Latest Fieldnotes

My companion today was Ruth, a sometime or somewhat-interested megalithic explorer. This monument is on land that was formerly owned by her grandfather so it was a trip down memory lane to her childhood for her.

The monument sits north, high up on a ridge above the Liffey – there’s a lake down there now, made by the hydro-electric dam that is part of a scheme that includes another dam upstream that created the Poulaphuca reservoir.

The bank is very visible on the western side, about a metre high, but with parasitic beech trees adorning it. Yet again, as at many sites close by, Slievecorragh and Church mountain are the mother’s breasts, slightly east of south from here. The southern arc of the bank is flatter, barely visible in places, before re-appearing as we turn to the east and north.

The curious little domed mound is in the centre of the 35 metre diameter ring, but set in about 10 metres, about 8 or 9 metres diameter itself and about a metre and a half tall. There is a beech tree growing on its northern side.

The external ditch/fosse varies in depth around the bank, but is most profound on the northern arc where it is 1.3 metres from top of bank to bottom of ditch. There is an entrance feature here too.

There has been modern digging both on the southern side of the mound and in the south-eastern quadrant of the barrow between the bank and the mound. Overall, a very impressive monument, impressively set with extensive views to the south and west.

Kilranelagh Graveyard, in the wilds of Wicklow, has lots of ancient structures, not all prehistoric, but still ancient. They’re continuing to bury people here, and after what must have been centuries of neglect, the place is very well looked after and obviously well loved by its carers.

The stones that we are interested in are very neolithic looking, like the entrance portals and sillstone of a small passage grave, its last remnants, the rest now long gone. Yet these remain, and you’re supposed to pass the coffin between them before burial.

Nearby, within the graveyard, is a holy well, St. Brigid’s of course. Out the gate to the south, the setting sun bathes Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs in an orange glow. Leaving I came across two graves, one with a very rough-hewn stone with no inscription but with a small toy gun and 2 toy motorbikes, the other, the last resting place of Clive Mervyn Wynne, died 2nd April, 1976, age 6 weeks. This is a place of power and peace and of sadness.

Visited 21.7.14

Killin / The Falls of Dochart has to be one of my favourite places in Scotland.
If you are lucky enough to visit in nice weather it is fantastic to just sit on the large boulders watching the river flow around the rocks and island and down under the old stone bridge. I have visited many times but until now have never got around to obtaining the key from the Old Mill in order to visit the Clan Macnab burial ground – which just happens to be in the centre of the promontory fort.

After signing for the key to the access gate (which is on the bridge) a short walk along a ‘path’ takes you into the trees which cover the island. The ditch/rampart crossing the island is fairly easy to spot being about 1m high but largely overgrown. In all honesty there isn’t that much in the prehistoric way to see.

I continued on to the walled burial ground and entered through the metal gate.
The information board states that there are 15 graves here, 9 of them chiefs of the clan. There is one very old looking grave slab laying flat on the ground with a worn figure carved onto it.

This is a very peaceful place. Surrounded by trees with only the sound of birds and the rushing of water either side of the island from the higher falls. I am so glad I finally took the trouble to visit. If you happen to visit Killin (which is worth visiting in its own right) make sure you visit the Clan Macnab burial ground as well.

Failed visited 26.7.14

Didn’t see it – couldn’t get anywhere near it.

The area is completely covered by head height gorse and vegetation.

Winter visit required for this one.

To my mind the word tumulus conjures up images of often low grassy chamberless mounds, but this most certainly is not what I’m used to.
Heading towards Le Bono (no relation) on the D101 go over the bridge and turn right at the sign posted roundabout more or less as soon as you enter the non Dublin related town. The tumulus is down this road on the right, you cant miss the big car park.

