Latest Fieldnotes

The Ring of Bookan is easily missed, or at least I found it so when I visited the site in late July 2009, though I will blame the long grass of course. It’s an important though probably over passed site unless one knows it’s there (minus the long grass).
The Bookan henge lacks two features common to Brodgar and Stenness – an entrance causeway and outer bank. These, however, could easily have fallen victim to ploughing and farming over the centuries.
Within the ditch are a number of stones and a rough mound. It has been suggested that this is the remains of a cairn, but this remains speculation
Latter info source: Orkneyjar/Ring of Bookan.

My videos & photosgraphs at:

flickr.com/search/?q=ring%20of%20bookan

Weather on Orkney is fickle, yes that’s the word. This video taken in April 2010 during a field trip to the Brodgar henge was a precursor for a dash back to the bus.

flickr.com/photos/tyrianterror/4546626566/

Approach to the Stones of Stenness during a field trip to Orkney in April 2010, it was BALTIC!!!, that said Stenness, & Brodgar almost made it worthwhile. Imuch prefer these sites in the warmth though like I did months later.

flickr.com/photos/tyrianterror/4543646741/

Approach to the Ring of Brodgar, 2009.

flickr.com/photos/tyrianterror/3829897294/

Short video of the Cove whilst visiting the locality in 2009.

flickr.com/photos/tyrianterror/3675175339/

Interior video of the Unstan Cairn taken on my last day on Orkney mid August 2009 which up for the Ness of Brodgar dig & related sundries.
This was a grand day’s culmination walk from the main road to Stenness,Barnhouse, N.o.B., Brodgar to the Ring of Bookan, then back & out to Unstan.

flickr.com/photos/tyrianterror/3829823392/

A lovely visit. Sunny morning in late October with the light illuminating the entire corridor and bathing the innermost chamber, while the ammonite glowed golden like a sunburst at the entrance.

Two women who very visiting with their children were convinced that the builders had intended to recreate a womb. Another image that sprung to my mind was of a boat cresting a gentle wave and sailing towards the stars.

It is a kinder monument than, say, Newgrange. Cosy. Not so imposing. The passage is smaller, as if built for children. Rebirth.

Climbing the hill from the car park there are many interesting bumps and hollows to fire the imagination. Something for Timeteam to scan, perhaps. Once on the barrow you see a landscape that is flattened by the plough. That this monument has survived is a little miracle. While Googling I saw some amazing crop circles in the stoney field above; more stories to be told.

Easy to find and access, but the lanes are very narrow. No coaches fortunately.

9 ca 1,5 m high stones (8 in a circle and one central stone).

A sunny November afternoon in North Wales is not to be sniffed at, so I decided to take my camera out while walking the dogs and visit this hill fort which is on the lower part of Moel y ci.

I walked my usual route with the dogs feeding the horses on the way, but then had to climb a stile over an electric fence. The dogs aren’t keen on these ladder stiles but I think they could sense the electrickery passing through the fence so managed it for once.
Crossing the field diagonally past some suspicious looking stones, that anywhere else would look like a stone circle I passed through a farm gate and followed the track to the entrance to the fort.
Archwilio say that this is almost definitely the original entrance. It’s on the east side of the fort.
I walked all the way around and could see how well defended it was from the south, the cliff face was quite sheer. I walked around the western side and could see the flatter ramparts below the modern wall.
In the western area of the fort is a large rocky area and standing upon this I had wonderful views across to Moel Wnion, Moel Faban and out to Puffin island and Ynys Mon.
The slope on the Northern side is steep and high, with more electric fence halfway down.
There is a large enough flat area in the middle of the hillfort.

Just my luck my camera ran out of battery so I couldn’t take many pics. So I shall go back and take another look. I find this whole area quite interesting and I am sure there is more up there.

