Latest Fieldnotes

This stone circle is easy to access being only two fields from the road. It is a small 5 stone circle which Jack Roberts states has a possible winter solstice alignment.

I can only agree with Ken here and his warning about the animals in this field. This is unfortunately in hindsight as I hadnt read it before I visited.

I was even more foolish and brought my dog Ned with me. There were bullocks in the field very near to the circle but an electric fence kept them out of the stone circle field. Me and Neddy made it through to see the circle but on the way back out they became very boisterous. Neddy got scared and wouldnt move. I eventually got my dog to move and walked along the track with a thin electric fence protecting us from bullocks on each side of it. It looked very old and I wasn’t even sure if it was turned on so it was pretty nerve wracking.

I don’t know if Indy had these kind of problems!

Visited 19.10.11.

‘Short, sharp showers’ confidently predicted the weather forecaster. For that read ‘mini monsoon mixed with sleet’! Undeterred myself, Karen, Dafydd and Sophie decided to have the afternoon at the Cwmcarn Forest Drive near Newport.

Cwmcarn is a nice place to visit with a visitors centre (shop/café/toilets etc), walks, BBQ facilities, children’s play park and several viewing points. The bit I was most interested in of course was the Hillfort!

There is room to park at the bottom of the hill (car park number 7) and an information board giving details of the Hillfort. It is then a 20 minute steep walk up to the Hillfort – there is no proper footpath, just an obvious ‘path’ over the grass.
Two weeks ago I was complaining it was too hot, now it was like the middle of winter. Storm clouds overhead and a biting cold wind – getting stronger as myself and Dafydd climbed the hill. Karen sensibly deciding to stay in the car with Sophie.

It was a fair old climb, particularly trying to carry Dafydd who decided he was too tired to walk anymore and wanting to go back to the car. ‘I’m freezing and turning blue’ Dafydd informed me – a bit of an exaggeration but I know what he meant.
Eventually we arrived at the single ditch/rampart of the Hillfort which is still about 2 metres deep. We continued the walk up onto the Medieval Motte and Dafydd cwtched into me whilst I admired the fantastic view. Newport, Cardiff, both Severn bridges and across into the West Country. This is quite a spot.

Oddly enough there was a herd of cows also at the Hillfort, many of them sheltering out of the wind in the ditch. Quite why they would want to come all the way up here I don’t know. What was more worrying was a single bull who was staring intently at us.

Due to a combination of the cold / wind / bull / rain we didn’t stay too long at headed back down the hill to the shelter and warmth of the car.

It costs £5 per car to enter the forest drive which is good value. If you would rather avoid this cost there is access to the Hillfort from a minor road to the east. There are also two cairns next to the track if coming from that direction.

I didnt realise that this was situated in a park. Looking at the layout of the lands around it on the OS map I thought perhaps it was on an old country estate. I actually came at it from the rear where as luck would have it a service gate was open.
However I as I wasn’t sure about how much it cost to get in or if I was about to be found out and thrown out I didnt feel very comfortable here.
I think if I had paid my entry fee and approached from the front I would have enjoyed trying to figure what the hell was going on with this circle and stayed around for a lot longer.
Ken Williams post gives you pretty much all the info you need on this one.

This is a lovely stone circle hidden away in trees at the back of some farm sheds. Not far from the easy to find Glantane East there is a long lane (with a gate) to an old farmyard. The stone circle is to the rear of this.

This again isnt far from the village of Carriganimmy. Access is made easier now with the building of a wind-farm in the area. You can follow the new track of the wind-farm quiet close to it. However the area is pretty marshy so bear that in mind. I got fairly wet and it was the middle of summer when I visited. Even with the path it is one of the hidden circles rather than one that stands out in the landscape and so it can be tricky to find..
There is a fence around the stone circle which unfortunately makes taking a good photo of the circle tricky.
Jack Roberts states that this stone circle has a winter solstice orientation.

This stone circle is easily accesible being very close to the road and about 2km from the village of Carriganimmy. Its a five stone circle and there are some quartz stones in a row to the south west of it. Jack Roberts states that it is aligned to the Feb / Now Cross Quarter day.

