Latest Fieldnotes

Visited 20.4.12

Now here’s a problem you don’t encounter very often trying to visit an ‘old stone’ site (particularly in Cornwall) – a Highland cow!!!

Yes, as odd as it sounds it is true.
Making our way to the Trippet Stones we approached the hamlet of Bradford. As we turned a corner, there in the middle of the lane, completely blocking it was a Highland cow! Luckily Karen wasn’t driving fast and immediately opened the window and got her camera out. At this point Hannah stated to scream to close the window.
‘What are you expecting it to do?’ I asked her ‘climb in?’!!
We stared at the cow – the cow stared at us.
Eventually the cow started to move towards us and tried to squeeze past the car.
I was concerned his/her long horns would take out a window but luckily the cow leaned in towards the drystone wall and took a couple of stones out!
Phew…. (try explaining that to Auto Glass!)

We continued onto the stones and parked on the grass at the junction of the cross-moor roads a little to the east of the circle. What did we then see? A small heard of 5/6 Highland cows! Karen jumped out of the car, camera in hand, whilst myself and Dafydd headed off towards the stone circle. (Hannah decided to stay ‘safe’ in the car)

As we walked along the track towards the circle (and Hawk’s Tor Farm) we were approached by the farmer on his quad bike but he passed by without saying anything.

The circle itself is wonderful – a great setting – very atmospheric.
We took turns touching/counting the stones to see if we came up with the same figure – we didn’t!
The Trippet Stones are easy to access and well worth a visit.

Unfortunately our visit was cut short when my phone rang and Karen asked if we could come back to the car asap as a man needed help.
When we arrived it turned out a chap was lost and despite having an O/S map wasn’t sure where he was. I was happy to help but slightly miffed as we had left the circle a lot sooner than I would have liked – but there you go.

Karen and Hannah were very excited as the chap was a photographer for a fashion designer label (I can’t remember the name but needless to say meant nothing to me!)
and that he was looking for photo shoot locations. I did suggest the standing stones but he said he was looking for something with ferns!!

Visited 6th May 2012

Easily found by walking down the footpath at the side of the Wizard Inn which leads to the edge, we found the stone as we were heading back to the car.

Although it’s supposed to be a fallen menhir I really wasn’t feeling it. It seems more like a natural rocky outcrop, as it has a huge slab of a base, I can’t make out how this stone would have stood upright, unless of course all that’s left now is the base of taller stone which has broken off.

It is clear though that this site has been used as a boundary marker for some considerable period of time, and it’s just another of the fascinating oddities of Alderley Edge.

Emblance Downs’ Stone Circles. Visit date 8th May 2012

I searched out the two stone circles after passing through the lower section of King Arthur’s Downs which then morphs into Emblance Downs after visiting King Arthur’s Hall. The circles lie about 500 yards to the SE of KAH but instead of heading off in that direction toward the circles close by the farmed area boundary stone wall, I first ventured directly south to take some pix of some fine looking ponies that were crossing Emblance Downs from east to west and that’s when I came across what I THINK is another circle with just the one stone being prominent, the rest either partly buried, recumbent or broken off at ground level. It was on the lower slope leading up to a collection of scattered boulders toward Leaze Farm and I counted 8 in the outer setting with a possible centre stone also visible. Photos marked accordingly.
I then walked due east in the direction of the plantation on the south western end of Garrow Tor which led me directly to the stone circle to the north-west(ish) of Leaze stone circle behind the walls of the privately owned farmed land. Pure Joy’s? hand-drawn plan is spot on and nothing appears to have changed with nine visible stones (some just) in the outer setting with two flattened centre stones present. Like all the circles I have seen so far on this part of Bodmin Moor it incorporated an equilaterally triangular stone within its setting but it was virtually prostrate! At first I thought I was going to have to settle for the acute irregular triangular stone still standing so was rather pleased to come across the ‘proper’ one to the south of the setting!
I ventured onto King Arthur’s Down from Candra via Casehill. Walked up the sloping ground from Casehill Farmhouse and once at the top the King Arthur’s Hall enclosure can be seen to the south east along with spectacular views of Roughtor, Brown Willy and Garrow Tor.
picasaweb.google.com/100525707086862773355/KingArthurSOrEmblanceDownsCircles?authkey=Gv1sRgCM7jw-js7P75oQE#

Visited 20.4.12

Directions:
Although looking at the map it appears the minor lane next to the Barrow joins the main A30 it doesn’t, it is fenced off, so the only way to the Barrow is via the lanes from the west as described in the previous field notes. O/S map required!

