Latest Fieldnotes

21/10/2012 – This cairn is halfway along Gleann Beag on the east side of the river. The road is on the west so if you want the quickest route to the cairn you are going to have to get your feet wet. We crossed the river just north of the cairn and it wasn’t that bad today but could be tricky after heavy rain or snow melt. The cairn is on a small rise with a fantastic view up and down the glen. Most of the stones have been displaced to the east side but the cist is visible with a possible capstone next to it. It’s worth a visit if you are passing through.

21/10/2012 – Parking at the Spittal of Glenshee church we headed down the track on the north side of the Shee Water. Passing the fantastic standing stone behind the church on it’s little hill called Dun Shith (Hill of the Fairies) we walked 500m to the cairn. The robbed cairn is very low laying with few stones showing through the grass. Not really the most exciting cairn but the area is lovely. If you visit, keep an eye out for the fairy folk, if they are real this is as good a place as any to catch a glimpse.

I always thought I knew about a lot of the limerick having travelled most by-roads looking for stones and also driving around it with work.
However I never spotted this “megalithic structure” as it is described on www.archaeology.ie until i saw it on Philip Powells website.
It looks like the remains of either a cist or some part of a megalithic tomb. Locally its know as the cromlech. However even the local information board located in Glenbrohane gives very little info about it other than US Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith visited it in 1997! Hope they took her to see a few other sites as well.

Visited 14.10.12

Surprised to find I am the first person to provide fieldnotes for this site!

Abbotsbury Castle Hillfort is very easy to access being alongside the B3157.
There is a small parking area along the minor road to the east of the site.
Access to the Hillfort from the car park is via steps and a permissive ‘path’.

Approached from the east, the two ramparts/ditches are quite substantial.
The outer rampart is about 3m high from the bottom of the ditch.
The inner rampart about 5m high.

On such a nice day there were lots of people about.
The Hillfort occupies a commanding position and affords great views out to Chesil Beach.

Due to time constraints I didn’t have time to explore the whole Hillfort so had to settle for the eastern end.
There is a ‘mound’ in the centre of the Hillfort approx 1m high x 5m across. A trig point sits on top of it.

This is an easy to access Hillfort, in good condition and with great views.
Well worth a visit when in this pretty part of the world.

Visited 14.10.12

We were heading home after a weekend away and the sun shone brightly in a deep blue sky. As we headed north out of Axminster, along the A358, I looked at the AA road atlas and spotted a familiar sight (a dotted red oval) near to where we were passing – a Hillfort!
Not wishing to push my luck I pointed out to Karen what a nice evening it was and did she fancy a ‘slight detour’ on the way home?
‘What do you want to see’? She asked in a knowing way.
‘Just a quick look at a Hillfort, it’s not far from her – honest!’ I chanced.
Good old Karen, true to form she went along with my request.

After successfully negotiating a maze of country lanes relying solely on said road atlas we eventually parked up near East Membury Farm. (It made me appreciate even more the O/S maps I usually use). Right next to where we parked was a wooden stile giving obvious access to the Hillfort.

I quickly stepped over the stile and headed up the hill towards the trees.
The single rampart is constructed of stones and stands to a pretty uniform height of about 1 metre. Although the centre of the hillfort is grass, a ring of trees/bushes follow the line of the rampart. The centre of the Hillfort if not flat but convex and oval in shape. Due to the trees there is little in the way of views although I am sure they would be fine if the trees were removed – not that I am proposing that! It takes about 10 minutes to walk right around the circumference of the Hillfort. I think I identified the entrance on the eastern side.

I am very surprised that I am the first person to be posting field notes on this site as it’s a pretty goon one – and it’s featured on the AA road atlas.
If you are ever in the area I would recommend you checking it out for yourself.

On the way back down the hill I picked up some acorns – a bit more for Dafydd’s school autumn project!

Visited 14.10.12

Whilst on Portland visiting Portland Castle (E.H. site – worth a visit) I took the opportunity to go and have a look at the possible remains of the stone circle.

There are several large stones interspersed within the walls either side of the road.
Most of the stones are approximately 1 metre square in size.

The stones are easy enough to spot along the road.
There’s not much else to add other than let’s hope these are the remains and that they have not been destroyed. Perhaps they will be re-erected somewhere one day?
I know it’s not ideal but it would be better than where they are at the moment.

Visited 14.10.12

To be honest it wasn’t until I returned home that I discovered that this site may have prehistoric origins.
In saying that it would seem an obvious site as the hill dominates the immediate surrounding area.

