Visited 1.4.12
As we were passing this site on our way to Mynydd Brith Standing Stone I thought I may as well have a look to see if I could see any of the stones mentioned as being embedded in the roadside verge. I couldn’t.
The verges are very high near Archenfield Farm – well over head height in places.
It wouldn’t take much for any remaining stones to be hidden away forever.
Good luck if you intend looking for the stones. Perhaps asking at the Farm may be an option?
It’s been eleven months since our last visit, and seeing as we were unwilling to return home just yet, we nipped into Congleton for Tea and came up here for the sunset, damn good idea it was too.
Once again we had the place to ourselves for nearly two hours, even on a beautiful day like today, no dogs barking either.
In the field next door are two or three time team type trenches, I don’t know if they’re archaeological in nature or weather the farmer dude is going about his farming duties, which this day include perfectly square tidy trenches. Either way half the trench includes what looks like a low rubble wall running north/south, I wish i’d taken a photo now but was remiss at the time.
We sent monkey boys up a conifer in the stones compound to try and look down on the stones, not in a dismissive way you understand but just trying to see something new in a place that we’ve seen a dozen times. In the end something new did occur to me, but it wasn’t found up a tree you wont be surprised to find. Nearly thirty miles away on the Cheshire plain is the Mid Cheshire ridge, part of this sandstone play ground contains Beeston Crag with it’s famous castle, but less known is the neolithic enclosure, Bronze age settlement and Iron age hill fort. Well, the Bridestones chamber seems to be directly aligned on the distant crag. Trees and Rhododendrons are blocking any definitive proof but both are neolithic in date, both inter visible and (not related) I live between the two, for the first time ever Crewe isn’t such a bad place to live after all.
On another tack the rhododendrons are too close to the chamber, we used to be able to walk right round the chamber but are now confined to the southern side, it’s not on, this place is too cool to be swamped in vegatation.
‘Visited’ 1.4.12
Despite being not too far from Hay-On-Wye this site has a ‘middle of nowhere’ feel about it. You first have to navigate the very minor roads and then try to find the stone!
There is plenty of room to park outside the locked gate leading into the forestry plantation with a handy stile next to it. Dafydd enjoyed learning how to safely climb a stile on his own!
The track leads down the hill and through the saplings. It looks like the mature trees had been cut down a few years ago and been replanted. There were plenty of tree stumps about which doesn’t help looking for a stone – particularly when you have no idea what the stone looks like!
We walked as far as a deserted caravan – which looked further than we needed looking at the O/S map which does have the word ‘stone’ marked on it. We walked back up the hill to have another look but were unable to spot the ‘stone’.
The weather was glorious, the views lovely and Dafydd was happily spotting tractor tyre and horse shoe tracks in the hardened mud – poking about here and there with a stick. Just us and the ‘wildernesses. It somehow didn’t really seem to matter we couldn’t find the stone.
A ‘father and son’ moment.
***
Just read TSC notes. Would have helped if I had read them first! Still didn’’t see the stone!
Visited 1.4.12
Parking is easy – outside a house directly opposite the entrance to Baskerville Hall.
This can be found on the A483 (busy) just to the west of Hay-On-Wye.
The remains of the Long Barrow can be seen from the road. The tops of the stones just visible from the slight grass covered mound which is all that remains of the Long Barrow. I was going to ask for permission to have a proper look but there was no-one about. As the site is overlooked by both the house and Court Farm I decided to settle on my roadside view.
Not great but better than nothing.
‘Visited’ 1.4.12
After spending an enjoyable couple of hours looking around the famous Hay-On-Wye bookshops (and purchasing 5 O/S maps for a total of £3.50!!) it was time for a bit of ‘old stoning’ – at least that was the plan. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the stone.
Taking the minor road north out of Clyro we soon came to the concrete drive which leads to Crossfoot Farm. My O/S map showed this is roughly where the stone is but did not give an exact location
We parked here and I walked down the drive looked in the fields either side for a glimpse of the stone. At this point I encountered a rambler and asked her if she had by any chance spotted a 6ft high standing stone on her travels?
She at first looked at me a bit strange but when I showed her the map she seemed quite interested. She said she hadn’t seen anything but would keep an eye out and give me a ‘shout’ if she did see it – unfortunately no such ‘shout’ was heard.
I walked right down the drive and back up the other side, jumping up onto the high verges for a better look. A dog barked at me in the distance. In the end I gave up.