Access to the Barrow is no more than a quick hop over a locked metal field gate and a very short walk. The gorse covered Barrow is easily seen from the lane if climbing over gates isn’t your thing!
The Barrow is approx 2.5m high x 20m across. As I say, the Barrow is covered in gorse so close inspection is not possible.

A Barrow visit for the dedicated only.

Visited 20.4.12

A very easy site to access as described by pure joy. The lay by to park in is the second one you come to when travelling north along the minor road to the west of the Hillfort.

The sun was shining, the wind was blowing and the only sound was birdsong.
Black clouds were gathering on the horizon so I knew rain was a’ coming.

Although the site is easy to access in truth there isn’t much to see; although the bank on the south western side is a good 3m high.

Visited 19.4.12

Directions:
A short distance to the east of Piran’s Round; to the north of the busy B3285.

I managed to park at the junction of the track opposite the Barrows and tried to see over the hedge to see if I could spot the Barrows – I couldn’t.

I later discovered that E.H. record the Barrows as being only 0.2m and 0.5m high so perhaps it wasn’t surprising! For a more detailed search you would need to ask permission at the farm.

E.H. state:
‘A group of three bowl barrows situated 150m east of Rosehill Farm. Two of the group survive as visible mounds, 20m apart. The easternmost barrow mound is 15m in diameter and 0.2m in height. The mound of the central barrow is 23m in diameter and 0.5m in height’.

Visited 6th May 2012

After visiting the Wizards Well (if you’re at Alderley Edge you have to really don’t you?) we walked in the opposite direction to come to the Holy Well. As we were there we saw a gentleman placing a leaf into a crack in the rock to allow the water to run off into the carved stone trough below. He explained he was the site guardian, who came every day to check on the place and put a leaf into the crevice so the water could flow. A friendly and interesting guy he explained that he had inherited the task from an old local woman who was now too elderly and infirm to continue doing it. He was also able to direct us to some of the other sites around the edge.

Next to the flow of water of the Holy Well a small cave has been carved out of the rock, with clear toolmarks visible inside. So whilst not ancient the cave has certainly been in existence for several hundred years. It seems possible that it was carved out as a meditative space, as it seems like a lot of effort to go to in order to make a shelter, when plenty of natural caves and mineworkings dot the edge. A tree atop the outcrop looked as if it had the simulacrum of a face at the base of its trunk, and the woodland setting around the area adds to the magical atmosphere. You can see why Alderley Edge has proved an inspiration for a series of books.

I hunker into the cave for a while, and it does retain a calm and peaceful atmosphere here, away from the crowds of people who are visiting some of the more popular parts of the edge. The water that bubbles up through the stone is drinkable (so long as you take it from the source and not the somewhat stagnant water trough!) and cupping my hands beneath the leaf I take a swig of the fresh and slightly coppery water.

Although not an ancient site as such, the water must have risen through this limestone outcrop for thousands of years, and as such must have been a special place in the area for the ancestors. Now it’s one of the nicest spots on Alderley Edge and well worth a visit (ho ho!)

