The befores we get there

thelonious T
thelonious Aug 30, 2017 18:55:45

Costaexpress' recent upload of a first glimplse of La Pierre Couverte de BaugeI got me thinking about my favorite walks to sites today.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/153981/la_pierre_couverte_de_bauge.html

So for a bit of fun and maybe a few ideas for nice places to visit in the future...

What are some of your favourite walks to sites. I'm talking walks that really build the excitement or put you in a good mood before you get your first glimpse of the stones?
Doesn't matter if it's just 100 meters or a big 5 miles. The site doesn't even have to be that mega.

I'll kick things off.

Ballynoe - it's only a short walk from the road to the circle but by the time the stones came into view I was already in such a happy state of mind. The walk down the track is wonderful with trees either side of you, lining the way. Overhead banches give the impression of a tunnel leading to an enchanted realm. With the sun shining though the leaves the way to the circle was just magical and definitely had an effect on my first feelings and thoughts as I reached the site. The walk is one I'll always remember and would love to go back some day.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1048/ballynoe.html
https://500px.com/photo/226202721/the-walk-to-ballynoe-stone-circle-by-spaceways

T tjj
tjj Aug 30, 2017 20:59:52
Replying to thelonious

What a lovely idea for a thread ... but where to begin.

I am going to choose Boscawen-un in Cornwall. Visited in 2010 with K, we went on our holiday to West Cornwall the year after he had been seriously ill. Neither of us could map read and he seemed happy to just go along with where ever I wanted to go. We didn't have a car, my map reading skills definitely left room for improvement, and we managed to get hopelessly lost more than once.
Our walk from St Buryun to the Boscawen-un stone circle was a complete success though. A beautiful, clear April day - I remember it vividly.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/229/boscawenun.html


Edited:

M moss
moss Aug 31, 2017 11:00:09
Replying to thelonious

St.David's Head - Pembrokeshire coast

I just love Wales and the walk to Coetan Arthur cromlech from the busy Whitesand beach is always exciting. Wild flowers on the verges at the side of the path as the cromlech appears and disappears amongst the jumble of rocks. The whole area is rocky from Carn Llidi great outcrop with the two cromlech's crouching underneath to the stones scattered around.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3555/carn_llidi_tombs.html
till you get to the classical Coetan Arthur cromlech.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1595/coetan_arthur.html

Wander over to the promontory fort, all the time the sky, land and sea making marvellous visual pictures around you. Sink into prehistory and meditate ;)

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3554/st_davids_head_camp.html

If I was to recommend a place to stay it would be the Cambrian Inn in Solva, there is such a lot to see around this area.

J juamei
juamei Aug 31, 2017 11:48:11
Replying to thelonious

I think my personal favourites are:

The walk to Stoney Littleton from the car park. Going across a stream and into beautiful somerset countryside for 5 mins before going over a style and there she is laid out side on to you. Calm upon calm.

My close second would be the walk to Kingston Russell enclosure along the ridge from the east. Past Grey mare and her colts, on through luscious Dorset scenery to Kingston Russell circle then through a gate to a hut circle and finally onto the horseshoe shaped enclosure looking out to the sea along a valley.

I ironstone
ironstone Aug 31, 2017 15:10:27
Replying to thelonious

So many to choose from so I'll do what people often do when faced with this sort of 'best of' question and plump for one of the most recent being the walk to Bryn Cader Fader in Gwynedd which I did on a beautifully sunny March day this year. As ever, and in common with most of us, I guess, I got lost in going straight on at a junction rather than locating the correct path branching off to the left but the 'wrong' one didn't take me too far out of my way, bringing me down to a pool from which I was able to reorient myself and cut across to connect with the right track and onwards to the circle which then became visible perfectly silhouetted against the horizon on its slightly raised platform. It's a couple of miles, tops, each way, a bit up and down but nothing seriously arduous, a bit boggy here and there but nothing that good waterproof boots can't manage. It's just brilliant countryside and scenery, Snowdonia in the distance. I'm a sucker for the moorland-type sites, the ones that require a bit of effort but reward you amply in terms of the solitude and wide-open landscape. White Moss in Cumbria also springs to mind but that involves a steep climb, ditto The Druid's Circle in North Wales.

D drewbhoy
drewbhoy Sep 1, 2017 13:26:56
Replying to thelonious

Blue Cairn, Long Cairn near Tarland, to the Mulloch Cairn near Dinnet.

N north bucks
north bucks Sep 2, 2017 08:08:17
Replying to thelonious

I really like the walk along the Ridgeway to Waylands Smithy from the White Horse. So many good memories.

S Sanctuary
Sanctuary Sep 5, 2017 11:44:03
Replying to thelonious

thelonious wrote:
Costaexpress' recent upload of a first glimplse of La Pierre Couverte de BaugeI got me thinking about my favorite walks to sites today.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/153981/la_pierre_couverte_de_bauge.html

So for a bit of fun and maybe a few ideas for nice places to visit in the future...

What are some of your favourite walks to sites. I'm talking walks that really build the excitement or put you in a good mood before you get your first glimpse of the stones?
Doesn't matter if it's just 100 meters or a big 5 miles. The site doesn't even have to be that mega.

I'll kick things off.

Ballynoe - it's only a short walk from the road to the circle but by the time the stones came into view I was already in such a happy state of mind. The walk down the track is wonderful with trees either side of you, lining the way. Overhead banches give the impression of a tunnel leading to an enchanted realm. With the sun shining though the leaves the way to the circle was just magical and definitely had an effect on my first feelings and thoughts as I reached the site. The walk is one I'll always remember and would love to go back some day.

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1048/ballynoe.html
https://500px.com/photo/226202721/the-walk-to-ballynoe-stone-circle-by-spaceways

Hi thelonious...
I picked up on this today which I'm sure will be of interest to many when it comes to wonderful sites to visit and will wish to return to at a later date. On reaching the end of the vid a host of other sites are introduced to us and all so beautifully filmed.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=NL2ilMtZCiA

C CARL
CARL Sep 5, 2017 13:53:36
Replying to thelonious

How about Swinside stone circle in Cumbria?

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