Lower Longbeak Barrow - 29.3.2004
There is a free car park right next to the barrow at Lower Longbeak, just north of Widemouth Bay. From this car park take the path out towards the headland and after 40m you will skirt the edge of this barrow. There is not much to see but it is clearly a small barrow, with a hollowed top, covered in gorse.
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Hendraburnick Quoit - 2.4.2004
Wow, this is enormous! What a site this would have been before its collapse.
This is easily found in a field south of the road that connects the A39 near the Tich Barrow to Tintagel (signposted 'Tintagel' from the A39). I would say that the true grid ref is closer to SX132882.
It's actually in the field directly opposite the driveway to Treslay Farm (and there is space to park in this area just off the road), although this field seems to sometimes be temporarily separated, and has two entrances. The Quoit is just inside the field at the crest of the rising land.
I didn't actually check whose land it was on so just had a quite mooch [see note from Bugsy - Ed]. There was no livestock in the field (one gate was even open).
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Lower Innisidgen Entrance Grave - St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly - 3rd October 2003
For directions to both of the entrance graves please see the main Innisidgen page.
'Lower Innisidgen Carn' is the poorer relation but still retains a huge amount of dignity and presence, despite being on a slope, having only 2 capstones, and no fancy kerb (or renovation work, which I presume the Higher one has had).This post appears as part of the blog post " Kernow again - Part 2 - Land of the Giants" |
Trippet Stones- 4.10.2003
On the way back to London I only had time to go to something close to the road, so the Trippet Stones were an ideal stop off. Really easy to access circle, and a very lovely looking one, with good views around bits of Bodmin Moor. It was also blowing a gale for me, but was worth it.
A tip - the turnoff from the A30, when travelling eastbound is the last turn-off on this single carriageway, just a few metres before the dual carriageway starts again.This post appears as part of the blog post " Kernow again - Part 2 - Land of the Giants" |
Wayland's Smithy Long Barrow - 8.2.2004
Directions - I think what Chris means (see first fieldnotes) is that if you really want to have the shortest possible walk to Wayland's you could unofficially park where the dead-end road to Knighton Barn (the road is called Knighton Hill) crosses the Ridgeway (circa SU285856). I wouldn't encourage having the shortest possible walk though, although I guess there might be some good reasons in certain situations (e.g. lack of mobility, terrible weather). Most people walk from the Uffington Castle area, or from the signposted National Trust car park (free). For the latter, walk out of the car park as if you were continuing on the road that just took you to the car park and continue to walk up the road until you get to the Ridgeway, turn right and follow the Ridgeway until you pass a line of beech trees. 400m further you'll see the entrance on your right into the Wayland's Smithy enclosure. It's 2 km in total. Alternatively you can approach from the West by parking just off the road between Ashbury and Ashdown House, where it crosses the Ridgeway (circa SU274843). It's only just over 1 km from there.
We walked from Uffington Castle, which was pretty pleasant, despite patches of the Ridgeway looking like a mangled forest track (and other bits being bone dry!). The only spoiler of the walk was three annoying 4x4's playing silly muddy buggers, with an attitude. I don't have a problem with real off roading (challenging stuff on private land in forests and farm land), but this is like off-roading for the blandly afflicted. Pointless and tedious. Later we heard and saw three motorbikes churning through the mud right outside Wayland's.
It was about 12 years ago when I first visited this famous Long barrow, and it's a good sign that it hasn't changed much. Lots of visitors came and went (quickly), and then suddenly 5 minutes of calm and didn't see another human being all the way back to the NT car park.
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Uffington Castle - 8.2.2004
When I had visited once before I couldn't appreciate its size and views because I could hardly see in front of my face with thick mist. Today I could, and walked around, up and over part of it. What a great place to live this would have been. Howling gale, or no howling gale, this was still great.