There is a fence which runs around the perimeter of the ‘mound’ which presumably is there to keep the sheep out of the chapel.
The chapel is still used for the occasional service and is worth a look around.

It was a lovely sunny day; breezy but blue skies.
Dafydd is learning about autumn in school and has to do a little project.
On the way up the hill we found some red berries and various leaves of red, yellow and brown.
He was happy and so was I.

High Auchenlarie – October 2012 – Notes in Grey Weather.

Three days and nights of unrelenting rain have rendered what is normally a well-drained, steeply-sloping pleasant field of springy upland pasture into a flowing quagmire of muddy goo. My climbing boots skite left and right as I clamber up like a novice ice-skater. The possible “cairn” lies uphill, in the top right corner of the first field above High Auchenlarie Farm (best park at the wide point below the farm road-end where the Auchenlarie Burn flows under the Laggan Outdoor Centre B-road). Follow the track up from the minor road and turn left through a metal gate just before the farm.
The “cairn” is disappointing, being formed of a number of large slabs and boulders dumped on top of a low mound of smaller stones. It is not quite a metre high now. The whole thing looks exactly like a low pile of field clearance and the fields around here are full of such field clearance cairns – some much larger. The views down over the roofs of the static caravans at Mossyard and out over Fleet Bay to Wigtown Bay and beyond are spectacular. The view hung like an apocalyptic storm-scene as painted by a depressed Turner, nursing the mother of all hangovers. I have seen this site in beautiful summer and autumn weathers many times and the views out to the Isle of Man are spectacular. The walk over from Cambret over Cairnharrow and Barholm Hill via Cauldside takes in a few sites well off the track and worth of a few hours stiff walking. Half a mile or so above the disputed cairn in unimproved hill-sheep land is a spectacular cairn, quite undisturbed and standing over 10 feet high proud and confident of what it is. Not this place though. Without excavation I think it must remain a site of disputed antiquity – albeit one surrounded by authentic sites and with an outlook worthy of Galloway’s best.

The cup and ring marked outcrop 15 yards SW is well turfed up and once the deluge started again I quit and slithered back down the hill to my car. I’ll take my trowel the next dry day I am up there!

Visited October 20, 2012

I visited this site in August, just the day after Drew and spent some time chatting with the workers on site.

With the dig long concluded, I took the opportunity to return to see how it now looked (after dumping a pile of garden refuse at the nearby collection centre).

Cat Cairn 2 is well worth seeing just now. The excavation has been infilled, but the rank vegetation that formerly hid it from view is gone, leaving a quite attractive site. Doubtless, over the coming year, vegetation will once more cause it to blend into anonymity.

I was under the impression that this bullaun stone had only been rediscovered in the last few years. However this map visitclare.net/gfx/HImonastic.jpg relating to Macalister shows it clearly and I under this dates back to 1916-17.
I’ve grew up on the other side of the lake and some of my early memories are of heading out to picnics on this island.
However it was only last year when I got a boat over, from local tour Mountshannon guide Ger Madden (he gave me a lovely tour pamplet to review which showed this bullaun) that I knew of this particular bullaun.
From the eastern landing site you will need wellies to walk along the shore-line until you come to this bullaun.

Again Broadford is probably your closest town. This tomb is in a long forestry track. I wouldn’t recommend it in an ordinary car. Again I visited this as part of the May 2011 megameet.

The tomb itself is in good condition and there appears to be remains of the mound surrounding the tomb also. It is approx 3.5m long by 1.5m wide.

I visited this as part of a mini megalithomeet in May 2011. Megalithic enthusist Marianne had taken it upon herself to clean up this tomb and that is why it was in such great shape in this photo.
It is relatively easy to find, it is about two small fields in from the road climbing over a set of gates. There is a good bit of room to park at the gateway entrance.

The tomb itself is about 4-5 metres long by approx 1.5m high.

From the North Tipp Archaeological Inventory “Description: Situated in a modern coniferous plantation on a SW-facing slope of poorly drained land in an upland region with good views in all directions. An impressive standing stone (H 1.9m; 0.98m x 0.47m) which is rectangular in plan and shape with its long axis orientated NW-SE and tapering towards the top.”

This is a very hard standing stone to find. It is situated in a clearing in the middle of a coniferous forestry plantation. It took me two very wet attempts at finding but is well worth it. As you can see in the pictures the top of the stone is tapered. Due to the trees all around we can’t see whether this “tapering” is addressing anything in particular but I would suggest that it is likely to be pointing towards the Maherslieve mt which would be viewable from here. The majority of the wedge-tombs in this area are in view of the Mothers Mountain or Maherslieve.
As above the stone itself is almost 2m high.