16/10/2011

The Priest’s Well is in the middle of nowhere. South of Braemar in the Cairngorms, but it’s a pretty easy walk to get to it. Car park where Glen Callater meets Glen Clunie. Nice track next to the Callater burn for about 3 miles to the Loch. Walk left round loch till you see the boulder that marks the Well. lovely place anytime of year. Also halfway along Glen Callater near a wood bridge is a hillock where fairies where once seen dancing, if you like that sort of thing.

I don’t know if there is any trace left of the stones that dropped through a hole in the Devil’s apron near Huntly (see folklore below) but the Cloven stone is still here and a great stone it is. Walked NE from top of Knock Hill to stone.

This hill fort has been on my list to visit for some time. Today I received the opportunity via a friend who wanted to make an autumnal visit to the New Forest – Danebury was on the way.

Surprisingly easy to find as well sign-posted from Andover – we left the car in the first parking area at the bottom of the hill, although there was another one further up the hill next to a small discreet roundhouse-style toilet building (with information boards).

Its a relatively gentle walk up to the hill fort where there is yet another information board explaining that the eastern entrance once had a timber gate which had been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Originally the fort had two entrances but the west gate was filled in and only the east gate used.

It appears to be a trivallate fort, at least in parts; 2500 years old and occupied for 500 years until the Romans arrived. Excavations by Professor Barry Cunliffe of Oxford between 1969-1988 found evidence of 73 roundhouses and 500 rectangular buildings – roundhouses for the people and the rectangular store houses and pits probably for grain.
180,000 pieces of pottery and 240,000 bits of animal bone and stone objects such as querns and bone implements for weaving were found. There are still dips in the ground where grain stores used to be and a high spot in the centre which is thought to have been a focal point for religious gatherings and important meetings.

Its a massive and impressive hill fort, the lower ramparts now quite densely wooded in places with beech and yew trees. The paths have had sand gravel, rather than chalk laid down, which slightly detracts from the ambience, as do the wooden steps up one of the higher ramparts. Both these measures protect the hill fort from erosion so no complaints from me.

The wild flowers which appear to grow in profusion have gone with the onset of autumn; a ‘must go back in the summer’ sort of place with panoramic views over Hampshire and towards Wiltshire.

Interesting Loch. This is the crannog marked on the OS maps (going back to 1st edition) but oddly only classed as possible crannog on Canmore. There is another one at the east end of the loch, not marked on OS but scheduled. great area.

There is a smaller cairn 300m north of Upper Shampher Round Cairn. Very robbed compared to it. I walked in from the north over Scolty Hill but if you’re just visiting the cairns, Drew’s directions for the main cairn are best.

nice cairn in a nice wood. I parked in Boat of Garten next to a little loch and walked north to cross A95. You probably can park on the verge on the A95 where the track meets it but it’s a busy road. good walk along a track through Deishar Wood to the cairn. It’s quite easy to miss though. Saw Capercaillie flying through trees near cairn.

I’d have to say, sadly, anybody wanting to find this cairn would be wasting their time. The cairn has been covered in field clearence and is now covered in turf and weeds. A small mound near the road is all that remains.

Going south from Dufftown on the B9009 taking the minor road east after Aultbeg, after a sharp corner the road heads south. I stopped at Croftburn and walked down a forestry track till a crossroads. The cairn is supposed to be in northern quadrant. Sadly this cairn has been almost consigned to the prehistoric rubbish dump. Almost a pity the flood didn’t do a better job :-(

Visited 14/10/2011.

Buchromb stands on the hill of the same with good all round views. Unfortunately it has taken a battering with an enclosure or something similar being cut into it. Still kerbs remain on the northern side and it still is almost 27 meters in diameter plus 1.5 meters high. Canmore reckon the damage done is deep enough to have reached any internal structures.

However the missing kerbs might not to be to far away as a field clearence pile is 60 meters to the west. It is made up of small stones, slates and bigger stones that look like they belong somewhere else. There are other small piles dotted around.