No-one seems to have done the obvious yet....(car centric) directions. A large (and free) National Trust car park exists just off the B4507, up the hill, opposite to the road to Woolstone. From the car park it's a 600-700m walk to the Horse / Castle. I think a separate car park for people with disabilities exists closer to the Horse / Castle and is approached via the narrow road that starts opposite to the road to Uffington village and cuts Dragon Hill from The White Horse (hhmmmm!). This is all well signposted. Note - The B4507 lives up to it's ranking in the B roads stakes. It's a twisty, potholed, slightly narrow thing.
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The Uffington White Horse - 8.2.2004
It was about 12 years ago when I first visited this enigmatic hill figure. That day was very misty and I hadn't had a chance to wander properly or visit Dragon Hill. This time I had a perfect view for miles and miles across the Oxfordshire countryside. And I got to go down to Dragon Hill, which is as amazingly flat topped and as out of place as I'd always envisaged it. I love the look of the escarpment from the hill, both up towards the horse, and across the side of the escarpment as it concertinas its way along to the west.
No-one seems to have done the obvious yet....(car centric) directions. A large (and free) National Trust car park exists just off the B4507, up the hill, opposite to the road to Woolstone. From the car park it's a 600-700m walk to the Horse / Castle. I think a separate car park for people with disabilities exists closer to the Horse / Castle and is approached via the narrow road that starts opposite to the road to Uffington village and cuts Dragon Hill from The White Horse (hhmmmm!). This is all well signposted. Note - The B4507 lives up to it's ranking in the B roads stakes. It's a twisty, potholed, slightly narrow thing.
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Little Solsbury Hill - 23.1.2004
I like Rhiannon's example of walking from Bath, but unfortunately my visit was a bit of an after thought and the sun was going down, so I lazily drove all the way up to the edge of the common land that surrounds the hill top!
There is room for 2 cars to park (at ST770678) at the end of the dead end lane that leads right up to the top of the hill. The hideously out of place house and virtual scrap yard at the top of the lane has 'No Parking' signs outside but presumably that means don't park in front of their gate. I can't see any reason why people couldn't park a few metres down the hill, as I did.
Over a muddy stile and up the short slope to the top of the fabled hill. It was a misty drizzly day but the views were still spectacular. As Rhiannon says, the flat hilltops surround you and look like you could reach out and touch them; I know Lansdown and Bannerdown particularly well. I walked all the way around the triangular top, surveying the lumpy land and fortifications below, and trying to recognise all the areas and features I know from my home city. I'd love to return in the summer and be able to lay down and chill more!
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Colerne Park Barrows - 23.1.2004
These aren't quite fieldnotes because I didn't see them! I was visiting the village I was born in (Colerne) and decided to have a quick look for the barrows, trying to remember where they were on the map (which I didn't have with me!). I must have got so close though!!
If heading from Colerne to Ford, turn into Thickwood Lane and go through the old bit of Thickwood. You'll come to a crossroads, go straight ahead along the narrow lane to Slaughterford. The barrows should be in the second field on your right.
I later learnt from my mother that my father had worked at Hall Farm (the farm near the crossroads) as a young man and knew the area well.
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Stanton Drew - The Great Circle, North East Circle & Avenues - 30.12.2003
I finally got back to Stanton Drew ten years after my aborted first try - see notes below. Where did those ten years go?
I think the access may have already changed from Moth's recent notes. The gate at the honesty box is a small normal gate (swing gate). But 30 metres onwards I then had to negotiate two narrow kissing gates in close proximity before I got in the field. The field was pretty lumpy and full of cow shit, but was pretty firm under foot, even in December.
The two accessible circles are amazing. This complex (adding in The Cove, the South West circle, and Hautville's Quoit) should be mentioned in the same breath as Avebury and Stonehenge, but rarely is, probably because, 1) the two circles and their avenues weren't open for much of the 1990's, Hautville's Quoit is a pitiful sight (on farm land), and the South West Circle has been on private land for as long as I can remember, 2) the lack of tea shop, guide book, huge car park, signposting, etc, and 3) the alleged initial reaction from a distance; that it's just a lot of jumbled stones.