Stopped off at Belsar’s Hill during the course of a long-delayed visit to the wondrous Stonea Camp... and duly discovered that it was round-about here that the equally wondrous Hereward The Wake gave William the Bastard’s lot a bloody nose in 1071. Or rather a damn good soaking... OK, only ‘yesterday’ in terms of TMA, I know, but of fundamental importance in proving The Bastard wasn’t exactly ‘the people’s choice’ as he liked to pretend. Belsar’s Hill lies due east(ish) of the Cambridgeshire village of Willingham – appropriately enough within Willingham Fen – and is reached by a rather unusual, single track ‘causeway’ road. A causeway across what is now dry ground. At least today. Parking is available at the gated entrance to a public access green track – the fabled Aldreth Causeway leading to The Isle of Ely, once a virtually impregnable fenland redoubt. Yeah, Hereward knew his stuff. How William must have cursed. An information noticeboard relates the history... and duly throws a great big oily spanner in the works by stating that the enclosure bisected by the track is private, out of bounds. You what? Why?
However, despite copious barbed-wire, there are (currently) gaps.... and somehow I, er, inadvertently take the wrong turn, finding myself upon the circular bank of this.... well.... guess it depends on your point of view? Although nowhere near the 4m quoted from other sources, the defences are relatively upstanding – quite substantial, in fact – the morning mist – fog even – evoking an ethereal vibe. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the site is the sheer circumference... in my experience much too large to be of Norman origin, looking very much a typical Iron Age enclosure. But what better place for a Norman army besieging Ely to make its base camp, its home.... following some necessary improvements? Yeah, on balance I’m happy to go with the ‘Iron Age adapted by Norman’ hypothesis. It’s not exactly unknown, is it?
The sun gets to work upon the mist mantle and, suddenly, I’m basking beneath a pristine blue sky. In late March? Whatever next? The enclosure actually continues to the east of the green track, again out of bounds to the general public. However once again gaps in the fence afford access. The bank here is much more denuded – shame on them – but nevertheless remains, a couple of horses looking on in that trademark combination of curiosity/fear so typical of those wonderful creatures.
I’m also far from happy with access to this legendary, lost site. The Normans got a severe kicking from the local resistance and.... I’d never heard of it. Strange that. One can only assume the ghosts of the original builders – assuming they were Iron Age – placed ‘the mockers’ upon the sour-faced barbarians for violating their former home. Right on!
Will you come to the Bower?
Set a little to the north-west of the fine ‘Five Knolls’ barrow cemetery, near Dunstable, first impressions upon arriving at this large, univallate enclosure are not good. To put it mildly. Yeah, sadly sections of the local yoof would appear to enjoy nothing better than to drive (presumably stolen) cars within the ramparts and torch them. Or else consume plastic bags full of ‘super strength’ and duly dump the empty cans in piles around the perimeter. I’ve heard the former referred to as ‘joy riding’.... but, honestly, can any occupation better betray such an intrinsic sense of self loathing than this? Or such a sense of benign resignation from the locals walking their dogs amongst THIS, as if saying ‘hey, but what can you do?’ Sure, it makes the traveller think... but unless you share a (in my opinion) warped Damien Hirst worldview, I’d be surprised if the instinctive visitor reaction isn’t to ‘get the hell outta here!’ To be honest that was mine. Too far out of my comfort zone, I readily admit. Soft, middle class Essex boy that I am. However I’d recommend perseverance. For Maiden Bower is a fine hillfort. No, really. It is.
For the most part the single rampart is cloaked with a (very painful) mantle of hawthorn. Now ordinarily this would be a veritable pain in the arse – not to mention numerous other parts of the anatomy – but not here. For I am in no doubt that, without this natural ‘armour’, the ancient defences would be in a far worse state of preservation than they currently are. OK, rabbits are clearly a major menace, the majority of the northern-western arc having also crumbled away into a quarry... but nonetheless Maiden Bower is upstanding. And duly begins to cast its spell, sunlight breaking through the early morning cloud mantle beginning to work its magic, the unfathomably complex relationship between highlight and shade now interacting upon the rampart. Perhaps it is the knowledge that this enclosure really is the ‘real deal’... people died here, horribly, too (by all accounts)... that the current destruction seems so utterly ridiculous. So meaningless, so damn pointless. Yeah, how I wish I had been endowed with some metaphysical ‘ability’ to somehow convince those super strength swilling youths that nihilism is a one way trip. Jesus, now I’m wishing I was... well... Jesus. Time to stop.