I met two people on my way to the cairn, one who didn’t know it was there (unbelievable) and farmer who went on about getting grants for putting up a fence around it. There is a fence, in worse condition than the cairn, but it is in severe need of restoration. I offered to repair the fence there and then but received a negative response.

From Dufftown head north west towards Craigellachie on the A941 turning east at the second of two entrances to Buchromb. Keep going until the cottages. The cairn is on top of the hill behind, follow the track till it’s end then head east at the pile of field clearence.

Visited 14/10/2011.

Difficult to find unless you know where to look, take the narrow boreen to the right just beyond a farmhouse, continue for around 300m and before the track veers 90 degrees the wedge tomb lies to the right just behind a high ditch (you can just about make out the capstone but it barely resembles one) very overgrown

Long low wasn’t easy to find, in fact it would be fair to say we were going round in circles, unlike my first visit years ago when I had no problems locating it, but back then I was on my own and able to concentrate and tap into my site radar.

Eventually I was on the right road, even then its not much of a road, I could see it down the hill as I came over the crest, I was a tad naughty but I went all the way down and parked on farm property, right next to the southern barrow, but as the farm is out of site a quick hour was gotten away with.

From the other notes it seems we don’t really know what to make of Long low, It has two barrows some distance away from each other and linked together by a long linear earthwork. The whole thing is a bit battered and abused, the cistern tank on the southern barrow is most annoying. Perhaps the occupants of the barrows were considered of such close kin as to be permanently and physically linked together.
Probably all too simple and just plain wrong, but as its such a singular construction one is forced to come up with some reason for it.

After a long walk through Dovedale, with the Peak living up to it’s title of most visited National park in the world, it was extremely nice to run up the hill and spend a quality ten minutes on my own.
But even from up here I could hear the kids battling and getting on mums already tattered nerves down on the road, so it was quick as well as quality.

There is a footpath zigzagging up the hill from the road and parking for one car only. The barrow is still large and tall, though why they should build a tower on it when ten meters either side would have been as good. The tower has castle turret style steps inside, happily with a distinct lack of graffiti and beer cans, I could have stayed a while if not for the encroaching darkness and still screaming kids.
Great views across Buxton and surrounding hills less great views across the ubiquitous quarries. (Grrr)

This uncompleted fort must have been a massive place as it measures 600ft by almost 500 ft. Two lines of stone ramparts surround the top of the hill except on the northern side where ditches seem to take over. It seems that stone defences were never finished. The views to Dufftown are stunning, Tap O Noth can be seen to the east, Durn Hill in the far north with Ben Rinnes to the south and to the west, The Highlands. So massive was the fort that some agricultural uses have been recorded.

There must be an easier route than my one as there is a path of sorts at the top which seemed to go north towards Dufftown. I stopped at the second farm track heading west south of Dufftown on the B9009. From here walk the track thru nice woodland, past a quarry, some ruined farmsteads until the tracks end at the 7th hole of the local golf course. Seeing golfers prepare to drive up the hill, I waited, only to see balls come over my head from behind me. Obviously the 7th is uphill. Over the back of the green into the woods and head straight up jumping over a couple of burns. This is very steep in parts and if an easier route can be found use it. Still the views are astonishing, I’ve never been here before and to see Tap O Noth just appearing over the hills in the east is magical. Ben Rinnes, which I’ve climbed several times, looked majestic, and very shapely. As is usual going back downhill is easier, and this time I was ready for the 7th hole.

Visited 14/10/2011,

Y Myndd Du (or The Black Mountain, to use the vernacular... this is South Wales, after all!) is a wonderfully distorted triangle of high ground bordered on the north by the fertile Tywi Valley, to the east by the fledgling Afon Tawe, and falling away to the west in a series of hilltops of ever decreasing height crowned by some impressive Bronze Age cairns. A number of stone circles are to be found sheltering beneath the great northern escarpment, not forgetting Maen Mawr, still guarding its flock overlooking the aforementioned Tawe. Yeah, Pythagoras probably wouldn’t have been best pleased with Y Mynydd Du’s wonky natural geometry. But lovers of wild country infused with enigmatic, tangible remains of past humanity will no doubt possess a different viewpoint.

