Visited 30.9.13
Directions:
You can either use the public footpath from Middleton to the north east or follow the coastal path from Rhossili. Either way the path runs right past this Cliff Fort.
There is not much left to see.
Just a half-circle low grass bank approximately 1m in height.
It appears that over the years the sea has washed away most of the cliff containing the majority of the fort.
Lovely views over Fall Bay.
Visited 30.9.13
Directions:
Park in the main visitor’s car park in Rhossili (£3.00 all day) and follow the road down past the N.T. shop towards the Coastguard station. Continue along the coastal path and this is the first of the several cliff/promontory forts you come to. Can’t miss it as it is right next to the path and has a N.T. sign giving its name and age.
As this fort is so close to the amenities Rhossili has to offer it is no surprise that it attracts the most visitors. Indeed, on my day out walking the coastal path this was the only site I visited where I saw anyone else. Due to the number of people visiting there were sections of the ramparts which has been repaired and had signs erected requesting people keep off the banking due to the erosion it was causing. Thankfully, at least when I visited, people were heeding the signs and observing the fort from the footpath.
This is a very easy site to access and one that shouldn’t be missed if you happen to be at this far end of the Gower peninsular.
It also has the added bonus of giving great views over to Worm’s Head.
** A short distance south I spotted a suspicious looking curved bank vanishing over the cliff edge. Clearly whatever it was has all but been eroded away by the sea. Was this all that is left of some sort of prehistoric enclosure? **
How good is this? Although close by the busy A894 – and apparently damaged by its construction – the shattered remains of this chambered cairn literally rise above such an appalling indignity, according the visitor a wondrous perspective of what surely must have been an ancient route across the gloriously brutal, mountainous landscape of The Quinag. Perhaps not so ‘glorious’ to the sodden Neolithic traveller, perhaps, but full of inherent meaning nevertheless? The situation is dramatic, to say the least, the towering mountain mass, rising beyond the Allt Sgiathaig, sculptured by the greatest forces of all to form the enigmatic, strikingly elegant summit of Spidean Coinich. Not the highest of The Quinag, but suffice to say it catches the eye.
According to Assynt’s Hidden Lives Project [2009] the monument is:
“An uneven, sub-triangular grass covered cairn.... the W side has been completely truncated by the road. The cairn sits on a slope....3.5m high at the W and 1m high on the E.....Large stones are present on the top which are perhaps displaced lintels or capstones”.
Yeah, I’d concur with that. I also agree with Carl. The chambered cairn can not be seen from the road. Having said that, I approached from the steep hillside above, the monument presenting an iconic foreground image to such a desolately beautiful, watery landscape. Unfortunately the lack of internal detail within the cairn did not allow me to come to any firm conclusion regarding any correlation between alignment and the aforementioned Spidean Coinich... as I would suggest is reasonably obvious at the Ardvreck cairn down the road. But hey, despite the arrival of a pretty hostile rain front, I enjoyed myself here gazing down upon the camper vans heading for Kylesku, the mind drifting back to a much more serious ‘working over’ upon Spidean Coinich a decade ago. It’s good to return and gain a different perspective, to close the loop.
Ascending the A894 from Loch Assynt there are numerous parking spaces to be had before passing the track to Achmore Farm... should you be arriving by car, of course. As mentioned I climbed the hillside to the right and worked my way along. However if you’d rather stick to the tarmac – and why not? – look out for a solitary tree to your left... I think there was only the one. If located, the cairn lies, unseen, upon the steep rise to your right.
P.S – if your onward route happens to take you to Kylesku it is worth considering a boat trip along Loch Glencoul to see Eas-Coul-Aulin, Britain’s highest waterfall. As the local who took me said of his craft... “one careful owner... can’t speak for the other dozen, though!” Nice.
Sadly – unlike the Ledmore River monument to the south-east – the proximity to the road here ensured the thought of an extended stop at the shattered remains of this chambered cairn was less enticing than it perhaps should have been, particularly bearing in mind the presence of a couple of substantial uprights. Hey, in retrospect I’m quite ashamed of myself now. But there you are. A glance at the map will confirm there are many other sites vying for the attention of the megalithic traveller around these parts....
