I walked past the sign to Strichen Stone Circle on my road to winter journey on Saturday. That’s actually as close as I got to the stones. It was just a wee trip out.
Strichen Stone Circle
I’ve been many times before, though, so here we go.
Every time I’ve visited this site, it’s been a dull day. But the stones are still majestic and bold.
This circle was knocked down in the 19th century, then put back in the wrong place, then built into a folly, then excavated, and finally placed back in its original position in 1982.
The recumbent looks like it may have been used for something at some point, to hold a post possibly?
You can see the old burnt-out Strichen House from the circle.
Set in 1st century Scotland, the novel includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The story features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance…
Elizabeth Felt, a lecturer in English at the University of Wisconsin, had this to say about it: “The tone of this book is amazing. At the beginning, the narrator is mute, and the book feels so quiet, so in touch with the earth and stone and air and water… Amazing writing. Excellent story. Highly recommend.” See the whole review here.
Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, and some exclusive photos. If you would rather just hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
Gight Castle may be one of the lesser known castles of Aberdeenshire, but it has a rich, if somewhat bleak, history with many of its owners dying prematurely. Built in the 15th century by the Gordon family, it’s the ancestral home of Lord Byron. A ghostly piper is said to haunt the ruins. The nearby Hagberry Pot in the River Ythan is said to be bottomless and full of treasure!
Walking Around Gight Castle
The quines took a walk. We started in Methlick and strolled through the Braes of Gight woods, across fields and along roads. This was the long way to do it: there is a car park relatively near to the castle. First view:
The castle was surrounded by barbed wire and there were ‘enter at your own risk’ signs.
In we went:
Great windows:
We were careful not to wake Sleeping Beauty. Or the ghostly piper.
I was most impressed by this brave little tree:
Hagberry Pot
Then, taking the circular route, we headed off down to the river and tried to work out which bit was the Hagberry Pot. Nowhere looked very bottomless or a good hiding place for jewels, but this seemed the most likely site by the bridge:
The 7th Laird of Gight threw his jewels in there when the castle was sacked by the Covenanters. The poor diver who was sent down to retrieve them floated back up to the top in four pieces. There is a more involved version of this story here, featuring the devil. We did not go in.
The walk back along the river was pleasant, if a bit boggy, with glimpses of the Castle up on the hill.
Newsletter
Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, a free story and some exclusive photos. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD
Set in 1st century Scotland, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance…
Taking place mainly in a fictional castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story. There’s 6 chapters of medieval Christmas too.
FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the 600 children and young people who were kidnapped from Aberdeen during the 1740s and sold into indentured servitude in the American Colonies. The story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith from the castle and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s proper derring-dos on the high seas… and there’s chocolate!
Sky. Sea. Sand. Vikings and mermaids. It’s been a summer of these. Even on dull days it’s been warm, and walks on the beach, beautiful. I’m donning the tour guide hat, and we’re going to explore some beaches, cliffs and caves.
Whitehills
Let’s walk the coast route between Banff and Whitehills. We get rained on, but we get a rainbow.
No time to linger at the well today as we’re skipping along to Gardenstown and St John’s Kirk. There it is, up on the hill between cloud shadows.
There is an exciting tale of local ladies winning a battle with the Vikings in 1004 by weaponising their stockings with rocks and sand. Three Viking skulls were subsequently built into the walls of the then under-construction Kirk.
Today it’s a peaceful place, though the landscape is probably much the same as it was during the era of battling lassies and Viking warriors.
New Aberdour
Time for a picnic and an exploration of the various bays at New Aberdour.
Let’s lie on the ground and gaze up at the red rocks and blue sky above.
We watch, entranced, as sand martins dart in and out of their nests. Whoops, forget to cover the homemade pizza so it’s now covered in sand. Never mind, just time for a poke around in a rock pool before we go…
Fraserburgh
Okay. Shoes off. We’re searching for vikings and mermaids. We’re going to race along the golden shore at Fraserburgh, getting the sand right up between our toes. If we’re feeling energetic we can climb Tiger Hill, that large dune to the right, and enjoy enhanced views of the beach and town.
A reflective moment.
