catching up – Carnac

As I haven’t posted on here for about 3 months, these catch ups will be less thoughtful I expect – anyway here is a walk we did on Boxing Day, Moncreiffe hill, near the Bridge of Earn just into Perthshire, with some splendid views, in sunshine on one side and deep frost on the other.

having almost skidded on the ungritted road approaching the turn off

the sunshine was very welcome

of course a hill fort with lots of prehistory, Roman occupation and Pictish tribal connections is always worth some uphill effort … and the hill itself formed of lava flows.

so up we marched around the wood on good wide paths and tracks

enjoying trees and sunshine

and many views of snowy Cairngorms

some entertaining seats

painted carvings

I liked these – educational art.

higher up and in shade on the north side of the hill all was blue-grey with frost

I think this is an ant …..maybe a wood ant.

And at the top, the hill fort, at one time known as Carnac.

The paths quite tricky with ice.

looking north – ish

south towards Fife, and there are the Lomond Hills that dominate my home walks

one little dog that loves to roll and rub herself in the grass

the cairn at the top, and looking down into the Tay valley and Perth

an enigmatic block of a boulder with carving. And a kind of round hollow –

“A dig team, led by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and Tay Landscape Partnership (TayLP) with support from AOC Archaeology Group and a host of volunteers undertook excavations at the smaller of the two, Moncreiffe Hillfort on the southern side of the hill. The larger, more complex hillfort of Moredun Top has had a first season of excavation in September 2015 made possible with a massive 2,300 volunteer hours! This dig revealed some amazing large fort defense walls, made from large stone blocks.”

So I presumed this is one of those blocks.

here is a plan of the ramparts made in 2014. The block was in fact a socket stone for a flagpole put in by the owners of Moncrieffe House when adapting the hill as part of their grounds. a LOT of info here 

 

Walking further on around the hill the paths still seemed to be upwards. This is the root system of a blown-over beech tree, which is still alive and thriving on its side.

A lot of great views from that side.