Having said that I was treated to some wonderful light, courtesy of some pretty unpredictable, inclement weather... which I reckon amplified any residual vibe lingering down the millennia. Echoes of the past, so to speak. And the couple of remaining chamber stones are indeed rather impressive, well worth a look, particularly when starkly silhouetted against an overwhelming cloudscape.
And, of course.... if the Lyne cairn was anywhere else but here I’d be quite prepared to drive a hundred miles to see it. And drive a hundred more... to paraphrase those wondrous twins from Auchtermachty, Fife.
Despite the relative proximity of the A835, I found this large chambered cairn, overlooking the Ledmore River, to possess an inherently rewarding vibe. OK... the succession of sunbursts periodically illuminating both monument and landscape naturally had a positive effect upon the mood of this antiquarian punter, fresh from the great Cam Loch chamber. I’ll have to concede that. However the substantial nature of the cairn undeniably had a bearing, too.
According to Audrey Henshall it has (or at least ‘had’... back in 1963) “a diameter of about 55ft... 6ft in height”.’ Furthermore .... “At centre of cairn, tops of four large stones can be seen, and suggest the presence of a polygonal chamber about 8 ft wide”. She mentions the presence of numerous other slabs on site “probably from the roof”. Quite a few of those around.
As mentioned, the monument is well placed above the Ledmore River, more or less mid way between its confluence with the Ledbeg River to east and Na Luirgean to west... and boasts a fine view of the haunting profile of Cul Mor. Perhaps this was intentional? Of significance to those who, having laboured to create such a vast rock pile, took subsequent spiritual solace in the knowledge that, according to their customs, they had done right by their Big Man and gods. Although, to be fair, it would probably have been quite a challenge to erect a chambered cairn around these parts without it being privy to a sublime landscape context!
Access is simple enough... there is limited parking at the entrance to the track heading for the south-eastern shore of Cam Loch, just a short walk and ‘step-over’ of the fence away.
Visited 30.9.13
Directions:
From the main Rhossili visitor’s car park follow the coastal path south west past the N.T. shop and coastguard station and then east towards Port Einon. You will know when you get to Thurba as there is a little N.T. sign telling you so!
The fort itself is a short distance south west of the main coastal path – on a headland.
I counted 3 defensive banks – the outer two being approximately 2m at their highest (when standing in the ditch) and the inner bank approximately 1m high.
In places you can easily see how the banks were constructed of stone
As you would expect there are great coastal views to be had.
Well worth a quick stop-off when walking the coastal path from Rhossili.
Visited 30.9.13
Directions:
Mid way between Thrumba Camp and The Knave cliff forts. The cave can be easily seen from the coastal path near a stile. The cave is high up on the headland.
There is no ‘path’ to the cave but it is only a short walk from the coastal path through the ferns / gorse. However, the slope is very steep and you have to be very careful – I wouldn’t fancy walking to the cave if the grass was wet. Not somewhere to take a child that’s for sure!
The cave itself is small, approximately 1 metre high, going back about 2 metres.
There was a yellow numbered tag nailed to one of the stones. No idea what it was for?
Great coastal views as you would expect. I would suggest it best to simply view the cave from the coastal path and not risk the walk up to the cave. It is a bit dodgy.
Visited 30.9.13
Directions:
From Paviland Cave head up the ravine (with the drystone wall running along it) and Foxhole Slade is in the cliff face on the left. Easy to find although access is over loose stones.
This was the most substantial of the caves I visited / saw today. The cave is clearly still used as a shelter judging by the recent camp fire which had been made there. This would certainly be a good place to sit out a storm.
Well worth a look when visiting Paviland Cave.
Visited 1.10.13
Directions:
Knelston can be found on the A4118 heading west towards Rhossili. You will pass a Texaco garage on your left and immediately after a school on your right. You can park outside the school. Walk a short distance west and you will come to a farm drive on your right – opposite a house called The Rectory. Walk up the farm drive and follow the public footpath signs on your right. You go over a couple of stiles, through some trees and into a field. Directly in front of you (on the opposite side of the field) is a field gate. Walk to the gate and the stone will come into view in the next field over. The public right of way runs straight past the stone so no access worries.
The stone is a big one, triangular in shape and comprising of many quartz pebbles.
There is a fair bit of ‘hairy’ lichen growing around the top of the stone.
I am quite surprised this stone has not been added before given its size and relative ease of access?
