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Previous 10 | Showing 31-40 of 108 posts. Most recent first | Next 10 
Brough of Braebister (Promontory Fort) — Images (click to view fullsize) |
  
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Posted by wideford25th August 2020ce |
Brough of Braebister (Promontory Fort) — Miscellaneous |
| RCAHMS record no. HY20NW 20 is a mound 10 to 12 feet high mostly thought to be either the outwork to a broch (some instead go for a blockhouse underneath ) or an earlier promontory fort, the only dating evdence being broch-style pottery (finds lost), It lies ESE/WNW with an interior of the order 90' by 55'. The isthmus neck is blocked by a bank 10' wide and the same in height, in which Raymond Lamb saw walling traces with erect slabs amongst the rubble as well as what is left of a much slighter outer bank and ditch. On the mound antiquarians thought there had been a substantial stone structure reduced to slight scattered remains that led them to deduce 12' thick walls consistent with a broch. Some large stones stood in situ, more so at the cliff's west side. The mound's slopes abound in walling traces and earthfast stones. A shell midden yielded those fragments of the coarse ware called broch-type. RCAHMS couldn't find the midden later, but given how cnfusing the site lies I would suggest that this is the midden later found on the south side of the clifftop behind the supposed blockhouse. Much of the promontory contains wall traces and earthfast stones. |
Posted by wideford 25th August 2020ce |
Brough of Braebister (Promontory Fort) — Fieldnotes |
| Take pedestrian ferry from Stromness to North Hoy (alternately take the Houton ferry and drive from Lyness). From Moaness pier follow the road straight up until you're nearing the reservoir at the start of the Rackwick Trail then turn right onto the road that starts parallel to Round Hill. Unless you own property here you will have to leave any transport behind when you reach the interpretation board, opposite which is a people gate, Just past Murra turn left. The road turns into a track as you approach Head. At Head turn left towards Braebister Burn then turn right snd follow the fence. The brough lies between Braebister Burn and the steep-sided Yelting Geo. The footbridge you see is for folk taking the coastal walk from Moaness continuing to the Kame of Hoy, the silo drums upstream had been aadaped as a fish hatchery. Along the mound is a diagonal line that brings to mind days excavating with wheelbarrows. This a grassy path about a metre wide that goes all the way up and ends at the edge of the best preserved section. I'd love it to be an antique track there but sespect the way was used for plundering stones for work elsewhere. The mound definitely feels like two different sites, one upon another. The archaeolgy goes all the way up to the cliff edges, so watch your step - the day I was there 40mph winds buffeted me as I risked the photos but no way was I circling taking video, you could die that way. |
Posted by wideford 25th August 2020ce |
The Dwarfie Stane (Chambered Tomb) — Fieldnotes |
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Jump off the Moanes ferry, Folllow the obvious road..Take the first road left. Follow it. Signs will lead you there. It's by an obvious parking spot just after the second Dwarfie stone sign. Theres a bothy about 4 miles away..if you get drunk and miss the ferry. :D |
Posted by harestonesdown20th May 2019ce |
The Dwarfie Stane (Chambered Tomb) — Images |
  
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Posted by harestonesdown 19th May 2019ce |
The Dwarfie Stane (Chambered Tomb) — Fieldnotes |
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Visited today. 12/5/19. Camping at the point of Ness campsite so took the foot ferry from stromness to moaness. £8.80 return and secures me a good 8 hours to explore. It's been a lifelong dream for me to see old Dwarfie so I'm super excited. Everyone else from the ferry heads off in a different direction, some picture post ard village/ beach place. Who cares. The 2 mile walk passes quite quickly though I'm taking anslow pace. Scenery is stunning and the weather couldnt be better. Anyway arrive at the site and I'm alone. See someone else pull up so I make my way further up the hill to allow him peace as I've all day. He leaves within 10 minutes. My turn now. So I walk around letting the anticipation build whilst checking out the grafitti, then head inside. I'm totally elated by now and just bathe in the glory of the interior, its features and acoustics. I'm in heaven. I spend a good 4 hours there, in and back out, taking hundreds of pics, sharing a live tour via facey, eat food, wander the area, eat food again, take more pics and vids. A group of four turn up so I retreat again climbing high up by the hammers for pics, discover a small standing stone that got to be so by some weird fortune. The group leave and I'm back again. I wander the area again looking for the supposed cube shaped rock that reportedly has cup and ring Mark's, I find nothing of note. My left leg finds a big hole up to the knee despite most of the moor being tinder dry. I dont think could ever have my fill of this amazing place but eventually I make my way back to the road and chat to the rspb guy stationed at the parking spot. Turns out hes a scope trained on the white tailed sea eagles sitting two chicks above old Dwarfie. I have a butchers through the scope and the female is visible of a little blurry at 50x magnification. I also take in a pair of hen harriers through his binos. Nice! Eventually I start heading back to the ferry dock, turning repeatedly to have one last glance at this awesome rock, then out of sight it is. Lump in throat, just one tear shed. Honest. Avebury. Stonehenge. Brodgar. Stennes. Keep them all. Give me Dwarfie. I've still 4 days here. I may head back. :) |
Posted by harestonesdown 13th May 2019ce |
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