The Dog Stone (Clach-nan-con)

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Clach-nan-con or The Dog Stone, is on Dunollie Avenue on the way to Dunollie Castle.

Celtic folk lore has it that the giant, Finn the Fingal of MacPherson, also known as Ossian, used to tie his legendary dog Bran to the stone - hence the name. The groove at the base is where the rope has rubbed away the stone.

When I was twelve, for a dare, I climbed this rock , bottled out and got well and truly stuck!

There was quite a party atmosphere as my father and neighbours and the part time fire brigade got ladders and ropes to rescue me .

Unfortunately my mother didn't partake in the party spirit and I got a swift skelp (cuff, smack) round the ears and sent to bed with no dinner for causing havoc.

I also lost my favourite pocket knife which is a big deal for a twelve year old boy. Two years later I climbed it again just to prove to myself I could do it.

At the top I found the old knife, a little rusty but it soon cleaned up. That proved one of two things to me - either nobody else was brave enough to climb it or nobody was stupid enough ........

"Is all that true?", I hear you ask.
Well, yes, I did climb it, got stuck, rescued, climbed it again and found my knife.
But c'mon, celtic warrior giants, fiercesome giant dogs? Get a grip!