There is not much in the way of a view.
Coflein states:
‘Set on level ground, a roughly triangular standing stone, 2.2m high x 2.2m and 0.6m thick’.
Visited: September 15, 2013
Situated just 350 metres from D46, hunebed D47 Angelslo is similarly situated in urban surroundings, on a small area of trees and grassland between blocks of flats. When D47 was surveyed in 1918 only two of its capstones remained and, because the ten sidestones and two endstones are so deeply buried in the sand, they are almost resting on the ground. Over the course of time, one of the missing capstones was found and replaced on the dolmen.
Perhaps because of its urban setting, D47 became the object of repeated severe vandalism, so much so that the authorities at one time planned to bury the entire hunebed to protect it. Fortunately, a different course of action was followed, whereby two large, suitably shaped stones were acquired, and in July 1997 placed by crane into the spaces left by the two long-lost capstones. At first these ‘new’ stones, though correctly shaped, stood out through being a clearly different colour to the originals, but over the years these have weathered nicely and now blend in perfectly. The hunebed is now well looked after and is regularly inspected.
To visit D47, which is several kilometres distant from the centre of Emmen, the best plan is to take Town Bus No 2 to the Kerspellaan bus halt. This is circled in red on the accompanying map, and it is just a few minutes walk from there to D47 (also circled in red).
Visited: September 15, 2013
Until the early 1960s, Hunebed D46 Angelslo lay in a rural environment, but as the nearby town of Emmen expanded massively following World War II, the original small village of Angelslo was demolished to make way for a modern residential suburb. As a result, this hunebed now finds itself situated adjacent to residential housing on the west, and a sizeable area of grassy parkland to the east. Prior to restoration in 1960, D46 was a ruin. Its four surviving capstones, which had been scattered around the site, were replaced on the ten sidestones. Unfortunately, one of the original capstones is missing. Nevertheless, D46 Angelslo is an impressive monument, almost ten metres in length. There is no evidence of an entrance portal, nor is it known if it ever possessed a ring of circling kerbstones. As with several hunebeds, the work of the stone-robbers is evident by the presence of boreholes in one of its capstones.
If you are visiting D46, the best approach is to take Town Bus No 2 from the railway station and get off at the Kerspellaan halt. This is circled in red on the accompanying map. From here, walk up Kerspellaan and take the fourth street on the right, Fokkingeslag and walk straight on, past two blocks of flats, to the parkland at the end of the street (don’t follow the road where it turns to the left). Step into the park and D46 is right there! It takes just 10 minutes from the bus stop.
(If you have a map of Emmen, it is possible to walk to D46, about 55 minutes from the station.)
Visited: September 15, 2013
Hunebed D49 Schoonoord is one I had yearned to visit ever since I became aware of The Netherlands passage graves several years ago. But somehow it always eluded me. Finally, after a day visiting some of the hunebedden in and around Emmen, I decided to take Bus 21 to the Voshaar halt in the village of Schoonoord. Immediately across the road from this bus stop is Recreation Center Rijmaaran, which is the start point for a visit to hunebed D49.
Just a few metres into the center, you are greeted by a green Hunebed sign which directs you to a path into the woodland on your left. Just a few paces on and you turn to the right into the ‘Avenue of Trees’ described by Jane and less than 200 metres farther is D49 Schoonoord. On the way, you pass a large boulder bearing a bronze plaque with an effigy of the Dutch archaeologist Albert van Giffen. It was Van Giffen who had the idea of restoring D49 into an idealised hunebed, and who also took charge of the reconstruction work.
Although D49 as seen today is not an authentic hunebed, but a composite combining all the features of an original hunebed, it does serve to show visitors just how a typical hunebed would have looked 5000 years ago. It is spectacular for sure, resting in a woodland clearing and surrounded by tall trees. The addition of the barrow, with its necklace of kerbstones, helps greatly in illustrating how these ancient monuments were originally conceived.
Some of the capstones on D49 are enormous, and although the sidestones are deeply seated in the sand, it is still possible to enter the passage, though not that part below the mound, which is fenced off by a sturdy steel barrier.
Visiting D49 lived up to all my expectations. No other hunebed quite ticks all the boxes. If there is one hunebed that everyone should visit, this is it!
You can view a short video about D49 on YouTube.