I decided to get out early before the kids get up and see this one, and as it was a beautiful morning and the car park was empty it was looking to be a good one. It’s a short walk of fifty yards through pine woodland to the tumulus. I’ll keep using the word tumulus, but only with a hoot of derision, and a snort of superiority, they might as well call it a pile of stones.
I entered the clearing in the woods into glaring early morning sunshine, which as you’ll know is the best kind, the entrance to the mound is facing me, that’s a south east direction, vaguely with the summer solstice sunrise.
Torch in hand I enter the passage with a stoop, having not done my homework properly I didn’t know if there was any art work in there or not so I only half inspected the wall stones. Like Pierre Plats the passage bends to the left, well, here it’s more of a right angle turn really, but still, do all angled passage graves bend to the left, which way does yours bend?
Sitting at the end of the dry passage in the dark, it was quiet, cool of temperature, and cool of demeanor too. I mean how cool is it to travel somewhere in a 21st century vehicle through a 20th century town and in less than a minute your back in the stone age, in a place where few stone-agers have trod, or sat.
But there is more to this ridge than just the big burial chamber, so I exit the tumulus and stroll north east to the information board, in doing so I’ve just walked past three Iron age Tombettes or tombelles. The one closest to the info board is what we’d see as a tumulus, a low grassy mound, but the two between it and the big one have kerb stones round them, unfortunately they have been cordoned off and the undergrowth left to grow, and grow it has. I decide to walk off in the other direction, south west. Here right next to the big one is what looks to be the best of the four definite tombettes I found. This one is a circular grassy platform, with a slight trench in it’s centre, terminating at the circles edge with a recumbent and two flankers, which is weird because just over there is four boulders in a kind of none circular circle.
Further into the woods are some big earthfast boulders, one of them has a carved linear groove upon it, another had the dubious pleasure of having me sit on it for a while whilst happily surveying the trees and seeing a Jay and a small bird of prey shooting after an even smaller scared little birdie.
Now having read the information board I can say that there are some carved stones in the passage of the big one, specifically it says the twelfth stone on the left going in has a carving on it. It is rather faint and not as good as Pierre Plats’ but I think I found at least one more. On the right, ten feet or so going in is a lovely rippled bubbly chocolate kind of stone, it is I presume natural but the one next to it is I think definitely carved as well.

Only one person came past whilst I was there, Frenchie called over to me and said something in his native tongue, seeing as I know as much Klingon as I do french it was totally incomprehensible to me. Perhaps he was asking if I had a torch, or maybe watch out for the werewolf.
Then a woman and her teenage kids came up the path, but I’ve had my go and it’s time to go any way, were going karting this afternoon. I wonder if there’s anywhere good to call in at on the way.
Ha ! I know there is.

Visited 26.7.14

Directions:
From Fraserburgh take the A981 south.
The cairn is on the B9032 (sign posted)

Another Historic Scotland site ticked off the list.
This cairn is a whopper – you can’t miss it!
Access is via a kissing gate and an information board is provided.

Memsie is a big old pile of stones and I am sure it gives the inhabitants of the nearby house something to talk about when looking out of their living room window! I didn’t climb to the top as it felt uncomfoartable with the house so near.

What is perhaps best about a visit to Memsie is that it gives a good idea of how many of the now ruined cairns we visit must have looked when in their prime.

Visited 27.7.14

Directions:
In the town of Inverurie. In the suburbs to the north west.
The Brandsbutt symbol stone is sign posted as it is a H.S. site.

There is an information board and the setting of the circle has been marked out on the grass. The site is well and truly knackered but, at least I guess, some of the stones remain.

The Pictish stone is also knackered but again, at least it is still with us.
Luckily the light was good and I was easily able to make out the carvings.

Worth a look if you happen to be visiting the pretty town of Inverurie.

Managed to spot two of the cists.

One was near the path and well hidden in the heather to the south of the chambered cairn.

The other cist I saw is very easy to spot. It is right next to the path as you approach the cairn, just before the 2nd small wooden walkway.
And very nice it is too!
Three of the side stones remain in place and the cist is about 0.5m deep.

Well worth keeping an eye out for when visiting the cairn.

Directions:
Sign posted off the A9 – just south of Ulbster.
Small car park a short distance from the start of the ‘path’.

We have taken our summer holiday in Scotland for the past several years but we always seem to end up somewhere on the (beautiful) western side of the country. We are looking to move to Scotland in the next few years and therefore wanted to explore parts we haven’t previously visited. This year we decided to ‘do’ the entire east coast to see what it was like and if there was anywhere we fancied living. This also (of course) gave me the chance to visit lots of ‘old stone’ sites and knock many Historic Scotland sites off the list. This is a great example where I was able to do both.

