Cup-Maked Stone: OS Grid Reference – NO 18488 55054
Go up the A93 road from Blairgowrie, after 5 miles turn right at the Bridge of Cally and up Glen Shee. After another 3½ miles, keep your eyes peeled for the iny road on the right signposted to the Drumturk Cheese farmshop. Go up this long tiny winding road, a mile up past the cheese place (which are gorgeous btw!) and onto the open moors. Keep on this road for another 2¼ miles where you can park up near the entrance to the huge wind-farm. Walk up the track to the windmills, bearing right at the first junction, then right again at the next one. From here, walk to the second windmill and from its base walk down, east, into the heather for about 80 yards. You’re damn close!
Archaeology & History
On this T-square-shaped earthfast stone, a hundred-and-twenty yards north of the impressive Drumberg (2) petroglyph and just 10 yards below the remains of an impressive hut circle, we find this somewhat plain cup-marked design. It was covered pretty deeply beneath the heather when we came here and it took some time before we could see what we were looking at. The grey skies and poor daylight didn’t help matters either, as the cups were difficult to make out at first, but, thankfully, you can just about see them in the photos.
There are between five and seven shallow but distinct cup-markings on the flat surface, one of which may have a faint ring around it. In truth, this carving’s only gonna be for the real geeks amongst you.
© Paul Bennett, The Northern Antiquarian
