
The ground is solid, all the ruts and bumps, hard and crunchy under my feet as I climb the hill. And there on the top, small from this angle, is the Witch Stone.
It’s said that witches were burned there in the past.
It’s quiet now. Cold. Peaceful.
Ladybirds are hibernating on the Witch Stone today. I hope they survive the season.

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Good post
Glad you like 🙂
Ever wonder how many women were horribly executed as witches, who we would now diagnose with a mental issue, or were exhibiting odd behavior as a result of a trauma …. or perhaps who totally pissed of an influential man in a male dominant culture? Pity the poor woman who was a bit of a free spirit and reveled in non-conformity! 🙂
Absolutely! There are some extraordinary cases where the accused exhibited many signs of mental illness.
So I guess that, contrary to what I often think, we have made some progress as a species! 🙂
Yes 🙂
One important component many do not consider: many of these women were healers. They had knowledge of plants and herbs that would mitigate pain. Several made a business of this thus information was not shared in the interests of profit. It was easy for ultra-right religious factions to find reasons for persecution. Anything familiar here?
It’s such a complex subject with so many reasons for accusation. Studying it has been utterly fascinating. But yes, sometimes it was set up to get rid of, or even acquire the money of, particular women.
Short but memorable!
I love the way you have photographed the stone amongst the desolation of the felling. What a strange place for ladybirds to hibernate.
Difficult women were easily removed in the days of the witch finders.
I know, it’s not at all sheltered for them!
Lovely post!
Thank you 🙂
A haunted mood to this. Lovely writing.
I’m glad you like it 🙂
Veru beautiful. Great photography too
Thanks 🙂
Terrible place now at peace – love the ladyburd bugs hibernating….
They are cute there.
Im bewitched by your photography skills and potently simple words.
Kind regards from Kavita in Sunshiny South Africa.
Thank you 🙂
A great, but haunting post. Thanks so much for sharing.
I’m glad you like 🙂
It was excellent. Thanks for sharing!
This looks so desolate, as if the earth beneath it knew what transpired here.
The frost picked everything out perfectly,
Fascinating.
Glad you like 🙂
Interesting article Ailish.Thank you.
Glad you liked it 🙂
That ladybird photo is breathtaking. Thank you for sharing.
I find it amazing that they’re there!
Lovely – always wondered where they went!
Not sure they made the best choice in this case!
Great photos the one with the lady bug creates amazing contrast of color and between life and death.
A grim reminder of dark days.
I was amazed to find the ladybirds there!
yes potent words and pics, well done!
Thank you 🙂
you’re most welcome 🙂
Kudos to your photography…. Pics looks stunning,…
Thank you 🙂
I love your style.
Thank you, Valiant Soul
My pleasure.
Aah I used to live in this forest with the Witch Stone, in a small house called Pundlers Croft. I have no idea if it’s still there, this was back in the early 2000s. I found your blog searching for pictures of the Witch Stone! A friend and I used to walk up there with our dogs. The legend is that they would tie the witches to the stone and slit their throats before rolling them down the hill into the loch below, aptly named ‘Red Loch’.
Yes, all still here! I hadn’t heard the ‘rolling down the hill’ part of the legend before. It sounds a similar tale to that of the Forres witch stone: https://ailishsinclair.com/2024/02/macbeths-hillock-and-the-three-witches/
The pictures are distinct and the azure sky is in a wonderful contrast with the dark counterpart.
It was a lucky capture in the last few seconds of phone battery!
GREAT LADYBUG PICTURE!!!!! I hope they make to Spring.
So do I!
Thank you for choosing to follow my blog!
Looking forward to reading!
Evocative post.
Of course, a lot of the accused ‘witches’ were the medicine women herbalists and midwives of old, unfortunately. We lost a lot of medical knowledge, particularly on women’s health and pregnancy, for centuries through their persecution…
Terrible times 🙁
Very, very powerful magic…
Haunting yet peaceful photos
These did come out well.
what a lovely blog… really… we call them lady bugs here… and lady bird is by far the better. . .
Bug is a more accurate word, really
accurate, but not delightful. 🙂
Nice shots. And I didn’t realize ladybugs hibernated out in the open like that. Interesting.
There seem to be an awful lot of them around this year.
That’s interesting I’ve always called them ladybirds and never gave it a thought that they could be called bugs ,which of course they are ,but I am from Australia ! .
That’s interesting that you also call them ladybirds!
I feel this is because of the nursery rhyme around when I was a kid ,and that’s long ago ,was Ladybird Ladybird by Mother goose ,only we had the children burnt instead of gone ! .
Sometimes the original versions of nursery rhymes are more brutal!
so well done 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Your ladybugs (birds) seem at once both peaceful and desperate. Love that pic. Well done.
Lovely lady birds/bugs.
Such an eye to find ladybirds sleeping.
Not seen since!