After Stonehenge and Avebury this is probably the most visited stone circle in Britain, with plenty of parking places, three, count ‘em three entrances into the field, all with their own information board, (all with a model of the circle with directional pointers to distant places) and close enough to Keswick to walk there, popularity is always a given for this stone circle.
Today was no exception with popularity, there must have been at least twenty people here, not since Stonehenge have I seen so many people at an ancient place, even though it was around tea time. Ten of them were all together, Indian in appearance, they seemed more intent on photographing each other climbing the stones. A few were obviously tourists killing time, some had big cameras and could have been me in ten years, one bloke had a tie died shirt, a flask of something and a book, he sat quietly reading looking up now and then with a bemused look to him, and there was Eric and me.
I’ve not been here for ages, not since the Leonid meteor shower at 2am, and before that some foggy equinox over a decade ago, I didn’t know til now but I’ve missed Castlerigg, it isn’t in my mind the best stone circle ive seen, Brodgar, Swinside and Callanish are my favorites, but in all the sites I’ve seen this is the best placed anything ever. They could’ve built a shed here and still they’d come.
I wandered over to the lonely stone by the wall, hoping that at least the Indians would soon tire of the stones, they didn’t, as I walked back some little bugger was chasing sheep around, shit, that’s my little bugger, erm I mean lovely little boy, what’s he going to do next climb on the stones, oh god Eric get down.
Time to go!!!
I wasn’t exactly bursting with confidence of finding this place at all, it’s needless to say not on the map, but then neither is Copt Howe. All I had to go on was a foggy memory of one of Gladman’s views from a mounatin. It was enough, I found the coppice the boulder inhabits, and parked the other side of the cattle grid. Two gates later and we entered the trees, five minutes from car to stone, if that.
Somewhat disappointingly, a rather crusty camper had set up home twenty yards from the stone, it is a good place to camp, but right next to a campsite ?
I wondered if he knew the significance of the stone and why two apparent tourists were paying it so much attention. I turned to look at the camper, and Eric said he’s doing a number two, daft lad he’s just sitting down, phew.
The big squarish boulder is three to four feet tall, and has at least twenty well defined cup marks on its top most surface. Rock art eh, who can fathom it, it’s the best of British mysteries.
The view north to the axe factory mountain is dulled by the close quartered trees, just as well really, I might never have left, or worse still insisted on climbing them.
We got there about four in the afternoon on the day of the Autumnal equinox, it was a Sunday. There was already half a dozen cars parked in the vicinity but there was room for one more at the end, I squeezed it in effortlessly, as I’m a professional driver.
Despite the number of cars parked on the side of the road there was only a young couple there, so we gave them some time to themselves and consumed out butties and pop. Yum.
They were gone soon enough so Eric set about exploring the boulders, not that one I told him, that ones off limits, then I sat in front of the rock art after perusing the information board and tried hard to see everything that was on the picture.
The triangle or love heart of pecked bumps was impossible to see until right up next to it, the longer I sat there staring the more I could see. Over the now very rickety and slightly dangerous stile I found more. Concentric circles surrounding a natural ? depression, two cartouche type shapes and two weird cup marks with bumps in the middle, that’s not the technical term but I lack the vocabulary.
I wonder why it is all done with the big axe factory mountain out of view. I also wonder why it’s only on one boulder, perhaps it lends credence to the map theory. But I still don’t buy it, why would you need a map, surely anyone here would know where they are going, and if they don’t then they’ve got no business being here. Not anyone could go up there and knock out their own axes could they ?
But one thing is for sure and completely undeniable, this is a sublime position for anything, rock art a stone circle a single standing stone, heck I’d come here if there was nowt at all. The grass is greener, the sky bluer, the clouds fluffier and the mountains, well, they are the best in England, rockier, higher and more inviting than anywhere else.
Come now before they get too eroded for surely one day they will be no more than big grassy hills.
Visited: September 13, 2013
Hunebed G1 Noordlaren is an impressive monument topped with really enormous capstones. But of an original ten sidestones, five capstones and two endstones, depredations by stonerobbers over the centuries have reduced this hunebed to just four sidestones, two capstones and a single endstone. Originally there were also two pairs of portal stones but these too are long gone. Cement markers in the ground indicate the positions of the missing orthostats. Excavations by Professor van Giffen in 1957 unearthed the remains of some 150 items of pottery.