I can’t believe this site isn’t already on TMA as it is so easily accessible, in a beautiful place and it’s easy to see the remaining parts of it.

In Burnham Beeches, an ancient woodland full of huge, gnarly, old beech and oak pollards, the hill fort has been quite badly damaged due to quarrying and WWII vehicle activity. The banks and ditches are clear to see where they remain. Beware that this part of the wood is grazed – I saw some very pretty cows, some ponies and a tiny deer (muntjac or Chinese water deer)!

I didn’t go there specifically to see this site – the forest alone is worth a visit (especially if you’re into large, ancient trees) and the hillfort is an added bonus! The forest feels bigger than it is, I think because you can’t see out of it.

Free parking in the week. I expect it gets very busy at weekends. Definitely worth the trip though!

Visited in October 2012, here are some directions.

Turn off Cottingley Moor Road onto Lee Lane then continue ahead instead of following the road round to the left. Loads of space to park by Lee Farm. Then follow the Millennium Way path across the fields and into the woods. Shortly a path will lead off to the right before it gets steeper. At this ‘junction’ look to your right (North) you will see a rather inviting glade in the deciduous woodland. The stone is on this side on the edge of the grassy clearing about 20 yards to the NE of a large flat-topped rock which makes a good reference point.

This stone is really worth taking the time to find – a striking and enigmatic carving in a beautiful setting (try to ignore that the area is used for camping, etc by a Scout group). I found myself mesmerised, wondering what the inspiration/meaning could have been to those who created it. There is a natural fissure which divides the two main designs, and the intriguing thing is the deep cup-and-ring which is entirely separate.

Just to add to the folklore item below, according to the book by Joe Cooper, the two cousins always fiercely maintained that they had seen the fairies, and despite the scientific tests there was one photograph out of the 6 or 7 which could not be proved to be a fake.

Visited 13.10.12

I had a quick ‘stop off’ to look for the Barrow on the way up to Eggardon Hillfort.
All that can be seen is a low grass covered mound.

E.H. state:
‘A bowl barrow situated on the summit of a prominent steeply sided ridge. The barrow survives as a flat topped mound approx 15m in diameter and 0.6m high’.

‘Drive by’ 13.10.12

There are 3 Barrows in this group which lay a little south east of Eggardon Hillfort.

The Barrow nearest the road was just about able to be seen as a low, ploughed out grass mound.
I was not able to spot either of the other two Barrows.

E.H. has nothing to say on the matter.

Visited 13.10.12

That pesky rain cloud was now directly above us and it was pouring down.

We pulled into a passing place which conveniently is right next to the remains of the burial chamber.

I bravely (or stupidly) jumped out the car to look for a way through/over the neck high barbed wire fence. As I was contemplating easing my way through the fence it soon became apparent I would be drenched in about 5 minutes. Given that there is little to see of the remains (a couple of large stones piled together – which could easily be seen anyway from the road) I decided to settle for a road side view and jump back into the dry of the car.

On a dry day I may have attempted a closer look – but not today!

Visited 13.10.12

WOW – what a great Hillfort to visit this is!

Directions:
Come off the A35 and take the minor road north through the village of Askerswell.
When you come to the crossroads take the turning to the right and follow the road north which takes you to the Hillfort. There is a parking area just to the SE of the Hillfort.

This is a N.T. site to access is not a problem with a permissive footpath running right through the site. There is an information board near the stile leading into the Hillfort.

I was surprised by how well this Hillfort is preserved. It reminded me very much of a mini Maiden Castle (which isn’t too far away).
The ditches/ramparts at the southern end are still very impressive – the ditch being about 3m deep and the bank rising to about 6m from the bottom of the ditch.

I walked anti-clockwise around the Hillfort and kept a look out for the two Barrows the information board said were in the middle of the site.

It was a lovely day for the time of year with blue skies and lots of white fluffy clouds. Windy as you would expect at a Hillfort. There was one mean looking black cloud heading straight for me and I could already see the rain falling from it – time to retreat back to the car!

The views are great and so is the Hillfort.
This Hillfort should be a ‘must see’ when in the area – visit if you can.

