After lunch at the excellent Pillars of Hercules organic café and shop near Falkland, we headed across a patchwork of A, B and C roads to the mysterious Dunino Den, stopping en route in the village of Ceres, home of the Fife Folk Museum.
The fast-flowing Ceres Burn is a well-known location for dippers and it didn't take long to spot them zooming up and down the water. Thankfully this little fellow halted long enough to be photographed. Onwards to the hamlet of Dunino. We managed to park just off the road and follow the signed path to the church and den. As it turned out, we could have driven straight up to the church but the wander through the woods was pleasant enough. The carved steps down to the den became visible. Initially it seemed rather incongruous to have a Christian place of worship sited next to a pantheistic pagan location. Then again, the new religion merely rebadged many of the old rites, effectively bolting the Christian calendar on to an existing programme of events. I suppose they built churches next to holy grounds in an attempt to sway the Heathens.
The den is a marvellous place for quiet reflection. Various objects hang from trees and there are carvings in the rock face. Being situated next to a back road adds to the tranquillity. Most unlike Culloden Battlefield, where Tesco lorries rumble by. Few people seem to be aware of Dunino and it's probably best kept this way. On Skye, for example, the hordes of international tourists tramping towards the sacred fairy pools have to be seen to be believed. While I would never go as far as prohibiting access Stonehenge style, it's perhaps better if Dunino is frequented by those in the know. A visit just as the light is starting to fade adds to the eerie atmosphere. It was soon time to go home and enjoy a bottle of chocolate stout, purchased from the Pillars.
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