Yeah, there is a lot more to Maiden Bower than initially greets the eye. Such as the fact that the Iron Age enclosure apparently overlays an earlier causewayed camp. So yes. I’d recommend you do come to the Bower. And if you happen to be a local reading this... ask yourself... are you happy to put up with what is happening to your youth and local hillfort? Guess it’s up to you.
TMA-ers wishing to make the trip are advised to drive to Chalk Farm on the A5 and take the ‘dead end’ minor Sewell road (near the White Lion pub) to park before an old railway bridge. Go through the arch, turn left and.... well.
Paid my first visit to the Trippet Stones today on the 1st April 2012. A fantastic day all round with wonderfully sunny weather and clear views in every direction. Took OC’s directions which were spot on and easy to follow. For such a lovely day there were few people out when I arrived but plenty later as I was leaving.
As usual my first thoughts were, ‘What on earth did they want to build a stone circle out here for?’, but we all know full well that we may never know the answer to that question!
I didn’t concern myself so much with how many stones were left standing or fallen, but how many there may have been originally. I calculated it at 28 and not allowing for any ‘entrances’. What I found a little strange was that many of the craters that were formed around the stones by sheep while they were still in place are still there even though the stones themselves have been gone for many many years I would have thought that as the soil is very peaty and wet for most of the year it would have encouraged the craters to backfill, especially as cattle/sheep/ponies walk aross there as a matter of course on a daily basis!
The central stone is interesting but I wondered if it was an original feature or a boundary marker because it has the letter C carved out on one face and M on the opposite face. I wondered about this for some time until I noticed, as I was walking away, two outlying stones reaching away from the circle and about 100 yards apart on an ongoing line. On investigation I discovered that they also had the letters C and M carved into them, so it increased the possibility of them being BM’s. Quite why the central stone was a marker opens up a question so one can only speculate on the ‘ownership’ of the circle being in dispute so the landowners settled on half each! If so then does this mean that there was never a central stone to the original build? Took loads of pix and video but have added some aerials to get a different perspective to those already contributed. Summing up, a cracker of a circle in lovely surrounds and east peasy to find and park up. I could have driven right up to the circle but common sense and respect tells you to stay next to the road itself which leads direct to Hawkstor Farm.
This wonderful promontory fort couldn’t be more unlike the not too distant Maiden Bowers – from whence I’ve just come – if it tried.... occupying the northern tip of a wondrous chalk spur of The Chilterns, set beneath glorious beech.
To be honest there does not appear a lot of archaeology here, the cross bank, isolating the enclosure from the southern hinterland, apparently substantially amended in medieval times to serve as a rabbit warren (hence, perhaps, the name), the defences of the remainder of the perimeter probably never that upstanding in the first place. Yeah, there really was no need, not when the location posessed such natural strength, nothing more than a little scarping of the existing promontory edge deemed necessary, perhaps?
Despite the steady procession of visitors, the vibe here is excellent, the sun, streaming through the thin Spring canopy, sending shadows streaking across the landscape – like the Clappers – to contrast with the brilliant, white chalk in the most striking manner possible. Yeah, the ‘Daz doorstep challenge’ has nothing on this, I can tell you. Roots, twisting this way and that in a do or die effort to secure a grip, envoke images of the ancient forest in my mind, the gnarled, twisted trees they support the very epitomy of Nature, the lungs of the Earth, in turn supporting the creatures that live upon it. Including me. Ha! QED.
By far the majority of visitors arrive from the south, a car park accessible from Sharpenhoe Road. This would appear the route if you’d rather not – or perhaps physically can not – make the very steep ascent from Barton Road to the north. Needless to say I wasn’t aware of the alternative at the time... but, hey, guess I probably need the exercise. Wonderful.
Visited 7th March 2012
On high, wet moorland, the Druidale cairns form part of an area rich in ancient remains. Several hut circles are nearby and medieval shieling sites are also evident. The area on which the cairns stand is known in Manx as ‘The Rheast’, which means ‘waste or moorland’.
Two cairns are evident here, comprised of large white quartz stones, they stood out like beacons overlooking the road as we drove down the C37 through Ballugh glen.
