keep going up for about another 150 yards then walk into the overgrown grassland on your right where, just above an old hawthorn, a single notable rock protrudes. Y’ can’t really miss it!

Archaeology & History

On my visit here recently, the day was grey and overcast which, in tandem with there being a reasonably decent cover of mosses living on the stone, prevented me from seeing the complete design of this petroglyph. I was thankful that it’s not an overly impressive one, so couldn’t be too disappointed. It was was rediscovered in recent years by George Currie (2005) on one of his many forays, which, in his typically evocative language, he described as: “Rock, 1.5 x 0.9 x 0.7m, a few metres W of the Tenandry road; 24 cups, largest 50 x 18mm.” Most of the cup-marks are a good depth and easy to see when you’re stood next to it. Sadly my photos didn’t manage to capture them too well.

A notable hut circle can be seen a short distance away up the slope, barely visible in the summertime. The carving may have been executed by the people living there. This is the only recorded cup-marked stone anywhere near here which, as rock art junkies will tell you, is unusual. Where there’s one, others tend to be living close by. Happy hunting!

References:

Currie, George, “Perth and Kinross: Balrobbie,” in Discovery & Excavation Scotland, volume 6 (New Series) 2005.

Acknowledgements: Huge thanks for use of the Ordnance Survey map in this site profile, reproduced with the kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.

Ledard Burn (2), Kinlochard, Aberfoyle, Perthshire

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Cup-Marked Stone: OS Grid Reference – NN 459 035 (?)

Archaeology & History

In Miss Maitland’s (1935) article on the Ledard Stone carving, she also made a brief mention of “another cup-marked stone (that) lies on the edge of the burn, beyond the one described, above Loch Ard.” She gave no further information about this second stone. It remains lost and sounds to be only a short distance further uphill and on the west-side of the burn. If any local explorers are able to find this carving please let us know and, if possible, add some info and photos of it on our Facebook page. (the grid-reference for this site profile is an approximation)

References:

Maitland, Mrs, “Cup Marked Stones”, in The Scottish Country Woman, 1935.