But Stanton Drew rocks - big time. Easy to get to (I think), easy to access now, enormous stones, amazing history. This is stunning. Everyone should visit (not all at once please! The car park probably holds about 4 cars, and the other car park at The Cove isn't huge). The North East Circle is the greatest stone circle I've seen so far on my travels.
It's a disgrace that there wasn't more uproar when the two main circles were closed; it's almost as though this complex doesn't want the attention it deserves. I am so happy that we can now all go to these two circles, virtually anytime we like (well....9am to sunset the sign says, any day except Christmas Day).
Propaganda and access has stopped this becoming seen as circles / complex that are truly 'great'. This is NOT a jumbled mess of stones. Anyone with half a brain will be able to immediately see that there is a large circle (mainly fallen), and then a smaller circle (mainly intact and with enormous stones almost on a par with Avebury). The other stones (the avenues) need a bit of thought but to suggest this is a jumble of stones is a ludicrous assault on human intelligence.
I had this amazing place to myself. No sounds at all except planes droning towards Lulsgate (Bristol Airport) and some birds. Please visit.
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Stantonbury - 30.12.2003
I like Rhiannon's example of walking from Bath to Stantonbury. In reality I visited it as an afterthought after visiting Stanton Drew.
You can park in a small layby on the west side of the hill (approx ST668639), just on the south side of the notoriously dangerous bend in the A39 between Corston and Marksbury. There doesn't seem to be any better places to park on this side of the hill, however I think the best (and less muddy!) approach to the hill is on the North East side from approx ST679640.
From this layby you could probably nip up the edge of the field and be in the wood in a jiffy but it isn't officially a footpath. The actual footpath is 300m around the corner of the road and is marked on the north side of the road by a small 'footpath' sign. Luckily there is a pavement (of various descriptions) along the road between the layby and the footpath.
The footpath goes straight across a field (very, very heavy clay mud in December!) and into the woods. The bottom of the footpath to the top then isn't that obvious and isn't the right-angled affair the OS map suggests - look for the uprooted tree. Then there are several 'footpath' signs on the way up, and Wansdyke can usually be seen on your right.
The top is relatively flat and scrubby, with abandoned farm equipment. The ramparts aren't obvious in most places but can be seen when looking down off the hill. Bits of the west side have a steep slope; otherwise it's relatively gentle. An entrance seems to partly survive on the north east corner. There are lots of pheasants around; the first of which I disturbed almost gave me a heart attack! Like Rhiannon, I found there wasn't much of a view on a misty day, but on a good day I imagine the view would be stunning and I'd love to come back one day.
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Lansdown Barrows - 29.12.2003
These two plain looking round barrows are Scheduled Ancient Monuments. The 'Magic' website just confirms that they are scheduled as 'BA32', and are described as "Two Round Barrows N Of Blathwayt Arms". There's not much to see except for two lumps in a strange scrubby triangular piece of land, that has probably only been left alone because of the existence of the barrows. The barrows are sandwiched between the road and Bath racecourse on the east and west, and a few houses and the Golf Course car park to the south and north. 'Civilisation' is creeping towards the barrows, with the new cottage next to the Clubhouse helping to pay for the newly tarmaced car park. The southern barrow is significantly larger than the other barrow.
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Nympsfield Long Barrow - 27.12.2003
You might be shocked to here that I had a little trouble at finding this - the most easy to find place! The weather was poor and the car park part of the picnic area seems to have moved compared to the OS map I had (1:25,000 - it has the new Severn Bridge on it so can't be that old!). This map suggests that the barrow is to the left (south) of any car park. Which, as Moth says, it isn't. The barrow is slightly to the right of the entrance to the picnic area, and the car parking is on the left at around SO794013. Before anyone thinks I'm mad to not find this immediately I have to also point out in my defence that Colin and Janet Bord's book 'A Guide to Ancient Sites in Britain' (which admittedly does date from the late 1970's) describes the barrow as at "the southern end of the picnic area". So I initially looked at the south end, and found some lovely views, but not the barrow.