Visit date 8th May 2012.
Every now and again you come across something really special and for me, today, I did...King Arthur’s Hall on King Arthur’s Downs, an area of Bodmin Moor. We have stone circles coming out of our ears down here in Cornwall but this stone-lined lowered ‘enclosure’ is a one-off and as far as I know the only one of its kind in the UK but I believe there is a similar structure in Brittany. It was only meant to be a stopping-off point for me along the way to the stone circles at Leaze but turned out to be the highlight of my day and probably my year!
What is it? No idea, and neither has anyone else it would seem!
Basically, to the eye, it is a lowered rectangular flat-bottomed 140’ X 60’ bowl formed by digging out the topsoil (down to bedrock I wonder as a ‘paved’ area in a corner has been noted?), banking it up and being 6m wide, then lining the interior with standing stones on all sides and is today protected by an enclosing fence with a gate and stile access. Very little archaeology seems to have been carried out here and if I had the way, means and authority I’d be out there tomorrow carrying out a full sympathetic survey as this site smacks of great importance to me!
With stones up to around 2 metres in height sticking up, prostrate or angular, it is believed to be Late Neolithic/Early Bronze and has 56 stones showing and many others now buried by the collapsing sides. It is believed there were as many as 140 in total and I was blown away to see this in an area famed for its stone circles and amazed that it has not created so much more interest in comparison. How can this be so overlooked?
As you can imagine the ‘bowl’ created is of course a great collection point for water but there was an outlet point to the south-west corner which, because of the lack of research and archaeology carried out here, undecided if it was part of the original build or more recent.
We’ve had a fair bit of rain recently over the moor in this area but the base was remarkable dry for this time of the year I thought. I had my usual partner Chief the Border Collie with me and showing his total disrespect for the site he was splashing about in the central area which did have a small amount of lying water showing but he was not sinking into it which surprised me somewhat. I stepped onto this central surface a couple of times to negotiate fallen stones and it was just a tad soft but I’m sure gets much worse after prolonged and heavy rain.
Throughout my visit and whilst in the bowl, I had a wonderful feeling of calm and security like I was in a sanctuary and amongst ‘friends’. In look it reminded me of an un-kept churchyard where the headstones had been removed and placed against the perimeter walls but were now tumbling and often lying buried. Without a doubt it personally gave me a feel of the ancestors and a shrine to the dead whose remains may well still be lying here undiscovered. Either way this is without doubt a special place which in my opinion should be sympathetically investigated and equally sympathetically re-instated to its former glory before it succumbs to nature further rather than the moorland animals that it did previously. I would recommend a visit here at your earliest opportunity. A wonderful, wonderful place that I will re-visit over and over.

picasaweb.google.com/100525707086862773355/KingArthursHall2?authkey=Gv1sRgCL224IqauvvzFQ#

I came onto King Arthur’s Downs via Candra Hill (enough stones lying around here to build all the stone circles ever discovered) and descended to Casehill over the ford crossing where I parked up on a grassed area to the left on the bend leading up to the farm house. Don’t park on the deeply rutted open moorland to the east as you may well block entry onto it by farm machinery.
From here I walked up the rising open moor to the east which is walled and wire fenced to the left and right of you. I swerved off to the right halfway up as I bumped into these ‘locals’ and wasn’t about to chance my luck :-)
picasaweb.google.com/100525707086862773355/HighlandCattle?authkey=Gv1sRgCOWHlYybmNSu1gE#5740437560420852578
On reaching the top which is a reasonably easy walk, you will see the King Arthur’s Hall enclosure down beneath you to the south-east and beyond that in the distance the area of farmed land where the two stone circles I was also heading off to at Leaze are to be found (separate fieldnotes submitted). Entry into the KAH enclosure is via a stile or a wide gate which on my visit was secured.
At this time of the year, sheep, horses and cattle abound on the moor and as many have lambs, foals or calves at foot, be sensible and give them a wide berth if possible because if you get injured on the moor it can be a very lonely and desolate place!

Visited 19.4.12

My 900th field note! – that’s a lot of writing (and walking!)

Parking is available right next to the site.
The pink house mentioned in previous field notes is now beige!
The information board is interesting and has good photos.

I know this is listed as a ‘Hillfort’ but it gives a good idea of how Henges must have looked in their prime.
For some reason it reminded me of a mini version of the Roman amphitheatre in Caerleon.

The surrounding ditch is about 1m deep and the bank about 3m high.

I really liked this place and would heartily recommend a visit when in the area.
Watch the B3285 though – it’s a busy one!

I opted for the “with son ” option for this becairned not too high mountain, not too high, but I brought the bikes just to sweeten the deal.
I parked up at the Pondorosa cafe near the Horseshoe pass, from there the well made concrete path up to the top is only fifty feet down the road, without much of a do we started our bike ride/push up to the top. After several stops we got near the top from here we could see Cairn topped Moel y Gamelin and in the opposite direction Dinas Bran capably watches over the Vale of Llangolen.

Just one rediculously steep part of the path to go (Eric noted that he was not going to ride down that) and we were at the top, next to the television mast and Cryn y Brain II, the best of the bunch of cairns up here. Sheltering whimsies have rearranged the cairn material, but it does nothing to hide the cairns true size. Eric pointed out all the quartz stones used in the cairn, well spotted mate. Grand views to Moel y Gamelin and off to distant Snowdonia and futher north the Clwyd range , I think I could see the Jubilee tower on Moel Famau.