St Combs
Calming right down now. We turn the corner. Out comes a book and a bar of chocolate as we sit on the rocks at St Combs.
Walking boots on for this next part…
The Bullers of Buchan: Mermaids!
On we go, past Peterhead, to seek out mermaids at the Bullers of Buchan. There are folk tales of them being spotted here in the cave known as the Sea Cauldron:
It’s actually quite a dangerous place, with cliff edges all round, so do take care.
We’ve come to the end of our coastal odyssey. Just one more stare at that silvery sea from the Bullers, and then it’s home for a cup of hot chocolate.
My Historical Fiction
These novels combine little-known dark events with love stories and a hint of magic.
Go here to sign up for my (roughly monthly) newsletter. It’s a more intimate space than the blog and always includes some exclusive photos. If you would like to hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
The beautiful pink granite Maiden Stone stands near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It is an 8th century Pictish stone. On one side it bears designs favoured by the Picts, such as the comb and mirror, the mysterious Pictish Beast (Dolphin? Elephant? Mermaid? Nobody knows…) and a centaur at the top.
On the other side there is a very worn Celtic Cross, indicating that this may have been an early Christian preaching site.
Maiden Stone Folklore
There’s a rather wonderful tale attached to the stone.
A maid from Durno was baking a batch of bannocks one morning when a handsome man appeared at her door. He bet her that he could build a road up the hill of Bennachie before she could finish baking the bannocks. If he won, she had to marry him. Unfortunately, the man was actually the devil, and he built the road with great speed. The maid ran. He chased after. Just as he caught up to her, she prayed to be turned to stone rather than have to wed him. The notch on the stone is where the devil grabbed her shoulder as she transformed.
The Statue of Persephone
A couple of hundred yards to the west of the Maiden Stone, in the woods, is a statue of Persephone. She was carved from 8.5 tonnes of millstone grit in 1961 by the artist Shaun Crampton, and her story echoes that of the Maiden Stone. In the Greek myth, Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, Goddess of the harvest, was innocently picking daffodils when she was carried off to the underworld by Hades to become his wife.
Zeus decreed that Persephone should be released as long as she had not eaten anything in the underworld. But, poor quine, she had consumed some pomegranate seeds. So she only got to return for six months of the year, the six months of growth and harvest.
The statue holds some pomegranate seeds in one hand, and a mirror like the one on the Maiden Stone in the other.
On the day I visited, someone had left a pomegranate at her feet.
And, like the Maiden Stone, the back of the statue is worth viewing too.
Ariel: Dancing on TV
The night before Ariel, a sixteen-year-old girl with a deformed hand, starts at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland, her mother tries to kill her.
Torn from a life where she never fitted in, Ariel quickly becomes the focus of a reality TV show. In the castle school, she forms deep friendships and meets Alexander, the best looking boy she’s ever seen. Together, they unravel the mysteries of the castle’s shadows and confront the demons of Ariel’s past.
Can she rise above a lifetime of pain and embrace the possibilities of fame and love that beckon to her?
‘Ariel: Dancing on TV’ is a mesmerising tale of resilience and the pursuit of a brighter future against all odds.
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night…
New Books and Special Offers
If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
GWL Publishing have accepted my next historical novel, FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE, for publication Spring 2021. I am lucky to have a publisher who is so understanding about my current health issues; all the deadlines for various edits are flexible.
The book was inspired by the 600 children who were kidnapped in Aberdeen during the 1740s and sold into indentured servitude in the American colonies. You will meet the Manteith family again, and see the castle and the stone circle, though the story doesn’t stay there long.
There’s some real historical figures again. There’s a love story again, though it’s quite different from the one in THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR. And, this time, there’s chocolate, in the form of hot chocolate 😀
I hope you’re all staying safe and well during these strange times of lockdown and isolation. I’m posting photos of #goodthings from my phone archives on Twitter and Instagram each day at the moment.
This article of magical sites in Aberdeenshire was originally published on the official tourism site for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in 2019. Years have passed, and now the original version is here with added links to more detailed posts on the places mentioned.
Magical Sites in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire has a rich and colourful history, made up of fascinating people, mysterious events and magical places. Some of these places are so well tucked away in wee corners of the shire, they seem to be well-kept secrets, never busy and known only to a select few. From stunning beaches to ruinous castles and ancient standing stones, I have 10 to share!