Hey, hang on though. What of the conveniently forgotten southern flank? Well, aside from the impressive Saith Maen stone row to the south-east, I’ve always adopted the Paul Daniels’ stance... ‘you’ll like it, but not a lot’. However that was before the Sweetcheat posted a miscellaneous item regarding a ‘recently discovered stone circle’ upon Llorfa. Surely not? So... not that I’m overly cynical or anything – perish the thought – I simply had to go and have a look. And? In short, there’s definitely another stone circle to add to the area’s already impressive catalogue. However I would tentatively suggest there may well be a whole lot more, too. A southern companion to the Nant Tarw complex to the north, perhaps?

The approach, as you might expect by the much belated ‘recent’ discovery, is by no means a stroll. The gradient may be easy enough, but the going underfoot is anything but. Just so as you are forewarned regarding footwear, you understand? So, take the ‘Palleg Road’ north out of Gurnos (near Ystradgynlais) and, upon passing the cemetery and obligatory golf course, take the right hand fork to the isolated farm of Pen Yr Hoel. Parking is a problem, as evidenced by the numerous signs... however I chanced across the landowner who was quite happy with my arrangement upon the verge a little before the farm. I’d advise against carrying on down the track across the dodgy cattle grid. Tried this and had to reverse all the way back... not a strong point of the Gladman driving technique.

Public rights of way head north and westwards from the farm... however since it was clear the Gwys Fawr had to be crossed sooner or later, I take the latter and am immediately glad for the Gortex boots. There is no bridge and it was not possible to cross the slippery rocks without going for an unintentional paddle. Once across... shaken, the water a little more ‘stirred’.... the path follows the river’s course north for a while before veering to the north-west. There’s a reason for this, of course, but needless to say I lose the line and finish up to my left thigh in the bog. Nice. However boots and gaiters once again limit the effects to manageable levels, so on we go. Follow the dilapidated drystone wall to the right, past sheepfolds, until the deep gulley carved by the Gwys Fach is attained and easily crossed. Head uphill to the left and the first monument reached is the cairn. Not the best of the genre, granted (not by a long chalk), but not bad for starters. The stone circle lies, unseen, a little way further uphill. The first thing that struck me was that it was so obviously a stone circle, albeit featuring the trademark diminutive orthostats of the South Walian uplands. Hey, even I could see that. Could it have been previously confused with the cairn, then? To be honest you would need to be a bit of a muppet since there is not a hint of cairn material within the circumference that I could see. Coflein agrees, adding that there are ‘at least 16’ earthfast stones in the ring, although to be honest any attempt at arithmetic would be somewhat pedantic... only excavation could answer that, I think. Let’s get Tony Robinson and the gang up here....

The circle is never going to blow away those expecting a profile akin to a Scorhill or the like. This is no Carn Llechart. However, for me, the siting of this monument is way in advance of either. The serrated top of Cribarth rises to the east, guiding the gaze in a wide arc to the left, along the long escarpment of Fan Hir (the long ridge... a-ha!) to the Bronze Age cairn-crowned main summits of Fan Brycheiniog and Picws Du. The landscape possesses none of the ‘softer’ elements of the lower slopes of the Brecon Beacons or The Black Mountains further to the east. No, the vibe is one of austere beauty, devoid of pretension, brutal, even? The vista to the south and the coast is more expansive, with more obvious detail. I prefer the north.....