From Cryn y Brain II we follow the path which is no longer concrete, (as it’s used for folk coming up to the masts) to Sir Watkins tower and the trig point cairns. Passing a low heather covered cairn on our left. I don’t know who this Sir Watkins was but how dare he park his crappy tower on a bronze age cairn, just how dare he, then to compound the insult the ordnance survey stick a trig point on the other cairn right next to it.
How dare they all.
It’s snowing now, snowing in May, how rude, perhaps its nature showing me it’s still in control, another century and the trig point will be rubble and part of the cairn, Watkins tower is already a pile of rubble, so all things considered the transient nature of the place consoles me, nothing stays the same.

On the way back, near Cryn y Brain II, I spotted another likely looking heather covered cairn, but the snow was coming down thicker now and we were not dressed for that so we started the exciting ride down. It would have been exciting but for Eric’s fall the other week in the Preseli’s. It made him far to careful and he was far too reticent to just let go and trust in gravity, but it still got us down in a fraction of the time walking would have done.

On the map this was the easiest of the sites to find. In reality it proved rather different and more than slightly chancy. Chaos surrounded the entrance to Glencarse with roadworks everywhere, entrance to Inchyra House was blocked, I asked permission from the workmen to park and walk thru but was promptly denied by a jobsworth wearing a tie (much to the disgust of the workmen) so I turned around headed south and pulled in on the St Madoe’s side of the dual carriageway, the A90. From here I ran across the carriage way, jumped the central barrier, ran to the other side, scissor kicked the fence and walked the short distance to the barrow.

The barrow has been excavated on the northern side, with urns (unfortunately lost) being discovered. Local men also took away ‘several cartloads of stones’. Other finds are kept in Perth museum. The turf covered barrow sits in the grounds of Inchyra House, is 18 meters wide and over 2 meters high. It is surrounded in pleasant countryside (except for the carriageway) and interestingly shaped trees.

With that it was back to the car via the chancy route I’d came only to discover the police pulling up. When I was asked for the reason why I’d parked they received an answer that they probably wouldn’t have expected and quite a bit longer.

Visited 3/5/2012.

Rait hillfort, Iron Age, is very easy to find as it is situated on the north eastern quadrant of the Rait crossroads. I crossed a small burn, the Carse Burn, and clambered up the fairly steep but short climb to the top of the hill. This climb forms part of the small forts south west defences. The three ramparts, all at various heights, are situated mainly to the north with the entrance in a central position. Great all round views are now obscured by trees but to the south the River Tay is easily spotted.

The fort is still used by children using tyres as swings at the northern end. Instead of climbing down the south west flank I jumped a fence and landed in amongst bramble branches which made for some wonderful patterns on my legs. Still a path slightly further south leads uphill to allotments and downhill back to the small mill, Carse Burn and car.

Visited 3/5/2012.

Easy enough to find this stone and barrow, once you’ve successfully navigated around the tiny, steep, and confusing lanes. Approach the site from the north, OS map has the barrow further south than it really is, it is actually right on the summit of the 371 m high hill. I actually saw the barrow from the stone in the wall but didn’t go to it from there instead I drove south around the fields and then climbed the hill again only to find myself back where i’d started more or less.

The standing stone had a Buzzard perched on it when we arrived, but it wasn’t going to let me get too close, or even close at all, as soon as I got out of the car it scarpered, scaredy cat.
The stone is about fifty meters from the road, broad on one side and thin on the other,aligned east/west ish, six feet tall, and about fifty meters from the stony tumulus.

Instead of the labour intensive drive and walk round, I should have just walked over to the tumulus jumped over the low wall and been stood on it’s crown in less than two minutes, d’ohhh!
The mound of stones stands about two feet tall and is on a low turfed mound about a foot tall. There are long views to the rolling hills and through them to Cheshire. To the west Y foel rises to 522meters and beyond that the hills only get bigger. But right here at the barrow we are in a big bowl surrounded almost completely by these low hills.
A passing tractor has me at a disadvantage, I feel i’m intruding and beat a hasty retreat back to the car, the long way round.

