The Centre of Scotland Stone is a 5-tonne gneiss boulder located in the Scottish Highlands, marking the symbolic heart of mainland Scotland. It is situated on Glentruim Road, approximately 2 km west of the A9, near the village of Newtonmore in the Cairngorms National Park.
Details
- Accessibility: It rests on the grass verge of a quiet, unclassified rural lane. The site is accessible by vehicle, but it is advised to take care as it is a public road.
- Features: The boulder bears a plaque dedicated by local residents in June 2015 to replace an original Ordnance Survey marker that went missing. The site also offers fantastic panoramic views over the Spey Valley and lies just 125 yards from the historic Macpherson Monument.
The Geographical Debate
Of course, there’s a debate on which “exact” center of Scotland as others say :
- It depends on the method of calculation and
- Whether surrounding offshore islands are included:
after which there are the following choices :
- Newtonmore/Glentruim: Considered the symbolic center, celebrated by the stone boulder.
- Loch Garry: According to the Ordnance Survey’s center of gravity calculation (including islands), the mathematical midpoint lies on a remote hillside in Glen Garry near the Pass of Drumochter.
- Schiehallion: Calculating only the mainland (excluding islands) places the center of gravity just east of Mount Schiehallion.
For more visitor information and directions, check out the Visit Cairngorms Guide