On a hill by Auchterarder 

A walk from Gleneagles railway station, through Auchterarder, and on to the top of Craig Rossie hill. Passing Beld Hill and Ben Effrey, we reflect on the number of Iron Age forts in the area, and the impact on them of the Roman invasion that saw the creation of Rome's most northerly frontier in Scotland along the Gask Ridge, just north of Craig Rossie, on the other side of the River Earn. We also pause to wonder about an old land feature called The Ship. Once thought to be the remains of a Roman camp, then regarded as a natural feature, this ancient elongated bank forms one side of an area bordered on the three other sides by water courses, and I feel quite comfortable in suggesting that this is indeed part of a temporary Roman camp. Iron Age forts in the immediate area include one near the steading of Pairney, one on Ben Effrey (called a 'Roman Outpost' in first edition Ordnance Survey maps dating to around 1860), a fort to the west on the other side of Pairney Burn, and a fort to the east on Rossie Law. That's a lot of Iron Age forts in such a small area. To the north, the Romans placed forts and fortlets, signal towers and watch towers along a Roman road by Gask Ridge, and pretty much kept a wary eye out for any large groups of warriors coming from the Highland area. On top of Craig Rossie we can see the land all around, and pause to reflect on life in that ancient but fascinating period of our past.