06/05/2012 – Not many places to park round here but space for a car at start of track to Braeside Auchmachar (NJ 9430 5011). We headed SW along the track then up hill on first path through wood to top with it’s pretty impressive long cairn. Great views from here to Bennachie and the Cairngorms. Just a short walk east to the remaining stones of this circle. Had a little problem with cows in the field but they eventually moved away so we could approach the stones. Only two stones still standing, both nice. Could be a few more hiding in the field clearance. Look out for cup mark on stone next to gateway north east of circle. Better circles than this one in the area but still worth a visit.

As Mr Cane states, this excellent, deceptively small – yet powerful – hillfort is easy to find.... simply follow the B3180 heading south from the A3052 a little way east of Exeter, the enclosure well sited overlooking the estuary of the beautiful River Exe. Can’t miss it (he says). Providing you refrain from following a turn-off to Woodbury and getting hopelessly lost. Stupid is as stupid does...

Anyway. Having (eventually) parked up in the large car park the scale of the defences of this hillfort are immediately apparent. It is also clear (from the information board plan) that the aforementioned B3180 is perhaps not as intrusive as I first thought, utilising the original north and south entrances to traverse the enclosure. How thoughtful. For once. The main body of the fortress is shaped roughly like a back to front capital B... with a squashed top bit beyond the road. There’s also a further rampart covering the approach from the north. But enough of this technical jargon!

The southern section of the enclosure, easily accessed from the car park, appears univallate, the massive single bank complemented by a counterscarp beyond a very impressive ditch. Unfortunately ease of access is causing conservation issues here, the bank clearly suffering from the moronic attentions of ‘mountain’ (ha!) bikers, this despite numerous signs pointing out their endemic idiocy. No excuses, then. I block the passage of one upon the counterscarp and note the immanent lack of expression in his face. In short, Woodbury Castle is a local recreational amenity, albeit one I think (or at least hope) is substantial enough to cope. In common with the wondrous Blackbury Camp not too far to the east, Woodbury is lightly wooded (as you no doubt guessed from the pragmatic name), it being necessary to traverse the roots of some rather splendid trees in order to walk the rampart.

However, for me, the true joy of Woodbury lies across the busy B3180 [take care when crossing, please... it’s rather dangerous] in the form of the ‘squashed bit of the B’ overlooking the estuary. This arc of the defences appears multi-vallate (I think) and is completely overgrown, fallen trees overlying the overwhelming inner bank. It seems very few come here.... the perfect spot for lunch, then.

Given the right conditions, this is possibly one of the most enchanting prehistoric enclosures you could ever come across, all things considered. In my opinion, a truly wondrous place indeed.

As Carl notes, Blackbury Camp is by no means large. However I prefer the adjective ‘compact’ to ‘little’, for this is no minor engineering work, remaining a very powerful univallate fortress. Pieces of flint protruding through the top soil inform the traveller that the hillfort is not in fact an earthwork, which comes as something of a surprise, I guess. Perhaps this has had a bearing on the excellent state of preservation, flint obviously far more resistant to the wear and tear of the myriad visitors who walk the rampart this morning... and presumably every other Sunday. Yeah, the elderly, young mums with children, annoying people walking dogs, a very attractive young lady in very tight jodhpurs (with a ‘wiggle’ that suddenly becomes a little too pronounced for the good of my health... jeez – I’ll say no more)... the whole community seems to be here today, engendering an aura that is perhaps far more representative of the past than the usual Gladman hillfort visit.

What is far from representative, though, is the triangular outwork protecting what was presumably the original main entrance in the southern flank. Medieval castle-heads will no doubt recognise such ‘barbicans’ designed to counter surprise assaults upon what was always the weakest point of the enclosure... the way in. However such an arrangement as is to be found at Blackbury is rare at prehistoric sites... in my experience, anyway. There is a twist, too, the ‘barbican’ defences apparently unfinished – or at least destroyed – to the south. Given the very substantial nature of these additional banks and ditch I find it very unlikely that the constructors suddenly decided ‘sod this for a game of soldiers, we’re offski’. Perhaps a neighbouring warlord decided it was ‘now or never’ and made a desperate assault before completion. Dunno. Obviously. But what grim tales has Blackbury to tell?

