This is something I didn’t know existed till our visit to Dumbarton last May. It’s the remains of a well in Levengrove Park.

The information board explained it all. Rediscovered after a tree fell during a storm in 2018 (long after I had stopped living in Dumbarton) it was part of the first system to bring water into the town from outside. In 1714 the land on which Levengrove Park now stands would have been beyond the boundaries.

The rest of the stone which had covered the well has been placed nearby:-

As we were leaving Elgin Cathedral the custodians asked if we had visited the Chapter House. We hadn’t, as it appeared to be fenced off but we were assured there was access to it and so we went back.

On the way we passed this Pictish Stone:-

Reverse:-

Plus some carved figures:-

The Chapter House is stunning. It’s apparenty the best of its kind in Scotland. I can well believe it:-

From Findhorn it was on to Forres, only five miles away.

We’d been to Forres before but our main objective this time was to see Sueno’s Stone, since we hadn’t visited it the last time.

Sueno’s Stone from car park:-

As you can see the stone is covered in glass to protect it from the elements.

Information board:-

The stone is enormous, 21 feet high and inscribed with Pictish symbols:-

A further board gives information about Pictish symbol stones:-

Kinloss Abbey was the largest Cistercian Monastery in the north of Scotland. Its ruins lie about three miles east of Forres.

Information board:-

Ruins from entrance:-

View to the right from above:-

Tower towards  left of picture above:-

Abbey History:-

Burghead Well, it seems, is something of a mystery.

When we picked the keys up from the visitor centre situated above the harbour the custodian told us the well contained freash water but was tidal. Well it is near the sea and estuaries are tidal.

Information board (to left above):-

Entrance:-

Steps in Water of Burghead Well:-

The Well (note floating football!):-

Wall and roof:-

Ceiling:-

Burghead stands on a promontory sticking out into the Moray Firth. We visited because we had read of the ancient chambered well there.

To visit the well requires picking up the key from the visitor centre. This, it transpired, was hard by the remains of a Pictish Fort though to be the oldest in Scotland. Apparently about half the Fort was destroyed when the town was built in the early 19^th century.

Plaque by edge of Fort:-

Site of Fort. The Visitor Centre can be seen beyond. (It’s the white building.):-

In between Ballindalloch and Criagellachie Bridge we turned off the A 95 to find Inveravon Church and its Pictish Stones.

The stones were once in the open but are now kept in a porch:-

Information Boards:-

In the churchyard I found two Commonwealth War Graves.

Private A G Patterson, Seaforth Highlanders, 10/3/1915, aged 18:-

Private J A Cantlie, Gordon Highlanders, 30/5/1918, aged 20:-

Principia:-

Commander’s Residence:-

Barracks:-

Bath-House:-

Granary:-

Annexe:-

Beyond the Wall:-

Defensive ditch to north of Roughcastle Fort:-

Defensive pits:-

Views of fort remains:-

Burn to west of Roughcastle Fort. Antonine Wall to right:-

Just before we reached the Antonine Wall at the Falkirk Wheel we saw signs for Roughcastle Roman Fort so decided to follow the path. It took us a while and I was beginning to wonder if we wouldever get there but we did. Only the outlines of the fort still remain.

The Information Board shows what it would have looked like:-

Fort (south of Antonine Wall):-

Wall before fort:-

Southern Gate:-