Jock o’ Bennachie
On the northeast corner of Bennachie rising from Berry Pot to the west, The Brow to the north and Stay Know and The Maiden Causeway to the east is a finger of land on top of which is a bed, laid out between two rocky tors. This bed, it is said was the resting place of a giant by the name of Jock, Jock o’ Bennachie.
The two tors are 800ft apart which by all accounts makes Jock a sizeable fellow, big enough to lob rocks as far as Tap o’ Noth by Rhynie 12miles distant as the crow (or in this case the rock) flies at another giant, also known as Jock, Jock o’ Noth, who in turn threw rocks back at Jock o’ Bennachie. The reason for this incredible feat of ping pong was not for sport but for love, for love of a Maiden, the same maiden, who sadly for our Jock, (Jock o’ Bennachie), decided she preferred Tap o’ Noth to Bennachie.
Jock (o’ Bennachie) is now believed to have taken himself off to a cave somewhere beneath Bennachie until the key can be found to release him.
There are many variations of this tale and the best place to find them is in Alex Inkson McConnochie’s “Bennachie” Chapter IV, Page 61.
Learn more about Jock at https://www.juniorbailies.org.uk/