1. Rosehearty Beach
This small bay is sheltered by harbour walls on both sides, making it calm and mellow even on stormy days, and its sands are silver. It’s not visible from most parts of the village, but you’ll find it beyond the bus stop on the main road.
Up on the hill behind Rosehearty, this castle was once home to the enigmatic Alexander Forbes, 4th Lord of Pitsligo, who ran a Mystery School there for several years, based on his study of Quietism. The ruin, easily accessible from the road, still has a calm and zen-like quality to it.
A short distance away, on Gallows Hill, in the middle of a dry stane dyke, is the 8ft tall Hanging Stone. Reputedly a place of execution, both the stone and nearby ‘Pit’ are said to have been ‘for witches’. The fact that the stone is wrapped in barbed wire only enhances its ominous presence in the landscape.
Inland, near Lonmay, within a walled enclosure surrounded by trees, nestles one of my favourite ancient stone circles. You can just make out the larger stones there under the midwinter sun, casting their shadows across the field.
In the middle of the village of Memsie there is a huge Iron Age burial cairn. On excavation a leaf-shaped sword was found, like something out of Lord of the Rings.
This mysterious tower, hidden away behind the excellent Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, has its own ghost story. The 8th Laird’s daughter was imprisoned in the higher room there, while her lover was incarcerated below. When he drowned during a storm, she fell to her death from the window, and is said to appear before bad weather.
This white quartz structure dates from the 18th century, and local legend has it that if you turn round three times in the horse’s eye, your wish will be granted! There is a (long) walk up to the horse starting from Hospital Road in Strichen.
Located two miles south of Fraserburgh, in the woods of Witch Hill, this stone is said to be where people accused of witchcraft were burned in the distant past.
The sands of this golden beach are often left wet and glassy by the early morning tide, causing them to reflect the sky like a mystical, magical mirror.
I hope you enjoy visiting these lesser known places. Do follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code when exploring the more remote sites.
Ailish Sinclair’s debut novel, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR, set in a fictional castle in Aberdeenshire, and featuring the Aberdeen Witchcraft Panic of 1597, is out Autumn 2019.
Lost in ancient woodlands and caught up in whispers of witchcraft, Isobell must navigate danger to reclaim her life. Can she find her happily ever after?
If you like castles, Scotland, history, witches, stone circles and Christmas done medieval-style, you might like THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR. There’s also a love story.
I’ve written about the Art Deco pool and pavilion at Tarlair before in this memory-laden post. The pool originally opened in 1931 and then closed in 1995. It’s now in the process of being restored, and it’s all rather beautiful. The pavilion is finished and about to open as a cafe, and funding has been secured to fix the pool up too.
I do like to go up onto the roofs of buildings (see Aberdeen Art Gallery here) and you can now do that at Tarlair.
View of the pool from the roof of the pavilion:
It’s so full just now that it looks like one pool, but it is actually three. There’s a little kids’ area by those rocks, a boating pond and a swimming pool.
Down the steps:
Along the passageway…
Peering in the front door:
It’s strange; the look of the interior really reminds me of the old gymnasium in Macduff Primary School. The wooden floor, the windows… I must venture back once it’s open.
Looking out over the pool, and back at the pavilion:
They have ‘most gifted’ and ‘top new release’ banners on Amazon just now and Ariel got a wee review on Instagram. Alexander is waiting impatiently in the wings with his explosive series finale. It’s out March 31st.
review
Ariel
Bubbles
Alexander
Meet Ariel and her classmates, Bubbles and Alexander, along with a whole cast of vibrant characters, as they experience love, life and adventure at the most prestigious dance school in Scotland.
Each book in this coming-of-age series delves into the personal struggles and heartfelt romances of a different student over the course of a school year. As the spotlight shifts its focus within the old walls of the castle, there are television shows to be made and dark truths to be faced.
Join these young dancers as they whirl through their challenges, forge unbreakable bonds, and discover the power within themselves. Are you ready to travel to Northern Scotland, step into the castle school and dance through the deep dark of the dungeon?