This site and the other I recently added (Nercwys Mountain Cairn) are just two of a number grouped in fairly close proximity in and around the Alyn Valley near my home town of Mold. I have held a keen interest in ancient sites/stones/monuments since being taken to Stonehenge in the late 1960’s and it was these local sites that rekindled that interest a few years ago and again more recently the findings of a CPAT/CADW during a dig in 2010.

In reply to Howburn Digger’s question the view in the photos is from the gate of the Pentrehobyn Estate right next to an occupied lodge across a stretch of open field alongside the estate driveway. I have never asked nor ventured further than the gate so not sure whether access would be granted. It is just off the roundabout on the A494 approx 100yds along the B5444 road to Wrexham. You have to park in the industrial estate adjacent to the roundabout and walk the short distance.

I can’t help but think that Pentrehobyn, or the people responsible for its building, must have some links with those of the famous Bryn-yr-Ellyllon (site of the ‘Gold Cape’ now in the British Museum), Llong Barrow, Rhual Isaf Barrow and Penbedw, etc. making me also believe that my humble local patch was rather quite important at one time.

Pentrehobyn is described by Coflein as a “sub circular mound, 26-33m diameter and 1.7m high”. Its a very ‘neat’, undisturbed mound visually and I’m sure that there is a line-of-sight from it to the peak of Moel Famau (mother mountain), so perhaps no coincidence?

The recent CPAT dig is published in their Report no.1078 and it concerns a “large ring-ditch burial mound” some 44m in diameter. This is a relatively large ring-ditch shown up by crop marks in the field directly opposite the Pentrehobyn site. This adds strength to the possible links theory mentioned earlier. It should be noted that not all the sites in this locality have any real visible evidence remaining (eg Llong, almost totally ploughed out) and Penbedw Barrow/Stone Circle and Rhual Isaf Barrow are also on private land (but much easier to get to unseen).

Worth spending 10mins here if passing on a day out to take in others.

Visited this on a cycling holiday in Brittany this summer. Just before the bend in the D7 going out of Saint-Suliac, walk up the farm track to the right, and you will see a home-made sign to “Menhir”. That leads you into an orchard (there was nobody around when we were there) surrounding this massive stone. It is a very rugged and irregular shape. Whether really a menhir or just a prominent erratic I know not, though the maps show it as prehistoric. There was a huge pumpkin nearby with the name Gargantua carved into it. Menhir a true word spoken in jest, as Obelix might have said (in English translation).

The position of this rare thing is not accurate, and I´m not sure that I would find it again. But I took part in a guided tour in 2010, and it is in there somewhere.

Gardberg is an area covering more than 2 square kilometers in the municipality of Vestre Slidre in Valdres. Follow the signs to Einangsteinen from road E16.

550 of a proposed thousand burial mounds has been investigated. More than 900 finds date from Roman iron-age up towards viking-age 800 CE. The area has traces of iron-production before, under and after viking-age.

There is a stone with 70 saucerlike hollows.

The famous Einang-runestone is also here.

Myself, Karen and Dafydd visited this church 3 years ago whilst on a weeks holiday in sunny Scotland (well, not that sunny actually!)
We called in as it was being used as a tearooms and we (as ever) fancied a cuppa.
Karen sat down with Dafydd while I queued for teas. They had a fine selection of home made cakes and I called over to Karen to ask her what she fancied?
‘I’ll have a Welsh Cake please‘
I won’t tell you what my response was...........!

Visited 4th August 2011

The Gladsax bonus site! After the trials and tribulations of finding the main Gladsax site we happened upon the handy information board back at Rosadala farm. Helpfully written in English (I love Sweden, why can’t all countries be as accessible for megalith hunters!) it indicated that another ganggrift lay about 500 metres nortwest, and had an astonoshing 223 cupmarks on it!

Excited by the thought of another site in such close proximity we set off along a dusty path visible across a field to the north, and handily highlighted by a couple of small flags. Not having any idea of what to expect we scanned the horizon in the blazing sunshine, before spotting something up on a ridge ahead. Shortly the path came to a wire fence which we cautiously approached (electric fences being very popular in these parts!) but helpfully this one has a couple of insulated handles which let you detatch the bungy-rope like wire and allow access to the field.