Venturing a little further up the ridge from the circle, a seemingly natural erratic leads me to what to these eyes looks very much like a stone row. Sceptical, as always, I check out the footings of the stones and conclude that some – in particular the smaller – look very much as if they have been artificially placed upon this hilltop. Wait, there’s more. Beyond, and to the left of this ‘stone row’, lies a large, prostrate slab of stone covering what appears to be a hollow beneath. Again, it looks to me to have been consciously shaped and placed here.... I can’t see any other naturally occurring slabs nearby. Having said that I’m no expert on geology, so these observations are obviously tentative at best. I’ve posted images under the Llorfa cairn site to allow members to comment if they so wish. Better still, go and have a look at first hand: themodernantiquarian.com/site/8146/llorfa.html

I return via the eastern bank of the Gwys Fach, fording the parent water course, appropriately enough, at the ford shown on the map at approx 784138. As earlier in the day, this is by no means easy. But when you’ve a sneaking suspicion there is a lot more to the area than previously thought, it is a small price to pay, is it not? Incidentally there are a couple of additional ‘possible’ ancient cairns nearby. Coflein reckons the southern is probably clearance... however the landscape context, with much surface rock, makes this far from certain in my view.

What a beautiful October afternoon. Standing in my back garden I could see Moel Wnion sitting there tempting me. So, determined to find this supposed Cup marked stone with in the cairn, off I trot. To make it a little easier for my self I drive to the Bryn Hafod quarry which is beautiful filled with water but treacherous.
I walk up past Bryn Hall, the old youth Hostel, then up the track. There is a clear right hand turn with the track in a deep ditch leading up around the side of the hill. It’s quite a steady climb and I was grateful for the stunning views down the valley. When I reached the flat, the ground was quite boggy and the dogs were quite happy to find proper boggy puddles to lie in and roll around in, because they were so hot.
Following the track East (left) you soon begin to ascend as the track turns north. Follow this up hill until you are rewarded with fine views from the flat top of the hill.
The track turns right Eastish again and leads straight to the cairn which is much ruined, but would have been huge.
The only cup marked stone I could find with in the cairn also has 3 lines on it. GAT says the stone has only one cup mark. There are lots of stones up there that are pitted but thanks to Tiompan I now know these are natural. I am not sure about this one, but it was the only possibility.
It was such a beautiful day that there were butterflies fluttering around. The sun made taking some pics difficult because it was late afternoon and the sun was low in the west.
On the walk down the hill I decided to take some pics of a stone “structure” maybe a wall. The outside of a compound perhaps? It is clearly man made and in an area peppered with hut circles.

I had tried to find this cup marked stone 3 other times after Tiompan had told me about it. I was so happy to finally find it.
The weekend before, the weather had been awful and I had been stuck in. So this Monday even though the weather wasn’t great I decided to go anyway. I had my new snazzy waterproof wind proof coat, my newish boots and my new little camera. So off I went.
I parked at the car park in Aber at the bottom of Foel Dduarth and walked along the old Roman road. It was very windy indeed but not raining, yet. Passing the Yr Orsedd stone which looks very much like a standing stone, not sure why it has disputed antiquity.
There is a very handy sign post pointing you towards Llanfairfechan. There are lots of arrow stones around here but I didn’t look at those today. The wind was really picking up and actually blew me over.
Following along this track until there is a fork, taking the right hand track I dipped down a bit and was out of the wind a little. But it had started to drizzle now and I was losing light.
I walked along this track for a while until there was an obvious right hand track leading down hill to a corregated shed and sheep pen.
As you walk down towards the shed you can clearly see the cup marked stone in the next field. I was quite excited at this point and not fazed by the fact that I was going off the access land and onto a private farm.
I had to climb a gate with some barbed wire on it and then negotiate a number of gates around the sheds and sheep pens and then I was in. The cup-marked rocky out crop is the biggest in the field and I went straight to it, but by now it was raining proper and I didn’t want to fiddle around with the settings on new camera so it was just point and shoot and hope for the best. I knew there were two other cup marked stones in the area and went on a hunt. I had seen their postion on Google Earth but try as I might I just couldn’t find them. I spent about an hour looking but to no avail.
It was getting darker and more miserable so I sat next to a wall ate my sandwiches and headed for home. I’ll try to find the others on a brighter day.

