Eassie Cross Stone

Another cycle in the countryside north of the Sidlaws but the weather wasn't so kind.
Set off from Newtyle and cycled east toward Glamis on a minor road with a detour to Kirkinch where there's a ruined church and some interesting gravestones. A few miles short of Glamis I headed on an even more minor road and ended up in Eassie to see this stone.
It was carved 1300 years ago and is one of the finest examples of its kind showing Christian and Pictish symbols.
It was rescued from a burn and now stands in the ruined Eassie church within a plastic (I assume) box to protect it (though it isn't covered over). Fortunately there are a couple of places where the camera can be slid round the screens to get a reasonable photo.
The church itself dates from the 13th century, though  there was probably an older one on the same site. Like the one at Kirkinch it is built on a hill.
I took a picnic today and ate it just outside the church - and then the rain started and I thought it might be better to return almost the way I came as it was a little shorter but half a mile up the first bit the rain stopped and still was off at the top of the hill so I turned round and went back down and on to the original route. Of course, not long after the rain restarted but it was very light and not too bad and I got back to the car not too wet.