Clach Cuid Fir?
“Clach Cuid Fir” is Gaelic and stands for “Manhood Stones”.
Clach Cuid Fir is used to a variety of strength testing stones throughout the world.
In Scotland for example, the country with the most historical tradition in stone lifting, the Clach Cuid Fir signified a right of passage for young males. A male would be welcomed into manhood and into the local clan when he was able to lift the clan's testing stone to waist height. He would also receive a feather to place in his hat, hence the expression ‘a feather in his cap.’
In other stories of traditional, historical Scottish Stone lifting, smaller testing stones were placed near the church (kirk) and young men practice lifting them after attending the worship.
The clach cuid fir is also often used as a means of demonstrating strength and stone lifting is also a common event in Highland Games and Strongmen competitions. Stone lifting is recorded as the oldest of the strength feats.
Scottland's famous manhood stones
Inver Stone
The Inver Stone - is located opposite the Inver Hotel at a private house in Crathie.
Crathie (Scottish Gaelic: Craichidh) is a village in Aberdeenshire.
The Inver weights 265 lb (120 Kg).
The Inver Stone must be lifted to a height of at least waist-level or above.
Remember, the original completion of the lift in the past was to place the stone onto a dry stone dyke, standing around four feet high.
At present one has only to raise it off the ground to waist height to complete the full lift.
After a successful lift you can immortalize yourself by putting your name into the "Inver book".
This book shows every successful lift since 2004.
Stones of Dee - known as the Dinnie Stones or Dinnie Steens
These 2 stones are locally known as the “Dinnie Stones” because the great old time athlete Donald Dinnie used them
to perform one of his greatest feats of strength.
Donald was born July, 8th 1837 in Balmacraig, near Aboyne.
He was the oldest of six brothers and had four sisters.
The bigger stone weights 413 lb (187 Kg) and the smaller stone 321 lb (146 Kg).
The two stones were brought to the bridge by Donald Dinnie’s father when he was doing some repairs to the bridge
and his structure.
(Potarch Bridge, River Dee)
Dinnie carried the stones at the same time some five yards and that is the width of the Potarch Bridge and not the
whole length of the bridge how many people mean.
(Potarch Bridge, River Dee)
Probably this was done when the stones had to be transferred to the other side of the bridge for repairs to the bridge
and his structure, as mentioned earlier.
The stones now lie outside of the “Potarch Hotel “in Potarch near Kincardine O’Neil.
Thousands of people have unsuccessfully tried to lift the famous Dinnie Stones off the ground.
In every room you’ll find a copy of David Webster’s and Gordon Dinnies book "Donald Dinnie - The First Sporting
Superstar".
A beautifully produced hardback comprising of 159 pages of fascinating text and about 90 superb illustrations.
Well printed on fine art paper and with full color, laminated dust wrapper. A high quality publication. ISBN 0 9536596 0 7
This book was published in 1999.
This splendid publication gives a wonderful word portrait of the most colorful British all-round strength athlete of the 19th century and is also a fascinating documentary of the times.
Successful lifts:
Here you'll find a list of all successfull lifts of the Dinnies on Gordon Dinnies wonderful website.
Training:
To prepare lifting the Dinnies I highly recommend you using David Horne's replica rings.
Here you find an article from David how he trained to lift the Dinnies.
Dalwhinnie Stone
Dalwhinnie lies to the north up the A9, at the northen end of Loch Ericht.
The Dalwhinnie Stone is located outside of the Loch Ericht / Dalwhinnie Inn hotel in Dalwhinnie.
He looks like a flattened egg, oval in shape, of grey granite and slightly smaller than the Inver Stone.
The stone has a weight of approximately 105 - 110 Kg.
Testing Stone of the Fianna
This is one of the most historical stones in Scotland.
The so-called "Testing Stone of the Fianna" sits in Glen Lyon, Perthshire.
Scottish legend has it that, millenniums ago, the glens of the Western Highlands were inhabitted by a band of mighty warrior men called the Fianna.
The leader was Fingal (aka Fionn or Finn), and his son was called Ossian.
Many towns, places and landmarks take their names from these legendary figures even today.
To become a member of the Fianna a young man had to pass various tests of strength, speed and agility.
One of the tests is said to to be able to lift this 300+ lb testing stone from its place of rest, up onto its plinth.
The plinth is probably 10" high but it is also up a grassy slope, which makes getting a solid stance tricky.
The weight of the stone is ~ 300 lb (136 Kg) and his shape is like a "rounded pyramid" which also makes a lift very
challenging!
The Testing Stone of the Fianne has to be carried up a short, steep gradient, then lowered down onto the high base stone.
The Fianna is the only stone listed at the "The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland"
Ladykirk Stone
The Ladykirk Stone is located in Ayr and his weight is approximately 280 lb (127 Kg).