Pulling in at the car park at Montpellier Wood we set off walking up the footpath leading up the hill in front of us. The walk up is nice and wild, almost like walking up a stream due to the water draining off the moorland down the path, the decision to wear wellingtons proving to be a wise one.
Up here on the blowy, waterlogged moors of Druidale it feels like the Scottish highlands. The sun is out after last nights rain, and even the wind isn’t as bitter as yesterday. I’m perched on the quartz blocks of the cairn, which stand out brightly against the dull colours of the moor.
The southerly cairn is the largest, although much of the cairn material is buried, the circumference of the cairn is still visible and from where I’m sitting the outline of the cairn stretches around me, further quartz blocks hidden under the grass. Apparantly this cairn was excavated in the 19th century by a Canon Quine, who employed labourers to dig into it. A burial urn was discovered, which unfortunately was dropped by one of the labourers and broken, and no traces of this artefact now survive.
Around 20’ to the west of the southern cairn lies a fallen standing stone, now partially sunken into the marshy ground. A couple of feet of the stone are visible, but it is difficult to tell how high the stone would have stood when erect.
The northern cairn is more robbed and interfered with, the remaining stones being particularly piled up, probably by walkers, and now it merely looks as if a group of boulders that has been piled up from the main cairn
The wind continues its steady gusts but it’s been a fine walk to the cairns, and I’m glad we took the opportunity to see these lovely quartz cairns.
This barrow is found in amongst the trees of Innes Wood. Head east fromWallfield thru the village of Lochhill until the junction. Turn north and keep going straight onto a farm track past the Newton Of Innes farm until the tracks end. Over the gate and a crossroads will be found a few meters in front. Head east for about 300 meters, then look south and the barrow will be standing nearby.
Today, with sun and heat, the trees make for a very beautiful setting, silhouetting the barrow perfectly. It still stands at 11 meters wide and is over 1.5 meters tall. Damage has happened to the south western flank but on the whole the barrow seems to be reasonably intact.
Visited 27/03/2012.
From the minor road south of Wallfield farm this platform barrow looks to be in reasonable condition with just parts of it being covered in the ‘jabby stuff’. On closer inspection it is sadly rather different. The southern and eastern flanks are hidden by farm machinery, concrete blocks etc but it looks like the barrow hasn’t been damaged recently. Northern and western flanks are protected by a fence but have been damaged by ploughing. Still it still stands at 14 meters wide and 2 meters high. Finds discovered at the site can still be seen in Elgin Museum.
I took the minor road from Garmouth heading east towards Lochhill. Look for the farm track heading north towards Wallfield Farm after the junction heading south west (this will take you to Innesmill/Standing Stones Of Urquhart, no devil today!) signposted Urquhart/Llanbryde. I asked permission from the farmer, who was ploughing at the time, to have a look around.
Good area this, plenty of cairns, stone circles and forts nearby. The barrow is also used as a viewpoint. Maybe not a good idea going by recent debate, but up here the view belongs to everyone.
Visited 27/03/2012.
A strange turn of events led us back to the “Slippery hill of the witch” on a Sunday with time and a few sponds, it was Erics idea he practically begged me to come back, I was going to go to the Near Peak district, but he was adamant, he wanted to have another crack at that mountain that defeated him last time, and he wanted to bring his mate, whom for reasons that will become apparent will remain nameless.
We parked in the Ogwen valley by the entrance to a farm that is on the way to the cairn topped mountain. As the walk started we first had to cross over a cattle grid, Eric’s mate looked at it strangely and said “what’s that?” he wasn’t kidding either it was the first time he’d seen one, he crossed it gingerly in his wellies, and me and Eric exchanged glances.
After the farm had been passed we made it up to the nice to walk beside weir/canal, Eric changed out of trousers and into shorts, it was that warm, i’ve never seen anyone climb a mountain in shorts and T shirt before, strange days indeed.
When the weir reaches the small valley between Pen yr Helgi Du and Pen Llithrig y Wrach we head up to the saddle between the two (Bwlch y Tri Marchog) following the stream uphill. On the way we saw two small brown smooth lizards and some mountain ponies.
At the top of the Bwlch y Tri Marchog we could look down into Cwm Eigiau, the perfect glacier made valley, and up to Carnedd llewelyn with the narrow ridge linking it to the lower but no less lovely Pen yr helgi du. It was a heavenly place to sit and consume some butties, and catch our breath, two mountains a week is perhaps close to my limit.