Don't miss the stunning views across Gloucestershire, the Severn and Wales. Just walk down to the south (i.e. to the left as you drive in) and the view is everywhere. There is a new panoramic plate on Frocester Hill (on National Trust land) just at the end of the picnic area.
Nympsfield is an interesting example of an open longbarrow and this is approx what Notgrove looked like until it was backfilled. It's interesting that Colin and Janet Bord's book strongly disapproved of Notgrove when it was open, but made no adverse comment on Nympsfield.
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Uley Long Barrow / Petty Hegler's Tump - 27.12.2003
I decided to see if there was a pleasant walking route from Uley Bury Hill Fort to the Uley Long Barrow, via the Cotswold Way (i.e. avoiding the main road between the two). The Cotswold Way does run from Uley Bury along through Coaley Wood below Uley Long Barrow, but I couldn't see any path up to the longbarrow (although I have to say I didn't try very hard). Instead I scrabbled up a very, very steep (look at the contours on the map!) and slippery slope. I judged it quite well though and emerged from the woods about 100 metres from the barrow. I enjoyed it but don't encourage anyone else to do it! Not one of my best decisions in life!
The barrow itself made up for my scrabbling. A lumpy, podgy top (not exactly looking like a long barrow), but great entrance and interior. After a quick limbo/creep under the enormous entrance stone, your eyes slowly adjust to the semi-darkness. The walling and stones inside are beautiful. A small plea - take yer feckin tealights home with you please.
If coming by car, I would hardly consider the gap in the field wall next to the tourist sign to be the greatest place to park, but I guess you could park there for a short while. You could try the entrance to the reservoir (almost opposite the tourist sign) or the entrance to the footpath into Toney Wood about 150 metres further down the road (south). You can walk along the road from Uley Bury, but it's not the most pleasant, or safe walk.
N.B. - local references usually call it 'Uley Tumulus' which got me confused several times!
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Uley Bury Hill Fort - 27.12.2003
There is a makeshift, muddy (unmarked) layby for about 7 cars at ST787993, towards the top of the hill that leads North West from Uley. If you park here (or walk to it from the Cotswold Way) walk past the large metal gate and the plateau of Uley Bury is about 70 metres onwards, up the muddy track. You can walk all around the top of the hill, and other paths often run down off the hill so you can explore them as well. When walking around the top it seems to be often what would have been the last line of defence, but it's rarely much of a ditch now. Most of the defence otherwise seems to be the naturally tough escarpment of the hill. This is very steep in places, although on the north West and South sides I was surprised to see small extra ditches and ramparts visible on the hill.
The south east corner is interesting, with a clear entrance built here.
The walk around the hill is pretty pleasant (even in the biting rain!) because it has stunning views, especially to the West, across Gloucestershire and Wales. It's like being on the top of the world.
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Belas Knap - 25.10.2003
O lordy, lordy. A magical must see. Beg, borrow or steal (well maybe not the last one) to get here. After exploring the chambers and the amazing false entrance (you will rarely ever see workmanship like that!) we relaxed at the southern end and despite a constant stream of people in the area, very few walked around the barrow, or spent any time there. One woman had walked up to the barrow just behind us and spent barely 2 minutes before walking back. Oh well, each to their own, but more fool them I say. This was probably the last day of decent weather and despite the clocks changing the night before (strangely meaning that it would be dark in about 2 hours) bright sunshine blazed across the huge pregnant barrow, lighting it up as it deserved. I have been so honoured by great weather at so many sites in the last 12 months.
I am staggered that people think this is a long / difficult walk. I'm definitely in the Ironman camp here (maybe too much Moor walking in my case). Of course it is a steep (but short) walk up the initial hill and would certainly test anyone with limited mobility, health problems etc, but anyone blessed with vague fitness will do it in a short time, and then the short walk over the gentley undulating next field is really pretty easy, with a stunning view back across Winchcombe and north Gloucestershire. It would certainly be worse in bad weather but you don't have to follow the rougher track under the woods to the barrow - you can easily walk at the side of the field, past lots of damson trees on your left. And yes, the 'footpath' around the first field (just after the 70metre walk up from the layby) does take you all around the field, but you could walk straight across the field if you really wanted to; as you come into the first field, just look up to the top of the field and head for the top left hand side. Please don't be put off by this walk.
