To the southwest of Balmerino is Norman’s Law, rising to two hundred and eighty-five meters, comprising the most prominent outcrop of the eastern end of the North Fife Hills. From the summit there are sweeping views over the long reaches of the Tay Estuary from Newburgh to Dundee. Although the Law itself is relatively unproductive it provides a convenient central point for describing a number of important collecting areas in northeast Fife.

Indeed, the rich farmland and small rounded hills that surround it contain probably the most numerous and richest collecting sites in Scotland. Agates from these areas are usually distinctive and different sites provide contrasting types. To the north east of the Law, numerous examples of unusual, generally uncoloured agates can be found on the farmland. These stones have bold fortification patterns trending into characteristic stalactitic structures and some reach up to 80mm in diameter.

Norman's Law with the Tay estuary behind

For that reason the specimens below from Balmeadowside are not the best examples from this excellent locality. To the southwest lies a small but previously productive site at Dunbog Examples of an unusual sagenitic agate (Macpherson H. G., Agates, British Museum (Natural History) 1989) were found in an old railway cutting here in the 1970s. Although this has subsequently been filled in, fortification agates can still be found in local fields.