I mentioned at the start ‘given the right conditions’. Guess I should explain. Blackbury Camp is lightly wooded, no doubt at its best when sunlight slants through a thin April canopy to illuminate both the twisted roots colonising the defensive bank and the carpet of blue bells adorning the latter’s flank, rising above the great ditch. I am lucky, the overcast conditions of mid morning breaking by lunchtime to achieve just this effect. Yeah, you could well walk around Blackbury’s ancient rampart in 10 minutes or less. But I’ll wager you’ll want a couple of hours.... given the right conditions, of course.

Firstly, apologies, as I am including both Fernacre and Louden stone circles in the same Fieldnotes as I visited them on the same day as they are so close, so the route to both will be useful to know.

The original plan was to drive to Middle Moor Cross by Camperdown Farm, park up and walk to Fernacre stone circle via Louden circle, a round trip of about 3 miles, as the road/track from the cross is private. Well that was the plan, but it changed when a friend suggested we take her 4x4 and drive beyond the cross and continue along the private track to both circles. Was this a mistake…read on!
We set out on the A30 and took the turning right signposted St Breward opposite the second turning for Temple on the left. It comes at the end of a section of dual carriageway after passing the Jamaica Inn on your left 4 miles prior to this.
This moorland road takes you passed the Trippet Stones on your right at the crossroad signposted Treswigga to the left and St Breward straight on. Turn right here if visiting the Trippets which can be seen from this point.
Continue on the St Breward road by following the signposts and you’ll pass over Delford Bridge then passed East Rose holiday park/fishing on the right. Straight through the next crossroad which in turn brings you to another to the northern end of St Breward at Churchtown. Church Hay Down is on your right at this crossroad and you turn right here signposted Candra. Follow this road which bears around to the right after half a mile and after another bend, over a cattle grid. You’ll then pass the road to Candra Hill on the right and part of the Treswallock Downs which is littered with huge boulders. No shortage of building materials here! The road then sweeps around to the left but as it does there is a short ‘link’ road to the right that you take and then right again on meeting the ‘main’ road which takes you directly to Middle Moor Cross.
Now it was decision time, because you hit a PRIVATE road which is clearly signed. After consideration we decided to take a chance and go for it. We continued and soon met another private road sign at Camperdown Farm, so now had been warned twice. Rightly or wrongly we again decided to continue because there wasn’t a soul about as far as the eye could see. Within five minutes I spotted on the horizon of the slightly rising ground a dark shape on the moor on the right-hand size of the track. Yep, it was the leaning triangular stone of the Louden circle our first port of call. I loved it and gave me a much nicer feel than I got at Stannon stone circle just over the way by the dreadful china clay quarry next to it! These are big circles in this area of Bodmin Moor but surprisingly the majority of the stones are really quite small in comparison to other Cornish circles and it remains a mystery to me why that should be so. Louden, Stannon and Fernacre all have a major triangular stone and this must surely signify something of significance, but what? No set common point on the compass as far as I could tell, but have no knowledge of any celestial alignments that may come into play as that is not my thing!
I counted 36 stones in total at Louden but three were just under the turf. The triangular stone was almost due south from the centre of the circle with just a slight shift to the west. Most of the stones are virtually at surface level but not broken, so it surely indicates a build-up of soil over the years. In the gapped areas I probed the turf with a dowsing rod which my friend carried and discovered three more stones where they should have been in the ring setting just covered with an inch or two of turf. I didn’t count those that were lying immediately to the sides of a couple of stones as they were quite small and possibly broken off the main stone. I would imagine that later in the summer (this was the 4th May) that other than the triangular stone, Louden could be difficult to find due to increased grass length, but once you have found it there is no mistaking it. One clue is that just yards to the east of the circle on the edge of the track on the southern side is a stainless steel ‘box’ nearly at ground level with the letters PO on it which I assume means a cable had been laid through here. Maybe our great ancestors had a phone-line in and the circle was actually a huge telephone dial :-)
As at most circles on the moor there are always other stones lying around and it is a hopeless task even considering whether they are part of the site or not. Not shown on my OS map but just across the track from the circle and slightly to the east is a lovely stone ring cairn. Close inspection showed it to have been constructed in three stages I thought with three separate rings of edging stones forming it away from the burial area. It was all a bit ‘interfered’ with but that’s what I gathered by close inspection and one is led to believing it may have had a connection with the circle in some way.
Link to photos here:-
picasaweb.google.com/100525707086862773355/LoudenStoneCircle?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ3b5YqlqK6vBA#5739140100505851778

