Silence, Space and the Touch of History. First Steps in Scotland
The first days of my stay in the Scottish village of Insch, located near Aberdeen, are passing by.
This is the first stop on my journey, where I will spend the next month. It is the middle of summer, and an extraordinary calm reigns all around – free from the hustle, bustle, and crowds of tourists. The people I meet here are mostly Scots. After just a few days, I have naturally begun to tune into their distinctive accent, and to my surprise, it is proving quite easy to understand.During these first three days, I have already managed to explore the local area a little and get to know the lovely house where I am renting a room. I have also succeeded in taking two multi-hour hikes. My destination was the Bennachie range – a highly characteristic massif rising above the low-lying terrain of Aberdeenshire.
I hiked up the two most famous peaks of this range: Mither Tap and the highest among them, Oxen Craig. Although both are just over 500 metres above sea level (Mither Tap stands at 518 m and Oxen Craig at 528 m), they give the impression of being much higher from the perspective of the surrounding plains, and you can definitely feel them in your legs upon returning. The trails are empty, the car parks almost vacant, and the few walkers encountered are mostly local residents.
This place carries a powerful, ancient energy. For millennia, Bennachie served as a landmark and a sacred site for the Picts who inhabited these lands. Standing on Mither Tap, I felt this direct touch of history – the summit itself is crowned with the remains of an Iron Age Pictish hill fort. Interestingly, the name "Mither Tap" means "Mother's Top" (Mother Breast) in the local dialect, which perfectly reflects the unique shape of this hill, towering over the landscape like a natural lighthouse. Some historians connect these parts with the legendary Battle of Mons Graupius in AD 84, where Roman legions clashed with the indigenous tribes of Caledonia.
Today, however, these hills exude a profound peace. The omnipresent greenery here resounds with me, spilling over into an abundance of surrounding meadows and arable fields. I feel a very good energy here and its clear, positive influence on my well-being. The views stretching from the hills are wonderfully spacious, with a distant, clear horizon that allows the eyes to rest.
That is all for my first impressions. Places like Bennachie remind me that what is earthly and deeply rooted in history can simultaneously open us up to what is cosmic and limitless.
Photos:
Ginkgo & Gaia
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