Then it’s up to the summit, through a rocky path that is well worn and has the best view of The Carneddau that there is to my knowledge. Whilst photographing this Snowdonian spectacle eric stayed with me as a loving son is wont to do, but his mate carried on up on his own, he left the only two people who could help if nessasary, I was a tadd annoyed but tried not to show it.
Finally we caught up to the loner at the top, it was very gratifying to finally get to the top, the list got shorter for a change.
The cairn is I think if anything getting smaller, I can only hope that the bump the small pile of stones is on is the main part of the cairn. We all take up residence at the cairn even going so far as to take our shoes off, really making ourselves at home. I lied down propped up on shoulders surveying the haze that can’t hide the better half of the national park. Behind me coming back to the fore is what the kids are doing behind me, to my absolute horror Eric’s mate was seeing how far he could throw stones over the edge, I sternly reminded him there was a footpath down there, with people walking on it, and those stones are from someones grave that has been there for 4000 years and your just chucking it over the edge to show how cool you are. I was not impressed, I made them go away from the cairn and collect some more stones and replace them on the cairn, Eric wasn’t impressed with him either, and Eric’s mate wasn’t impressed, with me. Really, even though educated into what’s what some people don’t care, last time he comes out with me I can tell you.
That said not even a naughty mouthy kid can spoil my enjoyment of this place, the weather is amazing so warm and dry and those views are to die for, the eye is forever torn up to the Carneddau, especially llewelyn and the narrow ridge down to Pen yr Helgi Du, Ive never seen the mountains look so enticing, one day me and Alken will walk it, and properly enjoy the wonderful beauty of this place.
On the way down I try to find Bwlch Cowlyd but I cant even remember what it is i’m looking for, oh well someone will find it one day i’m sure.
This was fairly easy to find eventually, the difficult bit being that none of the locals I spoke to knew about it. Leave the A96 at Fochabers taking the B9104 north towards Garmouth. The streets of Garmouth bring new meaning to the word narrow so take care if driving or using any mode of transport.
I parked in the car park beneath the Water Tower and climbed west up a stairs, past an old primary school and onto the path which leads straight to the circle. Two stones of the four poster remain standing whilst a third might be a possible cist cover. The info board dates at 1500 BC and also gives details about the Tower and the Spey Bay area.
This must be one of the most beautiful places in Moray with fantastic views of the Spey, it’s Estuary, Moray Firth, Black Isle and all views wast west and south. Stunning place!
Visited 27/3/2012.
Visited 25.3.12
I had no idea there were Barrows on top of Kings Weston Hill when I visited the Hillfort.
The first I knew of them was when reading the information board near the top of the steps leading to the Hillfort.
The information board states the Barrows are now ‘barely discernable’.
Although they are either side of the path running across the hilltop I couldn’t make them out.
I can’t remember if the information board said there were 2 or 3 Barrows here.
A map on the information board shows their location.
Visited 25.3.12
Situated on the hilltop opposite Blaise Castle Hillfort.
I walked down through the trees from Blaise Castle Hillfort, across the grass, and up the path leading through the trees to Kings Weston Hillfort.
There are handy steps when you get to the steeper part of the path and a metal gate at the top.
You come out onto a flat grassed area and an unexpected information board. This gives details of the Hillfort, Blaise Castle Hillfort and the nearby Barrows (which I didn’t know were here)
This looked to me to be more of a Promontory Fort rather than a Hillfort. The site sits at the eastern end of Weston Hill and is protected from the flat west by a semi-circle single ditch/rampart. The other sides are protected by the natural steep sided slopes. The defences are easy to spot – approximately 1 metre high bank and 0.5 metre deep ditch.
Nicholas Thomas (Guide to Prehistoric England) states the ditch was originally 2 metres deep and 5 metres across.
As this site is so close to Blaise Castle Hillfort (and a lot smaller) I assume the two would have been connected – perhaps it was where they sent the teenagers?!!
Visited 25.3.12
‘Where do you fancy going this weekend?’ asked I.
‘Somewhere not too far, where we can have a picnic and is a National Trust site’ replies Karen.
That got me scratching my head but I eventually came up with Blaise Castle park – ideal for a picnic (children’s park), close to the lovely Blaise Hamlet (N.T. site) and just so happens to have two Hillforts to explore. That’s what I call a ‘win/win’!!
