Dumfries and Galloway
My schedule for last week took me to Barnsley on the Tuesday and Ashington, Northumberland on the Friday, so I suggested to my wife that it would be a good opportunity to visit a few of the better known sites just over the border. 'Not another Jolly, surely'? 'Its not a Jo...', I realised there was no point arguing and took it as acceptance that it was OK to go, unfortunately I would have to leave the van behind and go by car.
A longish drive from Barnsley found me at the Loupin Stones car park in Eskdalemuir. What a beautiful location right alongside the river with a short walk to the Girdle Stone Circle less than 1/2 mile away. The Loupin Stones are particularly fascinating and the circle itself appears to be just part of a far larger complex. The stones appear to be part of something called the 'Prehistoric Trail' which I had not heard of before, not sure where it goes and what other sites are included in the trail, however, resolved to find out more. Spent way too much time in the valley and realised I needed to get a move on if I was to see anything else.
Next, I drove down to Dumfries to visit the 12 Apostles. GPS took me right to the site which was fortuitous as there are no signs indicating this huge and significant circle. Very difficult to photograph because if you move back far enough to include all the stones they just appear like small dots on the final print. Left wondering why this circle does not attract more attention, as usual I was the only person there.
Next day, sun shining and a very pleasant drive down the coast to Carsluith the visit Cairnholy 1 and 2. These sites have been given the status of a large brown tourist sign off the main road and easy to find although the last 1/2 mile or so is up a very narrow single track road. These are two wonderful sites, well maintained with information boards and designated parking (posh!) and between the stones and the farm wall was a perfect sun trap where I sat and read few chapters of my book, daydreamed a little and eventually realised the day was passing by, so up and off again this time to find the old military road and The Glenquicken Stone Circle. GPS absolutely essential for this one, no signs, no footpath and not visible from the single track road. Very much worth tracking down, a complete circle with a central cuboid shaped standing stone, remote and peaceful setting, a place to linger.
From here it was off the easy to find Torhousekie Stone Circle which commands its own layby and information board. An interesting and very well kept site. The OS map indicates a lot of other activity in the area with evidence of a cairn and a stone row, very much worth a visit.
From here I decided to visit the Wrens Egg. Once again no signs and GPS essential, although obvious once you get to the road alongside the Egg. Over the stile and across the field, the Egg is accompanied by 2 standing stones and they all sit on a small hill (or barrow?). The Egg is a curiosity and difficult to understand how natural or how much shaping has taken place.
A short stop in Port William and the day was gone leaving the only other site on my list, Glentirrow, unvisited, however, the perfect excuse to return to this delightful part of the country.
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Megalithic route of culture - Germany
I wanted to check out this route having been intrigued by its concept, was it all bouncy castle and ice cream, would there be any dignity? It also seemed a natural follow up visit to a recent trip to the Hunebedded in the Netherlands. So, when the Emsland tourist board map and detailed booklet arrived I realised I had no excuse.
Prepared the van in a hurry followed by an evening trip through the tunnel and an easy but surprisingly busy run up through France, Belgium the Netherlands and into Germany found me outside the first site waiting for it to get light.
There are over 80 sites divided into 33 locations. The general route is over 200 miles long and signposted with more detailed signs once in the actual location. Multiple sites in a location can be either next to each other or spread miles apart, no rules. I found gps best between locations and the road signs best for individual sites. Both gps and road signs readily take you up unmade roads and forest tracks
The sites vary from a broken capstone to the mighty Kleinenkneten 1 and 2 which truly rival West Kennet. This site is worth the visit to Germany alone having been restored over 80 years ago and now set within a modern wood it is pure fantasy land transporting your imagination back over 5000 years seeing and breathing imaginary sights and smells.
Without wishing to upset the purists this route is just great fun, seeking the next location, hopping out, taking photographs, letting your imagination run riot. The sites for the most part are set in woodland and easily accessible (although my van didn't like bouncing down the forest tracks and I wasn't 100% sure it was meant to be there)
The route is well documented on the web and it is well signposted, a tourist trap, however, it is not. At each and every site I was the only person there with the exception of golfers at station 9 (they have built a golf course around 3 of the sites) and people in a car doing unmentionables at station 16.
As always it was over too soon, I had promised to take my wife to see the latest incarnation of ELO and it was time for the long slog home. All in all a great fun, fascinating culture and pleased I made the effort, certainly less clinical than I was expecting, however, not the same sense of walking on the shoulders of history as eg walking down the Ridgeway or up to Sunkenkirk at first light
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A lot happened on a short trip!
I was heading North on the A1 and decided I would break the journey with a stop to see the Duddo stone circle and the rock art at Roughting Lynn.
First I had no idea Duddo was such a major stone circle, I guess I'm getting too used to finding a few fallen stones long hidden by gorse and heather. The 20 minute walk to the stones is an absolute delight with the stones soon visible on the hill and beckoning you forward growing in stature with every stride. The walk back has the Cheviots in the background, covered in snow at this time of year and leaving you with the feeling this part of the world must have many other long lost monuments to the past. There are 5 major stones standing, however, there are a few other partially buried stones within the circumference of the circle, not sure if these are part of the original circle, just dumped there or some form of broken alter like the recumbent stone circles of Aberdeenshire.
Secondly, I had no idea that rock art would be so fascinating, are they pictures, hieroglyphics, maps or just ancient artwork. I felt quiet distressed as I am too early in my personal voyage of discovery to visit all the sites outlined in Julian's two books to be distracted by this new area of interest, however, I see no other option than to devote some time to understanding and unlocking the meaning of these works of art.
