Sunhoney is one of the biggest, oldest
(third millennium BC) and best preserved stone circles in
Aberdeenshire. Go down the B9119 Aberdeen/Ballater road to Sunhoney
Farm 1½ miles west of Echt (buses run to Echt and Midmar from
Aberdeen). Ask permission at the farm to go up to the circle which is
visible among trees behind the farm and across a field. It is
overlooked by the superb heather-covered ramparts of the Barmekin
hillfort of Echt. Maybe there is something in a name.
Sunhoney, or its old name Seanhinny does sound better
than some Aberdeenshire place-names like Wicketslap and Brownhill of
Brokenmoan! This beautiful circle has 11 tall red granite stones still
standing. The fallen, broken recumbent stone is clearly decorated with
dozens of cup-marks; ancient star chart, lunar positions, map of water
sources - nobody knows. The circle is set out on a truly circular plan,
later ones being more ovoid, the stones being linked by a bank. In the
central ringcairn cremated bone was found and fragments of a stone pot
was found in a cist at the edge of the cairn.