Next came Fernacre as we continued along the track for about a further ¾ mile. You have to say that it is in the most wonderful setting in a natural bowl sitting between Roughtor to the north, Brown Willy to the east, Garrow Tor to the south and Louden Hill to the north-west. To me it is the jewel in the crown of these large circles and lies on the northern side of the track to the east of Louden circle.
Unfortunately this is where we ran into trouble because the moment we arrived and parked up we were approached by a rather irate guy who introduced himself as the farm manager (gulp!). He began lecturing us on the legality and penalties of making use of the private track and started throwing figures of £20,000 fines for doing so. I’m afraid laughing at that figure didn’t go down particularly well so then he started mentioning SSI directives and how you can’t even ride a pushbike on the track. The saving grace came because I’d noticed he was all togged up for lambing with disgustingly stained hands (which I’m familiar with)…and of course he had a collie with him like I had. When he cooled down a bit I asked him how lambing was going then got onto dogs and all was soon forgotten :-). But a lesson learnt so please take note. He was a nice enough guy just doing his job. Incidentally, the owner of the farm/estate is a New Zealander who resides in NZ and hardly sets foot on the place so the guy informed us!
As for the circle, well what can you say? Just beautiful springs to mind helped along by its setting between the tors and hills. As with the other local circles I’ve recently visited it has the by now familiar triangular main stone amongst the settings, but this time directly to the east. I was stood just behind what appears to be an off-set centre stone and looking directly at the triangular or ‘A’ stone from this point when I noticed an outlier directly behind it to the east. Significant?
Again, in the main, the stones are small in a large slightly irregular circle like at Louden and Stannon. Puzzle puzzle went my brain, why is this? All around the moor are huge boulders yet they used small ones and the circles are not precise. We’ve seen elsewhere that size has not been a problem when it comes to hauling huge stones over long distances if presumably for a special purpose or reason, so is the reasoning or importance different here one has to ask? And three large circles similar in size within a triangulated area of no more than say a square mile must surely mean something important was happening here!
I won’t add to the photos as there seems quite enough already but here is the link to some I took at Fernacre:-
picasaweb.google.com/100525707086862773355/FernacreStoneCircle?authkey=Gv1sRgCN67maC8-6OF-wE#5739143160903486546

I parked at the crossroads and climbed the hill to the hillfort. Spied the stone from the north of the fort and clambered thru the parks to the track that leads to the stone. Just a shame that the first signs of the surrounding area being used as a tip. Nice to see some bee hives tho.

Visited 3/5/2012.

From Witch Hillock I walked back to minor road then headed south west past Gawloch Farm until this road ended. Opposite there is track, which if followed eventually leads to the Capo Long Barrow. Tho still overcast the day was beginning to improve. As others say if coming in from the other side it is signposted. From here I walked cross country back to the car via the Witch Hillock. There are a maze of paths in these woods but for change I didn’t get lost. Time for lunch in my favourite Forfar pub via Keithock!

Visited 3/5/2012.

Visited 1st August 2011

Standing on a small natural mound, rising like an upturned boat above a stream which cuts its way through the flat agricultural land, Gårdlösa (literally the ‘loose gravel mound’) draws the eye as you approach. Following the directions in the papery TME we spotted the ridge from route 11 just after passing Smedstorp, and a small lay-by, along with information sign and stile allowed access to the site.

Also known as the Alnabjar skibbstaetning, it was excavated in 1972. The hill was found to contain graves and dommarings as well as the stone ship setting itself.

Only four stones remain of the ancient skibbsaetning which was obviously placed high on the ridge to be easily visible. Just to the south of the stones on the ridge are two dommarings. These are kerb circles dating from the Vendel period of Scandinavian history (550-800CE), which were used for legal pronouncements in the Viking times.