Shortly before the year 1800, a borehole was drilled into each of the two remaining capstones of G1: fortunately, a local gentleman was able to prevent the blasting that would have shattered them.
The path to G1 Noordlaren is signposted from Zuidlaarderweg, the main route through the village of Noordlaren, about 200 metres south of the Kerkstraat bus halt. It is a good, wide sandy farm road called Weg langs het Hunebed and takes you straight to G1 Noordlaren, a walk of about 250 metres. The hunebed is set back slightly among the trees but cannot be missed as it is encountered precisely at the point where the path makes a right angled turn to the left.
You can view a short video about hunebed G1 Noordlaren on YouTube.
Recent excavation has discovered that what was originally considered to have been a hut circle or roundhouse is at least a ring cairn , but a gap in the bank/platform is the right size and orientation for a recumbent , complete with sockets either side of the gap suggestive of a setting for flankers .
Visited: September 13, 2013
There’s not a lot to say about Hunebed D12 Eext. Originally a small hunebed consisting of eight sidestones and four capstones, it has degenerated into little more than a stoneheap. Several of the stones have been robbed and, although A E van Giffen marked their positions with concrete inserts, these are nowadays often hidden beneath the grass. Hunebed stones often provide good surfaces for the growth of lichens and you will find the south-facing stones here to be covered with them. The bright yellow one is Candelariella vitellina.
On a positive note, the large tree that had long been growing hard up against the hunebed has now been felled, opening up the aspect of the site.
Hunebed D12 sits in a rectangular patch of land containing a number of trees within a large field known as Kampakkers to the southwest of the village of Eext. It is by no means obvious how to access it. I found the best approach was along a street called Venakkers which curves round the western boundary of the village (the last street to the west of Eext). As you head north up Venakkers the tarred road suddenly changes to a brick one immediately past house No 21 on the left-hand side. Between this house and the next one a farm track heads west into the fields. Keep following this track for 300 metres and you are there.
Disappointingly, there are no signs along this route to guide you to D12 until you are a mere 50 metres short of your goal; perhaps this is because there is now an allternative new approach. After visiting the hunebed, I was walking through Eext when I noticed a green ‘Hunebed Sign’ a short distance along Anderensweg, the road joining Eext with the neighbouring village of Anderen to the southwest. This was directing hunebed visitors northward into Kampakkers. I did not pursue this, but it would seem to be a new, easier route to D12.
You can view a short video about hunebed D12 Eext on YouTube.
Visited: September 13, 2013
Hunebed D13 Eext is unique amongst the Dutch hunebedden in two ways. Firstly, it is the only one that is still surrounded by its original barrow, and secondly, its entrance portal was on top of the barrow (rather than through the side), the grave chamber being accessed down a flight of three steps. From the top of the mound you can clearly see the full complement of six sidestones and two endstones. Unlike the majority of hunebedden, where the sidestones were separated by spaces which were originally filled in with smaller stones, those at D13 Eext have been placed very close together.
On May 21, 1976, while excavating a trench for a new sewer in the centre of Eext, a large flat stone, which had been used for centuries to cover a culvert, came to light. Investigation showed it to be one of the missing capstones of D13 Eext, and three days later it was replaced on its hunebed. It is rumoured that another capstone lies buried in the ground somewhere in the neighbourhood of the church. The fate of the third capstone is unknown. It may have been broken up and used for dyke reinforcement, but there is always the hope that it may some day turn up in the area.
D13 was first discovered around 1736 by a ‘stone seeker’ who was probing the mound for stones to sell, and subsequently the capstones were removed although the chamber was left untouched. D13 can be found in a small wooded area between Eext Sportpark and Stationsstraat at the south of the village.
You can view a short video about D13 Eext on YouTube.
Visited: September 13, 2013
D11 Anloo lies on a woodland track, in a very quiet and peaceful shaded location where, more likely than not, you will find yourself alone with the hunebed. One of the problems tracking down hunebedden is that many are to be found deep in woodland, where you are never sure just which path to follow. With Hunebed D11 Anloo there is no such problem as it lies slap in the middle of a major forest path heading south of Anloo. Almost complete, this hunebed was restored in 1952 and possesses ten sidestones, two endstones, four capstones and a well defined entrance portal. Alas, the westernmost capstone is missing.