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night…
New Books and Special Offers
If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
Yes, Fraserburgh boasts its very own lighthouse in a castle! The 16th century Kinnaird Castle, on the left, was converted into a lighthouse in 1787 and is now part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses. On the right is the modern automated lighthouse.
Before we go in, let’s walk on a bit to the wine tower, the oldest building in Fraserburgh. The photo may not be the best of the tower, but look at that sky!
The Love Story
The wine tower is thought to have been a secret post-reformation Catholic Chapel, and has a sad love story attached to it. Strain your eyes and you can just see the red paint on the ground there in the picture above.
Dunnottar Castle sits high on the cliffs near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire. It’s scenic and sprawling and, though peaceful now, it boasts a turbulent history.
Great Hall
History of Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar was attacked by Vikings in the ninth century, and captured by William Wallace in 1297. Kings and queens loved to visit: Mary Queen of Scots, James VI, and at one point during my own visit, I was standing in the bedroom of Charles II.
The Old Smithy
Ghosts!
Though I didn’t meet them, there’s said to be a lassie in a green plaid searching for her lost Pictish children, a young deer hound, and a Scandinavian military gentleman who likes to stare out to sea.
I understand the need to stare across the ocean. The seascape at Dunnottar is mesmerising.
Seeing across the sea…
The elevated position of the castle means you can see across miles and miles of silvery sea. The window below is located in the Whigs’ Vault that held imprisoned Covenanters in 1685. It’s a dark and terrible place. I had to reach out to the air and the sky and the light.
A dark window
Views, views, everywhere…
Sea and cliffs
But it’s time to go. It’s time to walk back up the many, many steps that seemed so inconsequential on the way down…
Dunnottar
For more information on the wonderfully atmospheric Dunnottar Castle visit the official site.
My Historical Novels
Set in 1st century Scotland, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance!
Taking place mainly in a fictional castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.
FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the kidnapped children and young people of Aberdeen. The story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith from the castle and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s derring-dos on the high seas… And there’s chocolate!
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night…
New Books and Special Offers
If you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
On our last visit to Drum Castle, the one castle of this post, it was raining. So on the way to explore circles, we took a walk through the gardens, having missed them before. They were filled with the bright sights and scents of summer, the castle peeking round corners and through trees everywhere we went.
Cullerlie Stone Circle is unusual for Aberdeenshire in that it is not a recumbent circle. There’s only one photo as we were distracted by an elderly dog from the farm that wanted us to throw a stick.
More animals awaited at Sunhoney; an excited herd of cows ran alongside the path with us…
They then jostled and jiggled for the best view at the perimeter of the circle enclosure.
I fear we were a disappointment. There were signs that other visitors may have danced (trampled grass) and provided snacks (rolled oats all over the place) whereas we mainly sat quietly and took photos.
The recumbent stone at Sunhoney has many carved cup marks but lichen and light conditions were not helpful in capturing them on camera (note rolled oats though).
The cows gave us doleful looks as we left and did not follow us back down the path.
There were no animals to greet us at Midmar Kirk Circle, again an unusual site, situated in a churchyard.
While it was common for churches to be built on older sacred sites, it is unusual for the originals to have been left intact (almost, there are a few stones missing).
Finishing with an apology to the cows – we’ll try harder next time – and the view from the roof of Drum Castle:
All my books feature a stone circle. Some have a castle too.
Chosen Sisters, Romans and Romance
Set in 1st century Scotland, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance.
Review from Terry Tyler: “It’s a fabulous story, a real page-turner and so well written. It made me think about the passage and circle of time, of the constancy of the land on which we live and the transient nature of human life. Loved it.“
Taking place mainly in a fictional castle, THE MERMAID AND THE BEAR blends an often overlooked period of history, the Scottish witchcraft accusations, in particular the 1597 Aberdeen witchcraft panic, with a love story.
FIREFLIES AND CHOCOLATE was inspired by the kidnapped children and young people of Aberdeen. The story follows the adventures of Elizabeth Manteith from the castle and her determined efforts to get back home. There’s love. There’s derring-dos on the high seas… And there’s chocolate!
Sign up to the mailing list for news about my life and writing, and some exclusive photos. If you would rather just hear about new books and offers, you can follow my Amazon author page.