Up on a low ridge was the unmistakable remains of something meglithic, just to the other side of another dividing fence (this one accessed by a proper gate however). Inside its field Gladsax Norre Vang was within another small fenced enclosure, probably to protect it from use a rubbing post for the inquistive herd of cows which thronged near it. After our encounter with the killer cows at Gardlosa earlier in the week Ellen decided discretion was the better part of valour and so remained in the nearby field while I had a poke about the stones.

A couple of huge capstones covered the tumbledown remains of the passage, which seemed to have been built upon a low mound, with a surrounding kerb of smaller stones, around which about half still remained. Although it lacked the impressive quartzite boulder of its near neighbour, it did have a heavily cupmarked flat capstone. This was the stone with the advertised 223 cupmarks, although many were now eroded and difficult to make out. I started to count them but was aware of the attentions of my bovine onlookers who seemed to be straining to see what I found so interesting about the site, so eventually I admitted defeat and after trying to take some photos without getting a load of cows in shot I decamped back to the next field with Ellen to write up the fieldnotes.

Gladsax Norre Vang seems to share a similar construction to its neighbour, and I imagine would probably date from around the same time, although I haven’t been able to find out any further information on the site, from its slightly raised position it is also possible to see the white gleam of the Gladsax Ganggrift capstone boulder 500 metres away, so perhaps this whole area was once dotted with funary monuments. Whatever the case was this was an unexpected joy, the two sites set in beautiful farmland on a glorious summers day, and if you ever get the chance to Gladsax then do, and don’t neglect to make the short walk to this site as well because it’s definitely worth it!

Visited today (5 November 2011), after a bus trip to Harold’s Stones. The decision to get off the bus at Chepstow Racecourse is a spontaneous and unplanned one, but I added this site a few years ago and have failed to ever visit it. As the experience turned out rather strangely, fieldnotes are uncharateristically prompt.

A pleasant footpath runs through autumnal woods off the busy B4293 near the Racecourse roundabout, which gets me in the mood for a gentle stroll to the fort. My legs still ache somewhat from Thursday’s epic, Postman-sponsored walk up Cadair Idris.

The path emerges from woods to run alongside the racecourse, and the masts on nearby Gaer Hill are visible from here. This is a nice path to take, as there are views down to the Severn Bridge. Also providing interest are the ruins of the grand palladian mansion of Piercefield Park. This is worth noting, as the two little forts are within the grounds of the house and there are traces of landscaping features in and around the fort and riverside walk.

The path enters the trees and heads towards the cliffs hanging above the Wye. The first trace of the fort comes in the shape of an odd little standing stone, next to an apparently man-made pit. Not shown on the map, I don’t know if this is something associated with the fort or a piece of landscaping artifice associated with the big house. The southwestern fort is small and circular in plan and I intend to visit it more fully after seeing the larger northeastern promontory fort. From the standing stone, the path curves round the northeastern corner of the fort, where it emerges next to the remains of “The Grotto”, a now-ruined artificial cave that used to be studded with minerals and inhabited by gay ladies and gentlemen, according to the information board. The ground drops away quite steeply to the southeast and across the path from the Grotto the rampart, constructed of fist-sized rocks, can be seen in the undergrowth.

I head back northeastwards, off the footpath, to where the ground slopes down into the trees towards the main fort. At which point it starts to get a bit surreal. It’s probably worth mentioning that the other day Postie asked me if I’d had any weird (non-paranormal) experiences at sites, to which I had said no. Perhaps this is playing at the back of my mind as I head further into the trees. A helicopter flies low overhead as I press on further into the wood. It circles directly overhead and then starts to pass and re-pass where I’m walking. I’m hidden under dense canopy, but I’m transported back to childhood games of soldiers, crack units operating covertly behind enemy lines, that kind of thing. The helicopter carries on its passing and my imagination is in overdrive. Before long an impressive defensive bank comes into view ahead of me and I climb this into the fort interior as the aerial hunt continues. Along the northwestern edge of the fort the grounds drops near-vertically to the cliffs over the Wye. Without the dense tree cover it would be possible to see both Gaer Hill and Spital Meend hillforts, forming an impressive set of control points along the river.

