There you will find a small car park and a notice board which explains the full story of the Cockstane. Going through the Harold McCombie Gate, you will enter part of the Lair Wood, which was redeveloped in the first decade of the 21st century and contains a selection of beautiful trees and shrubs, the species of which have successfully grown in Glenshee for hundreds of years.

Walk down the main avenue lined with birch trees and snowberry bushes (snowberry being the Clan plant) and you will come to a large boulder called Clach na Coileach which translated from the Gaelic means "Stone of the Cockerel" or "Cockstane", as it is known today.

On the boulder you will find a plaque showing the date in the 20th century that the site was purchased by a member of the MacThomas Chief's family. Shortly afterwards, the 19th Chief made the Cockstane site over to the Clan Society in perpetuity.

Throughout the second half of the 20th Century, the Cockstane stood proudly in a natural amphitheatre which created its own unique atmosphere. In time, the newly planted oaks which now surround the "stane" will replicate this magical effect. 

The Cockstane Sign

 

Clach na Coileach

 

The Plaque  

Make your way back by the second grassy path past some Scots Pine on the mound to the right and through a selection of rowans, cherries, hazel, birch, whitebeam and more oaks.

The Cockstane remains a steadfast reminder to the chilling and bloodthirsty act of justice by John McComie of Finegand and Forter, the 7th Chief of the Clan MacThomas, to whom the site is today dedicated. The great McComie Mor, as he was always known, was a legend in his own lifetime, a Highland hero and the most famous of the ancient Chiefs.

Every three years, descendants of the original clansfolk who once lived in Glenshee come from all parts of the world to gather around the Cockstane to remember together the deeds of the mighty McComie Mor. For the full story of how the Cockstane got its name, you will have visit the historical heritage site or better still attend a Clan Gathering.

Alternatively, the story is described in full, along with a number of other wonderful legends and myths involving McComie Mor in "The History of the Clan MacThomas", which was compiled by the 19th Chief, Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, in 2009.

---

Click here to view our "Cockstane through the Seasons" 2018 feature. !! New !!

---

Please click here to read a poem about Clach Na Coileach.

*******      

More photographs of the Cockstane area can be found on our Clan Gallery page.

          

Google Street View has now reached the Highlands of Scotland. Click here to see what they made of the Cockstane.

    

An aerial view of the area around the Cockstane appears below:

                                 

**** 

If you have difficulty viewing the above image please click here to display on a new page. This may not work correctly on some browsers.

---

Alternatively you may to click here to view an aerial view of the Cockstane and the surrounding area which was filmed from a drone.         !!! New !!!

---

There is a Geocache located on our land at Clach na Coileach - it goes under the rather interesting title of "GC3Z2V7 Haggis Highway: Clach na Haggis".

The coordinates are said to be  N 56° 45.742 W 003° 24.307 or British Grid: NO 14199 64291.

Please click here for further information. Members of working parties on our land have spied geocachers visiting the site.

---

Added at Launch

Last Updated 25/06/2018