Half Mile Hill

For weeks, Vallel and I have been trying to walk up Barra Hill (and then, of course, partake of a fine piece from Barra Farm Shop), but every Thursday for the last few weeks it's been wet, windy, or both.  But this has been an absolutely glorious week, and it was a stunning at 6am this morning* so to Barra Hill we went.  And it rained!  

Barra Hill is, in fact, a remarkable example of an Iron Age fort.  Archaeological excavations have uncovered four prior phases of human activity on the hill: 1) early Prehistoric, 2) Neolithic to mid Iron Age, 3) late Prehistoric, 4) Pictish and Medieval.  The slopes of the hill also show evidence of pre-modern rig and furrow farming practice.  Historical accounts also suggest that the Earl of Comyn's supporters camped on the hill-top in May 1308 before their bloody rout the next day at the hands of Robert the Bruce's kinsmen, during Bruce's savage military campaign to take over the kingship of Scotland. 

View back towards Old Meldrum

The three grass-covered levels of tiered earth and stone
ramparts - totally forgot to take a a picture earlier when
it was clearer!

We also got slightly lost coming down the other side, but whatever... through the fields we went and eventually made it back to Barra Castle and a hot cuppa!

*And I know because not only was I on the morning swim run, but I agreed to meet a friend for a walk to help her train for her walking marathon - 11k we managed in 1h 45m, all the way up to the standing stones and back from the community centre, which I don't think was bad at all.