I follow the northwestern edge and finally the helicopter flies off, presumably satisfied. As I approach the northeastern end of the promontory, a white animal shape appears through the trees. At first I think it’s a pony, and my now-fevered mind is thinking of unicorns by this point. As I get nearer it becomes apparent that it’s a sheep. Which is nearly as unlikely as a unicorn, in this heavily wooded, cliff top hillfort. It notices me and stares. I get nearer and realise the sheep is standing on the rampart, a green bank of moss-covered boulders. Without the tree cover, I imagine it would be very similar to the ramparts of forts like Titterstone Clee. The sheep continues to stare at me. It appears to be healthy, but what on earth it’s doing here escapes me. As I follow the rampart along, it turns to face me at each step. Every picture I take has this weird, staring sheep in it. By now I am started to get a bit unnerved by the solitary sheep of the woods and I follow the rampart round to the south and then the SSW, while it continues to stare at me. I head off, feeling quietly spooked. It doesn’t follow, but carries on staring.

All this oddness shouldn’t detract from a lovely woodland fort. My camera doesn’t like woods, finding it difficult to focus through the trees and green-on-green. I follow the rampart along its southeastern length, until it gets higher at the southern end and I stumble across a small circular feature apparently built into the inside of the rampart, possibly a hut circle? By now I wouldn’t be particularly surprised if a lost tribe of cannibal pygmies appeared to fire poison darts at me. Just after the “hut circle” is the main entrance into the fort, then I’m back to the most impressive section of rampart, where there are two rows of banks rather than the one that encircles the rest of the fort.

Still glancing behind, expecting to the see the weird sheep floating along behind me, Woman In Black style, I climb back up to the smaller southwestern fort. I follow the rampart round its southwestern side to the Wye Valley Walk path, but by now every falling leaf is making me jumpy. Good grief.

Folllowing the path south, the slope is steep and the approach from this direction would make for tired attackers. Evertually the path emerges at a viewpoint, where Chepstow Castle can be seen and an elderly couple are discussing a lost knife or something. By now it’s all feeling a bit too Wicker Man and I am glad to flee back to town, where the sight of a nice pavement and some shops (as well as my sandwiches) finally brings a sense of normality. What was that all about? Who knows.

After a long wait and much pondering over the weather reports, the day finally came, it was November the 3rd, The Sweetcheat and me were on our way to Cader Idris.
As we approached the expensive pay and display carpark (2quid for 4hrs or 4quid for all day) we could see the Peaks of Cader Idris were covered in thick grey cloud, par for the course to me. We donned our weatherproofing and set off up the pony track.
At our first breather stop we could see the tumbled Hill fort of Craig y Castell, I wondered if we would have a moment to go up and have a quick look after we came down.

Nearing the steeper part of the walk we noted how there was blue sky coming in off the Irish sea, most unusual, Alken said that by the time we get to the top it will have moved in above us. (he couldn’t have been more right, but we didn’t know it yet)
The path zigzags up to the top of Rhiw Gwredydd, past a large strangely cut block with a seam of quartz showing, from above here we could see where the cairns were, so we mozied on over as best we could in the ferocious winds that seemed to be somewhat single minded about pushing us over the edge.

We were both amazed, we’ve both seen many many cairns, but these were big. The biggest one , the southern one was so huge we couldn’t really tell if it was one big one or two that had slipped into each other. The other two were smaller but only when compared to the big one, but they did have the peachiest of positions, looking down into the valley of the Afon Mawddach, and beyond, Iv’e seen many beyonds too but this one will take some beating, from here I could zoom in on Craig y Castell and the cairn on a woodland saddle, off in the distance, below dark clouds was Snowdon and the Carneddau and the whole was lit by a patchwork of dappled autumn sunlight, goosebumped and hairprickled, we sat and watched a while before tearing ourselves away, away up to the top of the still cloudy peak of Cader Idris.