And finally when I arrived at my destination I checked my photo only to discover my camera had failed and I had no photos of my visits. I was strangely annoyed. Although the main purpose of my visits are to take communion with whatever force remains I was still disappointed not to have a record of my visit and know already that I will return just to take photos. I also know that I will not go on a field visit with the phone in the car charger, it will always be in my pocket as back up.
Regardless, it was a nice change from stopping at the usual service stations
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Weather 1, Man 0
Well we are well into February and still no end to the wet muddy weather, fed up of moaning that I am fed up with the weather I made the bed up in the van loaded the fridge with food, grovelled in front of my wife and set off for Dartmoor to visit Merrivales famous stone avenues and to undertake a reccy ahead of my planned summer walking trip to visit Dartmoor's more remote stone circles.
I made my way down there via the A303, not the obvious route from Lincolnshire, however, I just love the way the road sweeps past Stonehenge and soon I was on Dartmoor and ready for a drive around just to get my bearings. The temperature plummeted to -4 overnight and I awoke to heavy continuous rain. Not to be deterred I set off for Merrivale where even the footpaths had been washed out and were now fast flowing streams, on with the wellies, two waterproof jackets and up into the complex, needless to say I had the place to myself, and wow, what a site, multiple stone avenues, stone circle, standing stones, broken cairn and multiple ancient dwellings. I soon abandoned the rough site plan and just staggered from site to site. The complex just keeps giving and despite the heavy freezing rain demanded a lot of time to fully explore and enjoy. I returned to the van and needed a complete change of clothes, glad there was no one else in the small car park. This is one of the most amazing sites I have ever visited, no information boards or visitor centre, no ice cream van (can imagine it is the complete opposite in summer) just a huge window to our past.
The weather really dictated what sites I was able to visit and so I moved around to Grimspound as it is only a short walk from the road. I had not expected a site on this scale and once again demanded a lot of time to fully explore, strangely despite the poor weather this site was quiet busy with four or five other people milling around and enjoying all the sites within the pound
The weather killed off any more visits that day and I returned in the morning for a wonderful walk in bright sunshine, moving out from Postbridge down to the lovely stone circle/circular cairn called Sousson Pound set into a clearing on the edge of the woods, into the woods to visit the two circular cairns and leave my footprints in the snow that was still lying there, clearly no other visitors pass this way and then the longish haul up to the Challacombe Stone Rows. I was knocked out by this site despite some dispute over how accurately the stones had been re erected. The row appeared to be aligned with the Tor and stretched up hill to a large single marker stone. The avenue itself seemed to have three chambers/cairns/holding pounds built into it. The remote setting coupled with its wonderful views of Grimspound in the distance really made the walk worth while.
The following day the weather worsened again and I spent the day around Sharpitor and Black Tor tracking down the stone rows, cairns and settlements, all within easy reach of the road and hence the van for shelter from the squalls as they came in. No footpaths and bog and marsh to negotiate I more than once breached my wellies and started to wonder if I should stick to warmer climates at this time of year. Exhausted, wet and tired I was happy with my few days on the moor and it certainly 'wetted' my appetite for my return in the summer.
As I pulled on the drive I realised I had not bought anything for my wife, might just sleep in the van again tonight!
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They say Giants built them
I was fed up with the mild and wet weather we have been having, every time you venture out the sites are either waterlogged or you have to plug through mud. Anyway, I was browsing Julian's books looking for inspiration, in particular somewhere that is not located on the side of a mountain nor on a remote moor and there it was, the Hunebedden in the province of Drenthe. 54 of them to chose from, all well documented with a rich and interesting history.
That was it, mind made up, I booked the tunnel for two days ahead, a day to get the van ready and a day to pick up courage to tell my wife I was off. The research would have to be done on the hoof.
It took all day to drive there, however, it left me ready for an early start the following morning. D53/54 came up first and immediately got me thinking. Nicely reconstructed hunebed, wonderful setting in a heath and woodland location, however, something was wrong. The stones were dead, lifeless, soulless, field art, and this set the pattern as I visited the next few Hunebedden. All wonderful places to visit but essentially dead.
Then a strange thing happened, as I saw more and more of them I started to feel the history and significance I had not felt before and I started to realise the power of these stones is in the whole and not the individual, as I continued my visit I realised they are not separate sites but one huge site spread over a 30km radius and the trip began to take on a new and exciting interest.
Over the next few days I worked my way around 25 to 30 of the sites and found myself eagerly anticipating what I might find next whereas I must confess after the first few sites I was beginning to think they are all the same, just outdoor sculptures.
I must just mention that at sites D12 and 13 in the village of Eext I met a most interesting keeper of the local history and believer in ancient religions. He generously showed me around the two sites pointing out interesting carvings and shapes in the stones, explaining the force fields generated by a combination of their locations on ancient pathways and their relationship to each other. He was very old with long white hair and long white beard, in fact he looked exactly like you might expect a wizard to look like in a film, he was of course incredibly knowledgeable and when we parted company he gave me a small stone with a tiny hole in it. He said it would protect me into the future, however, when the time was right the tiny hole would appear like a great window to the Other World and I would be ready to climb through - although hopefully not too soon!
All in all a most enjoyable field trip, and a welcome break from the winter blues.
I stopped off at Brugge on the way back to buy chocolates for my wife, when I gave them to her she said great when are you off next? Seems I have found the key.
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