They say this is a very small stone circle and they are correct. They also say it might be a RSC, if it is it is the smallest recumbent I’ve ever seen. Two slab like flankers are at both sides of a small slab which is the possible recumbent. Several stones presumably from the circle lay at the sides. What looks like a possible cist also sits amongst the stones.

The ‘flankers’ are about 3 feet tall and recumbent 1 foot tall. The widths are in centimetres no more than 20 of them. Still the debate about this place will go on, Adam Welfare mentions it in his book as well.

Situated almost in the Glenlivet valley the views of the mountains are superb. This place has an atmosphere tho, it feels old, really old.

Follow the signpost at Glenlivet to Tomintoul, the B9136 taking the second minor road south just after Glenlivet Health Centre. Head south and take the first farm track to the west signposted Nethertown. Park at the farmhouse, I asked permission, and was also given direction by the farmer. Walk up past the barns, over the gate, past a dung midden then its the circle. Today it didn’t smell to bad and the cows posed quite happily for foties.

Visited 14/10/2011.

Many visitors come to this corner of Essex to enjoy the ‘great’ mansion that is Audley End. Hey, even I came here on a coach trip as a kid, although the miniature railway in the grounds made the more lasting impression upon the little philistine mind back then, as far as I can recall.... it’s still there. Little did I know that I’d return – some 30 years later – to see an (arguably) far more interesting edifice crowning high ground to the west.

The first thing to point out is that this substantial hillfort is set within strictly private grounds.... the ‘Strictly Private’ signs fronting the entrance driveway do kind of, er, make that crystal, as we say in these parts. It is also cloaked in a mantle of woodland so nothing is apparent to the passer-by. However the map shows some sort of building located within the enclosure, so I decide to go see whether the occupiers are willing to allow the Essex public access to one of our prehistoric treasures upon request. Is it really so much to ask, and what of the moral duty to celebrate, to share our mutual heritage? As it transpires, no-one is in.... hey ho..... so, having already taken a look at the impressive univallate defences upon the eastern arc on the way in, I return along the arguably more impressive western defences. As mentioned, the crest of the powerful bank is crowned, for the most part, by trees, their spindly roots inter-twinning to create complex structures that might be viewed as somewhat unsettling in any other context, perhaps recalling the imbedded arachnophobia inherent in the majority of our species? Here, however, Nature has created yet another artistic masterpiece contradicting its utilitarian roots, so to speak. Yeah, it looks ‘right’ and the trees are able to cling to life thanks to their own tenacity, not to mention ingenuity. Everyone’s a winner, in fact.

Sunlight plays its part in any visit to an afforested hillfort.... helps to impart a vibe within the human brain which simply does not exist upon an overcast day. Highlight and shadow lends definition to the ancient defences, Ring Hill being no exception. Sadly, however, I am conscious I’m trespassing, having failed to receive permission. A sensitive soul, I guess. However I’ve gained enough insight into this hillfort to ascertain that it is a special place indeed. Hey, spread the word. Note that I’ve placed Essex HER’s summary of the site as a miscellaneous post....

Back at the car I’m given the most ‘evil eye’ by a passing ignoramus in a pick-up truck. He receives the same in return, with interest, and thankfully doesn’t press the matter further. Yeah, this macho bullshit really is so tiresome. Now whether he was connected with Ring Hill or not, I have no idea... but courtesy costs nothing, does it not? So please be aware this is not an easy site to visit access-wise. But I’m very glad I did, and that’s a fact. I would be very interested if any member manages to catch the occupiers at home.

This is a splendid cairn with several kerbs surviving on the western side. On the negative side the area has been reforested with the cairn being left in a clearing. So how easy a place to find in the future is guess work.

The cairn, which sits in the glorious Spey side valley, is some 10.5 meters wide and over 1 meter in height. I don’t know if kerbs have outliers but one stone certainly looks like one. Some cairn material pokes thru the turf.

From the A95, take the B9138 west and be careful at the bridge crossing the River Spey. Take the B9102 north and pull in near the Mains Of Kirdells. The cairn is to west of road. Climb a gate, jump a burn and walk to the brow of the hill.

Visited 14/10/2011.