The Ladykirk stone was a stone falled from the top of a gatepost ... it has now been replaced.
Menzies Stone of Manhood
This stone is outside of Menzies castle at the front corner of the castle on a section of tree trunk in Aberfeldy.
The Menzies Stone of Manhood lies in the grounds of Castle Menzies in Aberfeldy.
If you find Perth, in Scotland on a map, then follow the A9 north out of Perth, till Ballinluig (23 miles from Perth)
then turn left onto A827 to Aberfeldy (9 miles) turn right towards Weem then follow B846 out of Weem towards Camserney - it's got a sign by the side of road for the Castle.
Easy to find and maybe 1 and 3/4 hours from Inver stone --> (On a map it's just below and left of Pitlochry)
The weight of the stone is approximately 330 lb (150 Kg)
History
Not a lot is known about the Menzies Stone of Manhood and most of it is best described as apocryphal.
Legend has it that regular try-outs were held where men of the Clan were challenged to lift the stone.
Those who could lift the stone a minimum of 10 yards qualified for a place in the Chief's bodyguard.
Now a days of course, the Chief doesn't need a bodyguard and lifting the stone is part of the Highland Games at what
is locally known as the Aberfeldy Show or the Atholl and Breadalbane Agricultural Show and Highland Gathering to give it its full title.
There is no stringent minimum distance or other such rules.
"All" competitors have to do is lift the stone (not easy!) and carry it.
The winner is whoever carries it the furthest distance.
Most competitors adopt a bear hug approach for obvious reasons.
Last years winner managed a carry of 171' 3" which is still shy of the 206' record held by local man John Davidson.
The stone is only used at the Aberfeldy Show and spends the rest of the time outside the Castle.
The name is pronounced "Mingis".
Ardvorloch Stone
Mentioned and pictured by Peter Martin in a MILO article.
Few miles from Balquidder is Arvorlich Estate, a very large stone is pictured in front of Ardvorlich house.
I have not heard of anyone lifting this stone.
Dalness Stone
Dalness in Glen Etive, near the old house.
I am not aware of any other lifter than Peter Martin lifting this stone (pictured in MILO sept 2001/vol 9).
The Blue Stones of Old Dailly
These stones are bolted into the wall of the old church.
They are not to lift anymore but you can lift some smaller stones onto the top of church wall.
Iceland's famous manhood stones
Husafell Stone
The Husafell stone - located in Husafell, Iceland.
It's named after an area/town in Iceland called Husafell.
This very well known testing stone in Iceland and has a proud weight of approximately 418lb (190 Kg).
Husafell Stone, named Kviahellan (pen slab) by an ancient pastor who used the stone as a door to his sheep pen.
The test is to lift the stone up and carry it the 50 meters around the perimeter of the pen.
Replica's of this stone are often used in Strongmen competitions.
Djupalonssandur / Dritvik stones
This is a set of four stones and can be found in the town of Djúpalónssandur at the foot of Snæfellsjökull.
The mountain Snæfellsjökull is one of the most famous sites of Iceland, primarily due to the novel "A Journey to the
Center of the Earth" (1864) by Jules Verne, in which the protagonists find the entrance to a passage leading to the
center of the earth on Snæfellsjökull.
The 'legend' says that those four stones were used by the ship's crews to check the strenght of the applicants sailors.
The heavier of a stone that could be lifted the higher the pay of the fisherman.
The smallest rock is called "Amlodi" (= ineffectual) and weights 23 kg;
The second one is "Halfdraettingur" (= gracile) and weights 54 kg;
The third one is "Halfsterkur" (= medium strength) and weights 100 kg;
The biggest one is called "Fullsterkur" (= full strength) and weights 154 kg.
In the past, if you weren't able to lift at least Halfdraettingur, you weren't allowed to join the ship's crew, because you would have been too delicate for the ocean life...
Switzerland's famous manhood stone
Unspunnenstein
The Unspunnen Stone (German: Unspunnenstein) is a 83,5 kg stone and has been a symbol of the Unspunnenfest since 1805.
The stone is regularly thrown in stone put (Steinstossen) competitions.
Here you can see a very rare picture of the original Unspunnenstein.
Martin Sebastian, CH-Dübendorf provided us the picture.
It has also been stolen twice, once in 1984 by an underground group from the francophone canton of Jura, and again in 2005.
This stone is still missing. A new stone was "build" for the Unspunnenfest.
Owner of the new Unspunnenstein is now the TV Interlaken.
Germany's famous manhood stones
The Map
"The Map" is located in East Germany; Malchow (Mecklenburg - Vorpommern).
The measurements are 80 cm in lengths x 60 cm width x 12 cm depth.
Her weight is 153 Kg.
Showtime for "The Map" is 2010 on German Strongmen competitions.
The test is to lift "The Map" up and carry it.