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Notgrove Long Barrow - 25.10.2003
Not much to see here, but still worth a quick stop off if you are ever in the area. There is a large layby just a few metres away, next to a field of turnips (I didn't know they had turnip fields anymore!). The road (A436) is a bit of a race track so be a bit careful.
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The King Stone (The Rollright Stones) -25.10.2003
I love the idea of the info William Stukeley gave, that the young people of the area would gather at the flat area near the king stone (once erroneously assumed to be a barrow) once a year to dance, eat cakes and drink ale. Oh those were the days!
I love the folklore attached to the stone as well, and it doesn't at all appear creepy to me. The shape is well worth wondering about. My friend did geology for his first degree, so I set his mind ticking about natural ways to get that shape.
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The Whispering Knights (The Rollright Stones) -25.10.2003
If you visit the King's Men please set aside a bit of time so you can visit the remains of this burial chamber, which really do live up to their nickname. Can be spotted from the King's Men, so you can hardly get lost. As someone else mentioned, just walk alone the main road (changing counties if you cross the road!) until the end of the field in which the Whispering Knights stand. A battered old green farm gate greats you, from where you can easily walk down the side of the field, slowing going downhill with the view in front of you getting more impressive. The stones are very large and if the railings weren't there we'd be able to get the full in yer face effect.
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The King's Men (The Rollright Stones) - 25.10.2003
I finally got to visit this enigmatic limestone circle that "looks like huge rotted teeth" (Janet & Colin Bord - "A Guide to Ancient Sites in Britain",1979, Paladin Books). And I'm so glad I have been there, although I'd like to spend to a bit more time in the area next time.
The importance is really in the whole of the surrounding area rather than just the circle, although it's obvious that many people stop to have a quick look at the circle without visiting the Whispering Knights, or finding out a little more about the whole area. The folklore, accessibility, location (without other circles for many miles), multi-period use of the area, and rare choice of limestone, makes the circle itself more 'important' that it looks.
We had the circle to ourselves for most of the time, which surprised me, because cars were moving in and out of the lay-by very regularly. The guy in the shed (where you pay and they have publications) seemed utterly uninterested.
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My real name is Martin, but there is already a Martin vigorously posting on this fantastic web site so I decided to use 'Pure Joy'; which was the title of the Teardrop Explodes and Julian Cope fanzine that I set up in 1988 and ran until 1991/2. Strangely my interest in ancient sites pre-dates the knowledge that Julian was also into them. However Julian's book has certainly led me to visit more, and plan holidays and pit-stops around places to visit! Studying History (and International Relations) at Uni and coming from the West Country led to a healthy fascination with ancient sites and the countryside.
I was born in 1970 in Colerne, a historic village between Bath and Chippenham (mentioned in the Domesday Book) and have spent time in Bath, Reading, Manchester, West Africa, and Ethiopia. I'm currently living near London, but itching to live in the countryside, preferably Cornwall, or Africa. Reality check! little money and inertia creep.
Most of my working life has been in the voluntary sector, usually by supporting voluntary and community groups with advice and information. I enjoy doing quite a bit of voluntary work with our Credit Union, and as an elected Council member of the National Trust.
I'm no photography expert but I like to take photos (nearly always black and white) of places I visit. Some of the earlier ones looked good but it was only with a £25 point and shoot camera that was amazing unreliable. I've now got an old Pentax SLR, but at the moment I refuse to use filters and special effects. You get what you see.
Up side of ancient site = the sense of history, the countryside, the walk, the sense of adventure, the tranquillity, and the weird things that sometimes happen.
Downside = the loneliness, territorial cows, and the cravings to get back to the countryside
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