Very few may have heard of St Orland’s Stone in Angus.
And, judging by the rough route you need to take in order to reach it, fewer still will ever have visited it.
It’s great to find somewhere interesting to visit that hasn’t a made footpath leading to it and dozen signs pointing the way.
Angus, and in particular the area around Meigle and Glamis, is rich in carved Pictish stones. Meigle Museum has one of the finest collections of these ancient stones in Britain.
There’s something special though to find these impressive stones set outdoors and in their original positions.
St Orland’s Stone is still standing where it was erected around 1300 years ago and, quite literally, it’s in the middle of nowhere.
Steeped in mystery and legend, the tall cross-stone’s symbols and artwork appear all the more intriguing after the drive along a two-mile rough – developing into very rough – farm track followed by a mile or so walk, including the need to climb a high deer fence along the way. As one guide to the stone put it, access to the stone is not straightforward and, well, it wasn’t exaggerating!
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