We parked in the large free car park (which was crammed due to the fine weather) and headed across the grass to set the picnic out. Sophie and Dafydd happily munching their way through anything they could get their hands on! We then went over to the play area and Karen kept an eye on the children while I headed up towards the Hillfort.
This has to be one of the easiest Hillforts there is to access. Across a level park and up any one of many paths which lead to the top. I was conscious of leaving Karen alone with the children for too long so settled for exploring the western defences.
The outer rampart is still very large – approximately 3 metres high in places – although the inner rampart is more around 1.5 metres. The ditches can also be clearly seen. A path runs between the two sets of defences.
Although the sides of the Hillfort are covered in trees, the top is a flat grass clearing in which stands a pretty impressive mock castle ‘folly’ – Blaise Castle. There was a mediaeval re-enactment going on with several men-at-arms going through their paces. I enjoy watching re-enactments but I didn’t have time to stay as long as I would have liked.
This is such an easy site to access (and with the defences pretty well preserved) it is well worth a visit when in the area. You can also get an ice cream or a cuppa on the way back to the car!
Time to head for the nearby Hillfort of Kings Weston – only a 10 minute walk away!
After a frankly brilliant early morning visit to the Llyn Brenig monuments, how would one top that on a hazy but sunny equinox morning, answer, climb a mountain, sans step ladders of course.
Taking my que from Gladman as ever in Snowdonia, I started my climb from Rhyd Ddu, where there is parking for half a dozen cars on the road side.
The footpath is clear and well trodden, the route visible right up to the top, though Gladders had mentioned twice how steep it is, I was still taken aback by how steep it is. The often rediculous path is sometimes barely two feet from the edge of a near vertical drop, twice vertigo got a grip of me and at the soonest opportunity I had to drop to the floor planting myself on the ground , then take lots of pictures to take my mind off just how scared of heights I can get, why oh why would someone who is afraid of heights climb a mountain, same answer as ever because it’s there. But that’s a daft answer, mostly iv’e come to see the cairns, and those views, those spine tingling jaw dropping goose bumping views that make you want to stay forever.
Eventually the eastern cairn comes into view and a deep sigh of relief escapes me, I walk round the edge of the summit never daring to get too close to the edge. From up here it seems the whole national park is on offer, so many cairn topped mountains, Moel Hebog is south, Mynnydd Mawr is north, east is Yr Wyddfa and behind it Carnedd llewelyn, north east is Moel Eilio and west is Craig Cwm Silyn and the impossibly pretty Nantlle ridge, begging me to have a go even goading me in to having a little climb just try me out I don’t bite....much.
The cairns, oh yes the cairns, I knew there was something up here besides terrible beauty. They are both big and impressive, with all the scree around it would be a crime to have little barely there cairns. They are too far apart, i’d like to see them a bit closer together, perhaps they had their reasons, now unfathomable to us.
They are both hollowed out to accept a couple of weary walkers, and you would be weary, and it’s just such a damn good place to sit for a while, communing with the ancestors and for a short while becoming a part of something bigger than our lives back home.
I leave the cairns behind and walk off in a daze almost towards the Nantlle ridge, I don’t intend to get to the top, that day will have to wait till Iv’e a walking buddy to hold my hand and reassure me that it’s okay. Every time I get a glimpse over the edge a dizzy nervous wonderment comes over me and I stare steadfastly at the ground beneath my feet and the way ahead. I make my way as far as I dare and take a pugh. An older gentleman is coming down, he must be twenty years older than me and sporting walking sticks, he asks me if i’m going all the way, I giggle idiotically and say “not today”.
As he goes on his way towards the cairns I keep looking up and asking myself how hard can it be?
Harder than it seems or not i’m saving it for another day, maybe starting from the other side.
But now it’s back to the cairns, I could walk around all day here, but time has caught me up and it’s time to bid a sad farewell.....for now.
24/03/2012 – I came across this stone circle purely by chance. I was in Bordeaux for a few days with work and had a couple of spare hours, so thought I’d have a look around. Wandering round Jardin Public, I was surprised to come across a stone circle in the middle of the park, in amongst all the people relaxing & playing in the gardens on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
This isn’t the circle’s original site, apparently it was moved to Jardin Public from from Lervaut near Lesparre-Medoc in 1875.
This place is definitely worth a visit and very easy to find if you’re in the area.
Mrs T
Visited 6th March 2012
Heading down the A2 from Ramsey to Laxey after a visit to Cashtal yn Ard our intention was to pay a visit to King Orry’s Grave, and spotting a brown sign indicating that monument we took the right turn onto the B11 as directed.