Sophie was asleep and Karen stayed with her whilst Dafydd and myself donned our boots and headed across the moor following the black and white poles. Dafydd took the lead and happily pointed out each new pole as it came into sight. The ‘path’ is easy enough to follow via kissing gate, stile and (in part) a wooden boardwalk, although the walk is nearly a mile.

The sun was beating down on us. It was hot and not a cloud in the sky (typical Scotland weather then!) A gentle breeze helped to keep us cool.

Soon enough we reached the site and needless to say had the place to ourselves. There are 3 large stones helping to support the dry stone walling, a small section of corbelled roof and 2 sets of upright stones which narrows the passageway. The place has a nice ‘remote’ feel about it, reminded me a bit of Orkney or Shetland. In the distance mist was rolling in from the sea. A great sight on this blue and sunny day.

Needless to say before long it was time to head back to the car.

This is a good place to visit and is a pleasant walk which is not too strenuous. However, in wet weather it would be very bogy and muddy in places so make sure you wear appropriate footwear. Flip flops would have been ok today!

Visited 22.7.14

Directions:
Next to a minor road, north-west of Contin on the A835

Spotted this on my O/S map.

This was my last but certainly not best site of the day.

You can just about make out the circular ditch of the henge amid the tall spiky grass which indicates how wet and bogy the ground is here. Not much else to say really.
On the plus side it is right next to the road so access is easy.

If you are in the area and only have time to visit one henge go and see the one at Cononbridge instead.

CANMORE states:
Contin (Henge): A monument of which there is certain room for doubt. At first sight it seems to be a Class I henge, 75’ diameter, but the bank appears to run without interruption across the entrance causeway in the ditch. Only excavation could determine if it was a henge. Even so, it is extremely likely that it belongs to some obscure phase of the transitional period early in the 2nd or even late in the 3rd millenium BC.
R W Feachem 1963

Probable henge, as described above. Slightly mutilated in the W quadrant.
Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (R D) 20 January 1965

Classified as a henge, as opposed to a possible henge.
H A W Burl 1969

You know how sometimes when you re-visit a place years later and maybe the stones are bigger or smaller, or it was further to walk than you remembered, or something will be different to how you remember it.
This is not that place, it stayed unretarded and unchanged in my memory, it was just how I remembered it, and it was just as perfect a place as it was eleven years ago.
Last time I came the rest of the family stayed in the motor home and I got to come here on my own and spend some quality time alone with a pair of perfect strangers, Christophe the guide and Pierre plats herself.
This time the kids elected to stay on the beach and create some sand sculptures, apparently they’re too old for sand castles now, which works well for me because Christophe aint here so we are totally alone now.
Being alone at such a place as this is a rare thing in a Breton summer, but rather than rush round I take my time with her. First of all I take a good long look at the big standing stone in front of the passage entrance, the side that faces the sea is ragged and gnarled, bitten hard by the power of windy seas. But the reverse side is still smooth, and peppered with cup marks, one is as deep as a golf ball, one is half as deep and maybe ten more fainter still. Then I take a walk to the back of the passage on top of the capstones, there could be sixteen capstones but some maybe broken, so do you count it as one or two now.
You can see the curve of the capstones as they cover the priceless art work underneath, at the elbow to the passage a side passage turns left, you can see it’s two capstones from above as well. At the junction of these two passages the capstones have on their upper surfaces carved grooves, one stone has about nine another has only two. Their purpose eludes me, but I suspect they are not original. Whilst i’m at the far end a man enters the passage, then I can hear him swear in English about his wet feet, evidently there is a puddle of substantial size in side, he doesn’t last long and soon rejoins his partner for their evening stroll on the beach. Now it’s my go inside.
A great man once said “Entering a burial chamber is a lot like making love to a beautiful woman” or he would have done if he ever did so. But I am and the thought isn’t a million miles away from my mind.
The first carved stone you pass is the entrance pillar itself, not arty carving but you can tell it’s been done. The puddle inside is quite extensive but some one has put stones along its length to step along, tottering along I make it to the bend in the passage and the junction with the left turn. In side the smaller passage which doesn’t go much more than ten feet it is dry, but there is debris from other visitors. I rejoin the main passage and look out for the arty bits, of which there is many, they are coming thick and fast and soon I’m looking for them on all the stones. It is a megalithic treasure trove this place the carvings are still so neat and fresh, I angle my torch, like so, to pick out the shapes more clearly, they are quite breathtaking. Now I’m at the end of the passage and a side slab cuts off the end six feet in an almost chamber, it’s quite dry at the back and I sit for a while with my back to the wall. Someones coming, but the puddle dissuades them form disturbing our embrace and penetrating further, no puddle can dampen my ardor I’m in up to the hilt.

