Auchindoun Castle Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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An often overlooked castle which is well worth the short walk to visit, both for the architecture and for the stunning views.
Park by the side of the A941 at N57º25.528, W003º06.018. Please do not attempt to go up the farm track in a vehicle as it is very rough and is the access to a private house.
After a long period closed to the public, Auchindoun Castle has been recently reopened after major stabilisation work.
The information provided by Historic Scotland describes the site thus: -
The earliest reference to a castle at this site is in 1509 when Sir James Ogilvy of Deskford granted to his nephew Alexander Ogilvy "The mains of Auchindoun with its castle, fortalice and castle hill".
The current castle crowns a lonely hilltop with dramatic views over the surrounding hills. It is thought to have been built about 1480 by Thomas Cochrane, Earl of Mar and favourite of James III. It still retains fine architectural details and is surrounded by the ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort.
The tower house has been ornate, with a great vaulted hall on the first floor. The courtyard wall has been altered, probably by the Gordons who recieved the lands in 1535.
Sir Adam Gordon of Auchindoun is still remembered as the perpetrator of the most atrocious deed in the history of Mar - the burning to death of Margaret Campbell, wife of Forbes of Towie and 27 of her family and servants at Corgarff castle in November 1571.
Around 1591 Auchindoun itself was supposedly burned by one William Mackintosh whose deed is recorded in a ballad.
In 1594 Auchindoun was returned to the Ogilvys but after the restoration of Charles II it was granted to the Marquis of Huntly for services his family had performed for Charles I.
The castle was derelict by 1725 when some of the stone was used by William Duff for his new house at Balvenie.
Note that the cache is not in the castle enclosure but is nearby. There will be stock in the fields at certain times of the year so please respect this and avoid taking dogs or at least keep them under control.
Please do not climb fences to reach the cache location but use the gate close by.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Va gur sbex bs n ynetr Orrpu