Learn more about each of the 7Stanes Sculptures
Each of the seven 7Stanes sculptures has its own symbolic meaning. Below, you can explore each location on OS Maps, with routes for walking, cycling and riding through some of southern Scotland’s best forests, plus a link to find out more about the 7Stanes sites from Forestry and Land Scotland.
What are the 7Stanes ?
The 7Stanes are a series of seven stone sculptures found at world class mountain bike centres across southern Scotland. Each stane marks one of the 7Stanes trail centres and was created to reflect the character, history or folklore of its local landscape. We recently followed the adventures of Tracey Moseley, her husband and 7 year old son as they cycled to all of the 7Stanes. 7Stanes in 7 Days is a short documentary film sharing their adventures and shining a light on this beautiful part of the country.
Designed to be discovered by riders and walkers alike, the sculptures add a layer of meaning to the forests, inviting visitors to pause, explore and connect more deeply with the places they pass through.
Newcastleton – The Border Stane
Set close to the England–Scotland border, this sculpture explores connection rather than division. Inscribed with Auld Lang Syne on one side and Jerusalem on the other, and pierced with a hole through the centre, it allows visitors to stand on either side and shake hands, symbolising shared history and friendship across borders.
Mabie Forest – The Ghost Stane
Standing alone in a misty woodland glade, the Ghost Stane is carved from white marble in the shape of a dress. Its delicate lace pattern references nearby Sweetheart Abbey and the National Museum of Costume, evoking absence, memory and the traces people leave behind in a landscape.
Kirroughtree – The Gem Stane
Made from pink Scottish quartz, the Gem Stane reflects Kirroughtree’s reputation as the hidden gem of the 7Stanes network. Its material also references the nearby Creetown Gem Rock Museum, celebrating the geological richness of Galloway and the quiet rewards of exploring further from the obvious paths.
Glentrool Stane – The Giant Axe Head
A 1.5-ton sculpture symbolizing the area’s stone-age past and local folklore. Overlooking Loch Dee, the Giant Axe Head draws on Glentrool’s ancient landscape and legends of stone‑throwing giants. Its form echoes Neolithic axe heads once used in the area, linking modern visitors to thousands of years of human presence and the deep history hidden in the hills.
Forest of Ae – The Talking Head Stane
Carved from a glacial granite boulder, the Talking Head looks out over Ae village and the Solway Firth. Its human features and inscribed poem reflect the idea of the landscape itself having a voice, shaped by ice, weather and time. The sculpture encourages visitors to listen closely to the land and its long history.
Dalbeattie – The Heart Cleft Stane
This striking heart‑shaped granite sculpture celebrates Dalbeattie’s past as the heart of the granite industry in south‑west Scotland. Made from locally quarried stone, it is carved with the names of places around the world where Dalbeattie granite has been used, linking the forest to a global story of craftsmanship and trade.
Glentress Stane – The Meteorite
The Glentress stane is shaped like a fallen meteorite and carries text carved in Klingon, hinting that it might not be of this world. Sitting high above the Tweed Valley, it plays with ideas of exploration and altitude, mirroring the sense of adventure and other‑worldliness many feel when riding or walking here.