“Entering a burial chamber is a lot like making love to a beautiful woman”
Is it ?
I’m sure that it is.

Just then Eric comes looking for me and pokes his head in through a gap in the roof, caught again, our time is over, all too quickly, he informs me ive been here for an hour, how time flies when your having fun.

Is it ?

Visited 27.7.14

Directions:
About 1 mile east of the village of Tarves.

We parked on the minor road to the west of the site and myself and Dafydd made for the circle whilst Karen stayed in the car with Sophie. A small wooden sign points the way. It only takes 5 minutes to walk along the path to the stones.
There is an information board set up by the Tarves Heritage Project 1995.

The six stones are erected on an obvious raised platform. The circle was surrounded by fields of wheat although the stones themselves were surrounded by long scraggy grass. The circle is only small but occupies a peaceful spot. It is certainly worth the minimum effort it takes to visit the stone circle.

It was a lovely hot sunny Sunday afternoon with blue sky and white fluffy clouds.
On the way back to the car we picked raspberries.

There are worse ways to spend an afternoon.

09/08/2014 – Just a short walk from Dundreich cairn, Jeffries Corse cairn is said to have been large at one time but the grassed covered cairn is now about 4ft in height. Not much to see but the view is very good from it.

09/08/2014 – A visit to Blackhope Scar combined with the two cairns of Dundreich and Jeffries Corse make for a fine walk in this area. We parked north at Gladhouse Reservoir and headed along the track beside River South Esk. Up the track at The Kipps and followed fence line to Blackhope Scar. Then using the wind turbine tracks on Bowbeat Hill we made our way to the cairn on Dundreich. The cairn is grassed over and only a couple of feet high now. Worth going just for the view across to the Pentland Hills. A lovely location for a cairn. Worth mentioning is Northshield Rings to the west. I didn’t visit them but from the hill they did look pretty impressive.

08/08/2014 – We approached this settlement/fort from Scald Law to the north. Easy access and nice view of the site from the hill. Oval fort with ring-ditch houses inside. Nice site. Canmore (link below) has more details and some nice ariel photos.

Visited 22.7.14

Directions:
In the centre of Conon Bridge on the A862 – opposite the bus stop.

I was looking forward to visiting this site and I wasn’t disappointed.
It is a little cracker!

The site is well maintained, litter free and the grass cut short.
Although small you would be hard pushed to find a better preserved henge.
The surrounding ditch and entrance is very easy to see.

How on earth has it survived so well in the middle of a village surrounded by houses?
I was also surprised by the lack of information board.
The village/town should be proud to have this site in their care.

Make sure you allow time to visit this henge when in the area.

Failed visit 24.7.14

Outside the museum in the pretty town of Tain is a cup marked stone. Unfortunately the museum is in the church yard which is locked at night. We arrived at about 7.00pm but by then the gates were already padlocked. I was very disappointed.

Apparently it is also known as the Ardjachie Stone and is a boulder of red sandstone. It is 1.7m x 0.65m x 0.35m and has about 30 irregular cup marks dating from the Bronze Age.

It also has Pictish symbols on it.

One to visit when next in the area.

Visited 24.7.14

We followed the signs from the A9 and soon arrived at the small car park where there were already several cars parked up. In fact we had to park on the verge as there were no parking spaces left.

I have to say I found the site to be a little disappointing. I was surprised by how small both the stones and the area they covered were.
I don’t think the fact the grass around the stones was long helped matters.

It was hard to make sense of the stones and I suspect an aerial view would be most beneficial. Everyone who was visiting could be heard expressing their opinions on what it could all mean. Dafydd asked me what they were for?
I simply replied I don’t know!

There are good views to be had and when I visited sea mist was rolling in from the coast. It was like being in an aeroplane above the clouds – fab!

Although, as I said, I found the site a little disappointing it is certainly still worth visiting when in the north of Scotland.

Another Historic Scotland site off the list!