The lane was narrow as it passed through the village of Ballaragh, but shortly Ellen spots the Spiral Stone at the side of the road, the green sign perched above it standing out like a beacon. Pulling into the side of the road, there really isn’t anywhere proper to park, but the road is so quiet we risk leaving the car and head over to the stone.
Without the green sign to indicate its presence you would most likely never spot the stone, as it looks like nothing more than a boulder wedged into the fieldwall, and it’s hard to know whether once this would have been a standing stone, or just a rocky outcrop that the Ancients decided to carve.
It takes a bit of spotting but soon we discern the shape of two spirals, and possibly also some cupmarks, towards the bottom of the stone. Trying to make them out with any clarity is difficult so I rumage in the car for any water to damp the stone and try to make photographing the spirals easier. After a libation of sacred lemonade (the only liquid I could find in the car!) things become clearer and I have a go at photographing the carvings. Two spirals are definitely still there, but the third one does now seem eroded to the point of occlusion. Still it’s been nice to happen upon this stone at the side of the road, and so close to our intended destination!
Failed visit 25.3.12
Looking at the map this site appears to be very easy to access; being right next to a minor road just off junction 16 of the M5. The reality is quite different.
The road is bordered by quite large, posh looking houses – no chance of seeing anything from here.
I had planned to walk up the side road which leads to the houses (and the centre of the Hillfort) but was greeted with ‘Private road – residents only access’ signs which put me off.
Basically, these houses have been built in the middle of the Hillfort so I don’t know how much is actually left to see? The O/S map shows ramparts to the north and west but as I said there was no way to check for myself.
Visited 25.3.12
I say ‘visited’ but perhaps it was ‘not visited’?
Using a photo to help me identify the Barrow I did see a small ‘mound’ near the edge of a field which could possibly have been the Barrow – or then again it may have just been a ‘bump’ in a field!
If it was the Barrow it is now no more than a very low, almost ploughed out, grass covered mound.
The OS map shows the bridleway running right past a hut circle and what appears to be a semi-circular feature either side of it. Worth a look anyway. The bridleway crosses increasingly wet ground and it becomes apparent that these lower slopes are waterlogged and boggy, a complete contrast to the dry heather of the ridge above. But at length I reach the hut circle. It’s quite impressive, although wrecked; the walls appear to be made of double thickness of stones, almost creating a “cavity wall” effect. On either side, a low bank of stones stretches away, very like the robbed-down walls of a Dartmoor pound. The affinities between the sites on this peninsula and the southwest of England feel strong.
From here a footpath heads southeast across increasingly wet terrain, towards Sluxton farm. The map shows a “W” for a well here and sure enough, a small standing stone (maybe a metre tall) protrudes through the reedy grass to mark its position. There’s no mention of this on Coflein, and the stone could be relatively recent, but perhaps the builders of the hut circle on the slopes above knew this water source too?
Instead I turn my attentions northwards, to the sibling monument. This one is much more intact, the chamber almost complete but for the slipped capstone, recalling Mulfra Quoit (I get a very similar feeling here to being on the West Penwith moors). Its general shape and proximity to the wrecked southern chamber also brings to mind Dyffryn Adudwy in North Wales, although I’ve never been there. The capstone, in its semi-fallen state, is a heart-shaped block. The stony spread stretches away down the slope, so it appears that the chamber was at the end of an oval mound, rather than in its centre. There’s no indication of a kerb. A tranquil spot, no-one comes to disturb me here as I sit for a while, although now there are walkers about on the ridge above. No-one comes looking for the geocache in the chamber, either. Someone else’s hobby, that. I don’t need a geocache to get me here, the stones speak loudly enough to draw my attention.
Sweyne’s Howes South is a right old state. A roughly circular or oval stone scatter surrounds a jumble of much larger slabs and blocks, some of which remain upright. This is an ikea flatpack of a site, but the assembly instructions were blown away and shredded by the wind long ago. Despite the slight melancholic air, it retains a powerful atmosphere, sat on its heathery slopes, with views of sea and mountain. The better-preserved northern chamber is close at hand and adds to the general feeling of a complex landscape, tantalisingly close yet just eluding the fingertips.
In my excitement, I utterly fail to see the ring cairn that lies to the south east of this megalithic puzzle, so a return trip is assured anyway.