To make your way to D11, head for the southern boundary of Anloo where, just past the church, two streets, Kerkbrink and Brinkstraat meet. Follow Brinkstraat southwards for about 50 metres, then turn left on to Anderenseweg, keeping to this road until you pass through a small wooded area after about 600 metres. Now look out for a ‘Hunebed Sign’ directing you on to a woodland path to the left. After looping round the end of a field (clearly shown on the map below), this path follows an almost straight line which will bring you to D11 Anloo in about ten minutes (white marker on map). You’ll see D11 in the distance long before you get there as it lies on the actual path.
You can view a short video of Hunebed D11 Anloo on YouTube.
I have to admit that it took me a while to find this place, having not read up on any previous fieldnotes, and with the stone circle not marked on any map, there was always going to be a certain amount of guesswork.
There isn’t even much in the way of landmarks around either, that is why I passed it by. I had to keep on going south until I reached the Ambleside turnoff at Town Head, turn round and slowly retrace the road back up the hill. Counting coppices, streams, and looking out for the footpath that loops down and round to the stones. Eventually I got to the parking place suggested by Carl, parked up crossed the road went through the gate and trundled off down the bridleway. Less than ten minutes later I spied a standing stone coming up ahead. Bingo !!!
The sun had come out so I took my cardy off, and put it on the wall, then realised the mistake I’d made, my camera was still in the car. So I set off back up the path to the road, half way there it dawned on me that my brain must be turning to mush as my car keys were in the cardy on the wall. Back to the stones up to the car and back again to the stones. It’s hard work this old stoning lark sometimes.
The siting of this stone circle is strange and beautiful, situated on a steep slope, far above Trout beck and down hill from the road, it is, I felt, a weird place for a stone circle. But it is in a very pretty place, moss covered old walls, the breeze gently brushing through the trees, and the mountains across the valley all add up to a truly captivating site. The only thing that let it down was the wreck of the stone circle itself . Four stones are still upstanding, one on it’s own and on the other side of the track are the three low stones set into the old wall. But I could detect with not much certainty other fallen stones, being consumed by the hardy grasses and stone hiding mosses. We freed them from their slumber. But the site still remained stubbornly confusing, so confusing that I had no idea that it was a concentric circle like the druids circle above Ulveston. By the time we left I thought I’d got a handle on the site until I got home read up on the other notes and appreciated the place a new.
I must return, perhaps in winter but before the snow comes.
As you come off the A5092 heading north towards the Giants grave cairn circle, look for some trees off to your right, beyond the trees two cairns occupy the saddle between two hills, Great Burney and Combes.
Parking is easy, get as close to the foot path as you can. Follow the wall with the trees on the other side till you get to the top.
We were having trouble finding the two cairns so Eric suggested we climb the nearest hill to get a better look round, couldn’t argue with his logic so up we went. from on top of Combes we could see the trig point on Great Burney, at 298 meters it isn’t a terribly big hill but would have even better views than the hill we were on. North from here we could see Coniston water and The Old Man, with his head in the clouds, and down below us between the two hills was a very definite cairn. We held hands and ran back down, it’s something we’ve always done, it saves time, and it’s fun.
The cairn is a pretty flat affair except for the pyramidal walkers cairn on the side of it, some cairn material can be seen of course, but not much.
From here it seemed a simple thing to find the other cairn, once you’ve anchored yourself into the landscape, but could I eckers like find it, there were several contenders and I took photos of them all and posted the two likeliest on here. But chances are it still remains unfound, by me at least.
We leave the cairns behind for more substantial sites and bigger mountains.
Many years ago I came here to find this cairn circle but failed to do so, perhaps I was a bit green, perhaps I didn’t try hard enough, but when I read BeakerUK’s field notes I thought it was because I was looking in the wrong place.
I wasn’t.
Beakeruk got it wrong, THE CAIRN CIRCLE IS EXACTLY WHERE THE MAP SAYS IT IS.
To be fair, there is what looks very much like a cairn circle precisely where he says it is, TSC and I were there not long ago. But, funny enough, in one of my photos of that ‘not giants grave’ you can see the real Giants grave a bit further down the hill.
Gees, why did I get it so wrong, it is a simple matter finding it, I feel like a right idiot.