On, on and ever upwards, with the crap wham song with the words “take me to the edge of heaven” intermittently invading my inner sanctum, I carefully didn’t mention this for fear of being pushed over the edge. Wham and mountain walking sooo don’t go together. We were getting higher now and the summit came into view, it was now that Alken’s shrewd weather prediction came to fruition, he is not only a Sweetcheat but mixed with a postman becomes a bad weather repellent.

The view from the top is jaw dropping to say the least, we sat in silence for some time just drinking in the splendor, all around us the views went for miles, here and there low clouds dropped their watery cargo on inoffensive Welsh villages and beaches, but we stayed gloriously dry and content.
The sun was getting low and bathed Craig yr Aderyn and it’s whole valley in a golden autumnal light, it was with this view foremost that we tripped and staggered our way down, still dry.

A darn good day out!!!

Castlerigg visit #3 (21.10.2011)

The final day of our week is a grey, drizzly thing. We head to Maryport aquarium rather than into the hills. But I can’t leave Keswick without a final trip to Castlerigg, seeing as it’s so close. Waterproofs donned, I head out into blustery, wet gloom as the light starts to fail.

Once again, there’s a car parked when I arrive, but its occupant is leaving as I cross the field. A stark contrast to the sunkissed dusk and dawn visits earlier in the week, but there’s much to be enjoyed about Castlerigg in an autumn downpour. Firstly, there’s no-one else here. Secondly, attempts at photography are greatly hampered by splodges and an instantly wet lens each time I point it anywhere above the ground. So I concentrate on squelching around and enjoying the stones and their setting.

Much of the glorious backdrop is hidden today, a few grey shapes visible but not much else. Blencathra hides its unmistakable profile away in cloud. I’m pleased to be down here, rather than up there (for once).

Three visits and I’m still no nearer to understanding this place – three hundred visits might not help. The enigma of the square internal setting will continue to elude. But the visits, coupled with aerial viewings from Blencathra and from Lonscale Fell, have highlighted how cleverly placed the circle is. The setting is not on a high elevation, in the context of the mountain backdrop. But it has elevation over the immediate surroundings, being placed on the top of a small hill that ensures the views all around are unrestricted to the mountains.

After about 20 minutes, another car pulls up and a solitary occupant emerges. I take this as my cue to leave, to let them have the circle to themselves as I have.

A last viewing across the field and I’m off, happy and sad, wet but warmed inside.

Visited 29.10.11

I took the minor road off the A485 and headed towards Pentrefynys Farm. As I approached the farm I was stopped by someone leaving in a 4x4 and I explained that I was hoping to have a look at the stone. The chap was a bit wary and said he knew about the stone but that I would have to ask permission at the farm. I thanked him and continued down the narrow lane.

Before reaching the farmhouse I spotted the stone on my right and decided to ‘go for it’. So far today I had seen several stones but had not got close enough to touch any – I was determined to put that right!

I parked up, jumped over the field gate and ran through the wind, rain and mud to get close to the stone. I guess only TMAers will understand the satisfaction you get from touching a stone as opposed to just looking at it.

I didn’t hang around too long as I was blocking the lane and getting very wet!

p.s. the stone was still covered in bird poo!!

Visited 29.10.11

My last site of the day.
I found this stone to be quite difficult to get anywhere near.

Taking the minor road west through the modern housing estate in Peniel I parked up in the first of two passing places as suggested. So far so good.

Then the difficult bit. I could find no easy way through the trees and had to battle through bushes, brambles and ankle deep mud. In the middle of the trees was a small stream which could be jumped over without too much bother but the whole area was very wet with several large puddles to navigate. Venturing out of the trees I had to climb over a fence before entering a field. I walked a little way through the field and could see the stone – two fields over.