A chance visit, not planned at all. Just the other side of Warminster today on the way to somewhere else, spotted this marvelous enigmatic looking hill. Never seen before by me. Abandoned original plan with “Let’s walk up it.” Remarkably easy to access, just past the entrance to Longleat there is a National Trust signpost and small car park. Easy walk up ... today was very windy indeed which made it a lot of fun. There is a clear information board telling us about the Bronze Age bowl barrows, Iron Age hill fort and the six different varieties of orchid. Too late for the orchids today but amazing views – in some ways this hill reminded me of Uffington and even Glastonbury Tor as it has a smaller hill next to it. Very much the same ‘feel’ as Uffington but without the white horse of course.

Lovely, relatively, unsung place. Added to list of great hill forts around Wiltshire.

11/08/2014 – I visited White Meldon a few years back and had been wanting to get back to have a look at Black Meldon fort since. Started from the road that runs between the Meldons. Short but steepish climb to the top. Nice stones of the wall remain and a cairn (old?) on top. Well worth a visit. Weather today was pretty wild on top with the wind and rain.

This place was strangely not on my list, but as I was en route to Les Pierre Plats and saw the sign for it as I was passing, I thought I might as well go for a quick shufty, it’s not often a dolmen throws itself in front of you.
I cant really say where it is, as I was not really sure where I was, such is the clarity of French roads signs. I parked on the side of the road right by the path between houses, it is less than a minutes walk.
It is now becoming apparent that one gets very little time to ones self at these places in the summer months, and Mane Er Hrouek is no exception, I’m beginning to pine for a little solitude.
A family was preparing to leave as we got there, so we went straight into the tomb. The walled walkway down beneath the cairn is modern, the chamber itself was never open, it was always intended to be buried and passage-less. The walkway bends to the right and goes down to the chambers entrance. It is not possible to stand up in the chamber, unless your a Krankie on your mothers side, inside the chamber it is cool and damp, which is a nice time compared to the heat outside.
With the light off it is rather dark, only a very little light gets all the way down to the chambers entrance. Whilst hunkering down in the half dark I hear some German voices approaching, our time in the underworld is at an end and we relinquish the tomb to it’s new admirers.
Outside the day is still bright and were left blinking in the afternoon light, as the chamber is erm occupied ? we go up on to the top of the cairn. Below us and in between the walkway entrance is just the biggest of scoops of cairn material, enough stuff has gone, that you could build another really big cairn with it. There’s a million ancient sites around Carnac but some have been seriously defiled in the past.
The whole of the site is quite unphotographable, there is too much vegetation on and around the mound, big trees, gorse and assorted bushes, but neither the giant scoop nor the flora can hide the massive size of this place.
On our way back to the car we pass yet more people coming up, too many people.

Visited 28.7.14

Although sited right next to the road the stone was well hidden by long grass.

It is approximately 1m high and the top is covered in green lichen

Failed visit 20.7.14

After visiting the nearby Whalley Abbey Gatehouse (E.H. site) I attempted to visit this hillfort. I tried to access via the minor road to the north and the east, which is off the very busy A671.

There is no public access to the hillfort and the northern approach is blocked by someone’s house/garden. The eastern approach is blocked by a 10ft high hedge – with no gaps or gates!

If you are planning a visit I suspect the best option would be to ask permission from the people living in the house.

Visited 20.7.14

As stated by new abbey the best place to park is at the side road a little south of the stone row. (Dyke Farm Nature Reserve)
There is nowhere safer, nearer, to park on the very busy A701.

It had been a long, hot, sunny day and this was my last site of the day.
Although the grass verge had been cut short the grass immediately around the stones had been left to nature. This meant the stones were largely hidden by long grass and nettles. Easy to miss if you didn’t know they were there.

The tallest stone (most southern) is about 1m high x 0.5m wide. Four paces away is the middle stone 0.5m high x 0.5m wide. A further 2 paces away is the northern stone which is the smallest, about 0.4m high x 0.5m wide.

Worth keeping an eye out for although I suspect 99.9% of the people passing have no idea they are here – or what they are for that matter!

Visited 20.7.14

A smallish stone, a bit gnarled and about 1m high.
It stands in a field the other side of a barbed wire fence although it is easily seen from the side of the road.

Worth a quick look when passing.