Maud Area and Strichen Stone Circle

Sunday I spent most of the day from early morning until late at night writing, except for a couple of meal breaks. The writing went incredibly well and I’ve managed to fill in many holes with wonderful research material that I’ve gathered courtesy of Oliver Fuller.

This worked perfectly as the day was rainy and cool, so it was a day to be inside and cozy working from my third floor room with a little table in front of my window. Although I’ve had to revise the novel considerably since I’ve learned a few things, I’m happy because it’s made my writing stronger, and the text much more accurate. (Below two photos view from my writing window.)

Monday, June 2, 2008

I thought this would be another day of writing, but by mid-day the weather had improved. In fact, earlier in the morning, I’d been out for a long walk around the village and into the

countryside, literally stopping to smell the flowers, enjoying the sunshine and listening to birdcalls that weren’t familiar to me. Passers-by waved, cows and sheep grazed, elderly people in their wonderful gardens stopped to chat.

Highland Cows (below) crossed with Limosin (a breed from France).

Oliver suggested another jaunt to Strichen where we had previously tried to find a stone circle, so off we went. This time we were successful, parking beside a lake and following the old train line until we came to a pasture.

From there, we kept along a trail that lead us along fence lines of pastures, crossed a couple of styles and then to the hill where the Strichen Stone Circle sits. Unfortunately, the stone circle is enclosed with a barbed wire fence, though it’s good in one way that it keeps the cattle out.

"At some point in time, a tenant farmer cleared the stones, only to have to replace them on orders of the outraged landowner, but the reconstruction was slapdash and not true to the original form. The circle suffered further depredations in the 1960s. In 1978 Strichen council set out to restore the site, and after a scientific excavation the stones were restored truer to the original design.”

http://www.buchanweb.org/btg/btg_villages/sc-stric.htm and http://www.megalithia.com/sites/nj936545.html

(Left: Pheasant in a field: Right: tree house.) Unfortunately, the stone circle is enclosed with a barbed wire fence, though it’s good in one way that it keeps the cattle out.

We also saw signs of the huge old Strichen Manor House, the dovecot, the gardener’s cottage and the remains of the walled gardens.

There were remnants of an old tree house by the gardener’s cottage, and forgotten swings and the place felt like it must have been one where a happy family lived. If restored, it would be a beautiful place.

We did a loop back through some lanes, returning to the lake and car park. Along the way, we discovered that the stone circle is only a five minute walk from the road from a different direction in Strichen. The way we took was much more enjoyable and again gave the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine and the fresh air.

Along the train line we’d also come across a huge area of wild garlic blooming under the trees, and the aroma was quite wonderful.

In the park area various trees had been planted: oak, rowan (the row pronounced as in they had a row), which we know as green ash, and is said to keep evil spirits away...many people grow them in their yards.

Various colourful flowers bloomed, and the peacefulness of the walk in the park by the lake was ‘quite satisfactory to the senses’ as well.