The stone was pointy and reminded me of a witch’s hat. Which in turn reminded me that I had to make sure I was home in time to take Sophie and Dafydd to a Halloween party! With this in mind (plus the pouring rain) I decided not to try to get any closer and settle for a view from afar.

Worth the effort I guess but certainly not the easiest of stones to see.

‘Non-visit’ 29.10.11

After having a look at Crug Bwlch Bychan Cairn I looked at the O/S map and spotted a Barrow in the field to the south. May as well have a look I thought.

Problem was that not only was the rain coming in horizontally but mist had suddenly started to descend. As I made my way across the fields the mist got thicker and visibility poorer. It was now down to about 30 metres and given my track record for getting lost I was starting to worry I wouldn’t be able to find my way back to the car (I hadn’t brought my compass with me). In the end I chickened out and headed back to the car. Despite being the middle of the afternoon full headlights required!

COFLEIN records the site:
‘A circular mound, apparently undisturbed, 28 metres in diameter and 1.1 metres high’.

Visited 29.10.11

Heading south out of Llanpumsaint village I took the very minor road west and
headed towards Penllwynuchel Farm. There is room to park at the junction leading north towards Bwlch Gwyn Farm.

At the junction there is a field gate and directly in front of you is the Cairn.

The field entrance was a quagmire and as the Cairn itself is completely covered in bushes, gorse etc I didn’t see any advantage of gaining a closer look.
The Cairn is quite large, about 20 metres across and about 2 metres high. Although due to the vegetation on top of the Cairn I couldn’t tell where the Cairn ended and the bushes started!

COFLEIN describes the site:
‘A flat topped circular mound 18 metres in diameter and 0.6 metres high. Has been opened generating reports of quartz pebbles’.

Visited 29.10.11

Just a bit further west along the same minor road from Caerau Clyngwyn Hillfort.
I parked at the entrance to the farm opposite and access to the site is easy as there is a permissive footpath leading through the field. Footpath sign present.
The two Barrows are easy to spot – only a 1 minute walk away.

The larger of the two Barrows is the one on the left – being about 1 metre high and 30 metres across. The Barrow to the right is about the same height but slightly smaller – 25 metres across. The field was full of sheep.

COFLEIN gives a brief description:
‘Two Barrows, ploughed but substantial’.

South of the Barrows is an Iron Age enclosure (Garn Fawr Circle – SN39622379) but I didn’t have time to check it out.

Visited 29.10.11

Directions:
Just south of Bronwydd Arms, take the minor road west off the A484.

The Hillfort itself is not much to write home about; not much to see other than a large conical mound – no sign of any ditch or rampart. There are decent views to be had from the top. Not worth the effort of a special visit.

COFLEIN describes the site:
‘A Hillfort defined by natural slopes on two, opposing sides and artificial slopes on the remaining sides’.

Visited 29.10.11

After visiting the nearby Meini Gwyn stones I continued east along the minor road to check out this Hillfort.
I parked on the road at the junction where the drive heads south to Baencwm Farm.

I walked past a couple of houses and was soon at the eastern rampart of the Hillfort.
At this point the rampart is about 3 metres high but totally overgrown with tress / bushes etc. I managed to clamber up the bank and could see the northern section of the rampart curving around – the ramparts here looked about 2 metres high.

This was my last site of the day and by now the raining was falling heavily; I was tired and wet through. There didn’t appear to be any obvious access point to the Hillfort (the centre of which looks like it is used for grazing) and I didn’t fancy battling through the hedge so I decided to head back to the car.

I was about the drive off when a farmer pulled up in his Land Rover. I thought ‘here we go’ but he just asked if I could stay put as his cattle was being herded down the lane. I was happy to oblige. It is odd sitting in a car and having a herd of cows pass either side of you!

COFLEIN describes the site thus:
‘Croes Arthur Hillfort has been described as a promontory fort in the ledge position, the irregular plan of this fort has suggested more than one period of construction. The site name is not recognised locally’.