It is still gloriously hot as we watch a group of hikers making their way back down the hill from the monument, and Ellen scans the field for signs of cows. Seeing that a large herd of the bovine beasties are separated from us by the river we climb the stile and make our way to the hill. The walk is pleasant, and not too steep, as we reach the stones shaded by the surrounding trees. After a few minutes of photographing the site though we are disturbed by an ominous mooing, and look around to find that the whole of the nearby herd of cows, accompanied by a rather large bull, and several calves, are now wading across the river into our field, and heading for the monument! Within a couple of minutes the herd had surrounded the base of the hill, cutting off our path back to the car unless we wanted to run the gauntlet of prime beef blocking our way. Now I’m not concerned by cattle, but even I didn’t fancy pushing my way past a group of protective mother cows, and the rather intimidating bull, and as Ellen was by now getting greatly freaked out we looked for another avenue of escape.

Following the ridge along we skirted the herd and headed for a fence dividing the neighbouring field, hoping to head through it and rejoin the road leading to the car further down the lane. All well and good apart from the fact that most fences hereabouts in Sweden tend to be electrified, a fact we confirmed when Linda, who was with us, got a nasty jolt on the arm as we tried to limbo our way under! Eventually we rejoined the lane and headed back to the car to find the cows had now all congregated around the stile that lead to the site, curiously observing us as we took our leave.

So overall Gårdlösa is a lovely site, although on the surface much less impressive than many of the other skibbstaetnings nearby in Skane, there is a real sense of place here, I’ll always remember the visit, although not quite for the nice relaxing experience I would have hoped for! Gårdlösa is one of those places which has obviously been a sacred place for a long time, and so definitely warrants a visit, just to be sure to take a stout walking stick with you in case you need to fend off the cows!

This is a very beautiful site and is obviously quite well looked after. Situated, surrounded by a well kept fence, in a small clearing the barrow stands at 18 meters wide and is 2 meters high. Wooden steps are provided for those with short legs. The three stones mentioned by Canmore remain as does the well mentioned in Rhiannon’s post.

I took the first minor road north from the A90, south west after the B974 road, then took the 2nd minor road west stopping at the end of the trees, There is plenty of room for car parking. From there it is a very pleasant walk south in Inverury Wood, with at last some heat coming thru a cloudy sky today. After a gate, the barrow is a short distance and slightly east of the path. Today not a sound, what wonderful and peaceful place.

Visited 3/5/2012.

Some directions to the place. From the A90 take the B966 to Brechin and take the first minor road heading north east. This also takes you past the Temple Wood cairn. Keep looking north and the stone will come into view. Just after the stone there is a house that has plenty of parking space next to the road.

Visited 43/5/2012.

Damaged by quarrying, a dyke, a road and the planting of trees this barrow does well to survive. It has wonderful views, despite the near by dual carriage way, to the east (and the Cruick Burn) and of the mountains to west. It is also in area that has quite a few barrows, some surviving, some sadly removed. What is left here is 26 meters wide, 4 meters high turf and tree covered. Still the daffodils give the place a sense of new life unlike one of the trees, which has a message that supporters of a team that play in green, white and gold more than slightly annoyed.

Coming south from Edzell on the B966 go thru Inchbare and take the next road north east to Ballownie farm. If coming north from the A90 take the first right. The barrow is situated to the south of the road over a dry stane dyke just after Ballownie farm. (the farmer here was very pleasant and helpful.)

Visited 3/5/2012.

Just to the south of Edzell is Edzell Wood. Pull in at the 3rd parking space on the east, near a disused quarry on the B966. On the opposite side of the road a path can be spotted. Follow this path until the Wishop Burn, here the path seems to vanish but I jumped the burn. Helps having long legs I guess. After the ‘boggy bit’ a path of sorts reappears on top of what looks like a long forgotten quarry. This leads to a rather more used path, turn south east, follow the path for 100 meters approx, the barrow is next to the path on the southern side.

The barrow stands at some 26 meters in width and is 4 meters high being made of earth and sand. Fortunately most of bushes and scrub have been removed to give an indication of size, unfortunately the forestry people seem to have left logs sitting at several points of the barrow’s base. Still, it looks impressive and must have had some great views. Today it is surrounded in trees, which keep it company in a pretty lonely place.

As the name suggests this place was recycled and used for rather grisly purposes during Medieval times. On the way back I didn’t fall in the burn, or trip on anything, so a good start!

Visited 3/5/2012.

Visited 19.4.12

As per pure joy – I couldn’t see anything obvious either although this isn’t helped by the high hedgerows and the fiarly bust road running through the site!

I doubt there is anything to see other than maybe a ‘bumpy’ field.