But we got there in the end.
Parking is easy, trusting you are in the right place, the cairn is no more than ten yards from the road, and like it’s non giant partner up the hill it has terrific views of the distant hills and mountains.
Two stones stand out in the circle, one is still standing quite proud, and has red paint on it’s inner surface, not some manic defacer of antiquities, just a sheltering sheep with red paint on it for you know what. The other stone is lying down and is covered in modern graffiti, initials and dates mostly.
Eric and I tidied the place up a bit, removing dead vegetable matter and stuff, revealing more of the visible stones and uncovering hidden ones.
Then I took to taking pictures, near to and further away, whilst standing on a small cliff to get an overview I stepped out into empty air and fell flat on my back five feet below, it wasn’t far, but far enough to think while falling that this is further down than I thought, then oof and the air vacated my chest, two ladies passing by looked concerned and asked if I was OK, strained and quietly I said I’m alright, camera still in hand and fortunately unharmed Eric helped me up amid stifled chuckles.
So to reiterate, the cairn circle is just where the map says it is, it’s an easy place to find, and worth finding if your passing.
Watch your footing.
Visited: September 13, 2013
For years, Hunebed D7 Kniphorstbos—sometimes referred to as D7 Schipborg—was a neglected, out of the way passage grave that was hard to find in the woodlands of Strubben/Kniphorstbos, a few kilometres west of the village of Annen. Until just a few years ago this area was a military training ground, and visitors were discouraged; hence there were no signposts, and there was a multitude of tracks through the woods that could lead visitors badly astray.
But all that changed in 2012 when the Staatsbosbeheer (the Dutch equivalent of the Forestry Commission) provided new direction signs and information boards for all the hunebedden. At last Hunebed D7 Kniphorstbos, restored in 1952, is relatively easy to track down, partly hidden by trees, just off the boundary of a forest clearing. Heavily shaded by foliage for much of the year, the stones of this hunebed are green with a coating of mosses. There are eight sidestones, deeply buried in the sand, and four capstones, one of which is damaged and has slipped down into the grave.
The best way to reach Hunebed D7 is on foot from Annen, passing Hunebed D8 on the way. Start just north of the roundabout on Zuidlaarderweg at the very north of the village, and follow Schipborgerweg westwards for 700 metres to the underpass below the N34 highway (see map below). On the other side of the highway, follow the forest path west for 250 metres until you reach a crossroads: from here, D8 lies in a clearing just a few metres along the road to your left. But to reach D7, carry along your original route—which veers slightly to the right—for 150 metres until you arrive at a point where the path forks in two. Here on your left stands the mound of the Galgenberg. Now follow the left hand path, which curves back and forth a few times, for 800 metres, until you emerge on to (another) Schipborgerweg, a metalled road. Turn right, and immediately on your right-hand side is a large car-park with a colourful information board about the Strubben/Kniphorstbos. This includes a somewhat simplified map detailing where to find Hunebed D7.
The yellow line on the map indicates the route, crossing below the N34 Rijksweg and through the woods to the car park.
For the final short distance to D7, follow the footpath that leads north from beside the Information Board. After a few metres you come to a gate. Pass through this gate and follow the sinuous path that leads to the right through the trees. After about 200 metres this crosses another path at right angles. Do not follow this second path but continue forward just a few paces towards the obvious woodland clearing ahead, and a green ‘hunebed sign’ comes into view. Now turn left and follow the narrow grassy footpath along the edge of the clearing—after about 150 metres you will come upon Hunebed D7, set a few metres back in the woods on your left.
Don’t be put off by this wealth of instructions. The total distance walked is only 2½ kilometres, and should take no longer than 45 minutes. The hunebed is relatively complete and undamaged, and well worth visiting. Of course, if you are in a hurry, you can drive directly to the car-park along Schipborgerweg from either of the villages Anloo or Schipborg. But that is a much less satisfying proposition than following the forest paths on foot.
We climbed here yesterday, and while there’s not much to be seen in terms of antiquities – save for well-disguised remnants of the fort’s wall – the views are fantastic.
Although it sits within the shadow of it’s much larger neighbour Arthur’s Seat which blocks the view to the west and south-west, there are extensive and wide-ranging views north to West Lomond Hill and east to Traprain Law and Berwick Law.
