This is a interesting and possible slighty creepy place to visit near Fochabers! Details of the stone below is from the information board at the stone!
The stone is a large conglomerate boulder left from the ice age I million years ago and has probably lain here more or less unnoticed until the arrival of Jean Carr in the 18th century.
The story goes, although only pieces remain, that a young girl named Jean Carr was, to quote a sentence from old records, “Fan she wis a lassie, she was chained in the hoose by her father, an fan he dee’t, Jean said there wis two prisoners relieved.”
After this she fled, took to the open road and led the life of a gypsy, becoming a familiar figure in the area between Banff and Fochabers.
She led this happy life under the stars until the birth of her child. The local authorities snatched the child and housed it for safety with the village nurse. In an attempt to recover the child Jean tore at the thatched roof of the nurse’s home, only to be arrested and put in jail. After this incident the child was never seen again and Jean, now childless took to helping herself to other people’s, becoming a known nuisance in the local towns. At night Jean would seek the shelter of the great rock.
“Lock up your bairns, Jean Carr’s in toon!” was the cry when she descended on Fochabers!
Some time later it was announced in a local paper that her son had died and Jean’s life was never the same again. At nights she would be seen disappearing in to the countryside and for many years took refuge under this stone. She was still seen wandering the byways as an old frail woman until one morning she was found, wrapped in her tattered shawl, lying in her favourite place under the ancient friendly rock cold and dead.
Distance: 2 1/4 miles Time: 1-1 1/2hrs Level: Easy with elevation Terrain: Forrest road and woodland track. Access: From Fochabers turn left at the chipshop and keep going out of town for approx 1 1/2miles. Just before you come to the Earthpillars car park on the right take the track on the left. Drive up past the opening to the house on the right till you come to a small carpark and gate into the Ordiequish woods. Click for google map link!
Route: Leaving the carpark head through the gate and start your walk on the forestry road. Just over half a mile in the road will take a turn to the left and shortly after you will come to a junction take a left here.
The road will ascend straight uphill at around a mile you will pass two openings at the right before you will see an opening to the left and a narrow path. Take this path and you will soon see the information board and the stone. It’s hard to believe Jean would hike away up here but we all have that one place we love to visit!
Return by retracing your steps back to the carpark. There is a circuit but due to recent storms I decided that it was best not to carry on in case of falling trees.
Tracy Goes Outside 