Three stones make up the row. One large stone and one very small stone are still standing and another large stone lies fallen. The area has been clearfelled and the row is now fenced off. The fallen stone was damaged in an attempt to protect it when the trees were felled. The machine moving it accidentally dropped it, causing a section to shear off
excavations.ie/Pages/Details.php?Year=2003&County=Cork&id=9521

A few hundred yards further on down the main road from Carrigagulla SW there is a turning into the Coilte Forestry plantation.
We follow the track until we come to an obvious right hand turn leading to a dead end.
I know that Carrigagulla NE is just down this track and off in the trees somewhere. I have explicit directions (picked up from this very site). Seems straightforward. Walk to end of track – go west 120 paces – then North 45 paces into trees and voila !
I get to the end of the track,and then step into what looks like an innocuous little puddle....... seconds later I am knee deep in black, smelly bog water, which is rapidly filling my boots. Not quite what I had in mind, as I pull myself up onto drier land. I now forget my Wests from my Norths and somehow circle back to the car. I should have remembered to bring my compass !
Not giving up – its back down the track and then find an obvious dry and easy step over and this time head straight into the trees (right at the corner) and head West. After 100 yards or so I can make out some stones over in a clearing to the right.... and here it is,another magical sight beholds me. Carrigagulla NE five stone circle ! If this circle was just sitting in a field, it would be quite plain. But here in this clearing amongst the conifers it is special – “a must visit” circle.
Again aligned for the cross quarter (240 degrees – Jack Roberts). All five stones are upright and in good condition.
I head back out to the track and squelch my way back to the car. After ringing out my socks, we have our packed lunch whilst sitting listening to the birds singing.

As Bawn 79 says, this circle is signposted from the road. I checked with the farmer who gaveme good directions, mentioning that quite a few people end up getting lost looking for it !
There is actually a wooden sign pointing you into the field which is fairly overgrown with Rushes and is wet ! Instead of going through the field, I walked down the boreen to the old farm and crossed the small stream to wander over to the circle.
It’s a great little multi-stone circle but could definitely do with a bit of vegetation clearance. Brambles are encroaching from the hedgerow and the circle itself has been engulfed by Rushes.
That aside...... as I said earlier it’s a great circle. I count 15 stones still standing – including the low recumbant and the 2 radially set portal stones. A couple of stones have fallen and near the centre lies another. It is aligned just off NE-SW at 245 degrees,which according to Jack Roberts, is for the Cross Quarter.
I take several photo’s and admire the extensive views. Carrigagulla NE circle is only about 500 yards away to the North but is hidden in the forestry.
Get to this one if you can – it’s well worth the walk !

Heading east on the B992 at the Insch junction, I took the second farm track south and parked at Newton House Home Farm. Keep heading south until you come to the fields, to the west there is a gate, walk 50 or so meters then look north.

These two fantastic stones aren’t in their original positions, and one of them The Newton Stone, recognisable with Ogham markings, is supposedly prehistoric. Still they are impressive and would have made wonderful flankers for a RSC.

Visited 28/9/2012.

It would be safe to say that something remains here but what it is is a bit of a mystery. Fallen stones suggest a circle in the Shethin/Glassel/Drachlaw style, there are the remains of what looks like a kerb, the grass covered mound suggests cairn and the scattering of stones seems to suggest the same idea, this reminds me of Brandsbutt as well, but there is no clear idea to what was here except that something was here and it is in an extremely shambolic state.

Still on seeing this site, the search for known stone circles in Aberdeenshire is over as that is the lot. Time to the find the unknown sites!

Take Kirk Brae north in Cults from the A93 and head east once Friarsfield Road is reached. The site is slightly to the south just after Bramble House.

Visited 16/10/2012

Visited 13.10.12

As recommended we parked at the Little Chef and Karen and the children enjoyed some refreshments while I headed through the gate and across the field to the trees where this stone circle lives. (5 minute walk)

It is a well maintained site with a fence surrounding the circle for protection and the grass kept short. Despite the very close proximity of the busy A35 it wasn’t long before the calming atmosphere of the place takes you over and you even stop noticing the cars screaming past.

As with most of the places I visited this weekend I had the site to myself which was nice. Particularly this site as it is a place to sit and ponder. The sky was blue with white fluffy clouds floating by; the October sunshine filtering through the leaves. Saplings have been planted along the roadside to shelter the circle even more and a sign has been put up asking people to access via the Little Chef and not by climbing over the fence.

The first thing to strike me was the stones themselves. I have never seen stones made up of so much flint – quite strange. The next thing was the large (dead?) tree which had had its branches cut off. There were masses of toad stools growing out of the base of the tree.

Looking at the stones one by one I discovered an egg ‘offering’ had been placed in a small crevice. The stones varied in height from about 0.3m to 2m.

This is a good place to visit.