Latest Fieldnotes

Visited 15.7.10.
I quite liked this site! Easily found and accessed on the side of the lane running east from Woodborough. There is an interesting information sign on the ‘modern’ stone next to the ‘old’ stone. Signs states that this was the spot where King Alfred met up with his brother and his troops before heading off to fight the Danes in 871AD. Worth a look when in the area.

‘Visited’ 15.7.10
Not much to report. I viewed the hill from the lane to the south near Cocklebury Farm. Despite not being very high it is quite prominent in the flat countryside. There does not appear to be any public right of way to the hilltop.

‘Visited’ 11.7.10.
I took the road south through Dyserth which runs to the west of the Hillfort. There is no public access to the site and the hill was a lot higher and steeper than I expected. It would be a fair old hike to the top of this site! Respect to those who have done it. Despite using binoculars there were no obvious signs of defences other than the natural rock faces. I wouldn’t fancy trying to attack this place!!

Visited 15.7.10.
Easily seen from lane which runs west from the Adam and Eve stones (over hedge on left). Couldn’t see any obvious access points through the hedge into the field so had to settle for view from lane. The barrow was covered in long grass. The trees have been removed.

Visited 15.7.10.
Hoorah! after driving past on many occasions, I actually got to have a proper visit at last. Easy to access (first left after the A4361/A361/A4 roundabout) and you can park very close to the stones. There is a wire fence to climb through but it is easy and 30 seconds later you are at the stones. Although they look big from a distance, they are HUGE when you get up close – much bigger than I expected. Definitely one to visit.

Visited 15.7.10.
There was waist high grass all around and although I did notice a slight rise to the south east of the Adam and Eve stones I don’t know if it was the barrow or just a natural bump in the ground?

Visited 16.7.10.
I don’t normaly visit these type of sites as it usually involves a bit of a hike with little to be seen at the end of it. However, this is different and well worth a visit. There is a large car park opposite the path leading to the site which is sign posted Hendre’r Mynydd (Forestry Commission Wales). Walking down the path out onto the fields there is a cracking waterfall to be seen in the distance to your right (worth stopping off just to see that) and within 5 minutes you have reached the ‘village’. There are the remains of collapsed walls for several buildings – some very large – and towards the bottom end what looked to me to be a collapsed long perimeter wall? On the down side there was evidence of recent fires and a fair amount of litter which I picked up and took home. Well worth a visit on a dry day – wouldn’t be much fun in the middle of winter as it is quite exposed.

Visited 17.7.10.
The road leading to Farmington goes straight through the Hillfort. As you approach from the west there is a house to your right and a stone on the left which is engraved Farmington MM. This is where the western ‘defences’ are. All that can be seen is a slightly raised mound leading off into the field. At the eastern end of the ‘defences’ can be seen a low raised bank where the field boundary hedge now is.
There is in truth very little to see and is hardly worth making a special visit for.

Visited 17.7.10.
The tree has now been cut down from the top of the barrow and it is easily seen from the wooden gate leading into the field. To make things a little easier when finding the site, there is a telegraph pole to the left of the barrow.

Visited 17.7.10.
A very slight rise can be seen in the middle of a field if you look hard enough!
There is very little to see and only worth a look when visiting Farmington Hillfort.

Visited 17.7.10.
Another site I ‘visited’ today where I couldn’t see a thing due to tall crops in the field. However, I did previously see a good reconstruction of the site in the Corinium Museum in Cirencester – excellent place to visit – highly recommended.

Visited 17.7.10.
Although no public access to the barrow it is easily seen from the A436. The trees have now been cut down and the barrow is clearly visible rising above the field. Not very big but still a reasonable height – covered in long grass and shrubs.

Visited 17.7.10.
Taking the A433 East – just past the turning to Rodmarton – you will come to a turning to the left which has very large, very posh locked gates. This is obviously a private drive although it was the only place to park on this busy road! Despite the field being in crop, the barrow was easily seen from the gates in the field to your left. A large, low mound – must have been quite a size in its day?

‘Visited’ 17.7.10.
Couldn’t see a thing! Crops up to your chest. One to visit in the Winter I suggest!!

Visited 17.7.10.
Taking the minor road west out of Northleach you come to a junction where the road joins another road to your left. At this point there is a large parking area on the left – park here. Walk around the road to the left and you will see two metal gates and a wooden stepped stile on your right. Over the stile and follow the lane (radio mast in trees to right) until you see a public footpath sign. The stone is next to the wall on your left hand side – on the bend in the wall. The stone is approximately 2 metres long and about 1 metre high with an unusual ‘key hole’ type hole in it – quite large. An unusual stone and worth a visit to have a look when in the area. Access is easy although the metal gates were padlocked when I visited.

I visited this site early on in the year. I was one of those winter days where it was cold and crispy but with a beautiful blue sky. Anyway, we followed the narrow lane (east side of Hillfort) up the steep hill and parked in a passing place just before the house on the left. Karen (who doesn’t like heights) wasn’t too impressed with the sheer drop to the right but I enjoyed the views! I walked up through the trees and came across what I thought was a surprisingly flat grass area. I happily carried on walking before noticing some garden furniture and realised I was walking across someone’s lawn!!! It looks like at least the northern part of the site belongs to the household? Regardless, I carried on (It was just as quick to get off the lawn by continuing to head the way I was going) to see if I could spot any obvious remains of the ramparts / enclosure. Unfortunately I can’t say I did. I did however find a track running to the south of the Hillfort which gives a less ‘obvious’ access to the general area – none of which appears to have a public right of way. Not much to recommend a visit i’m afraid.

I know there this rock art on this stone and another visit will be required but this today was impossible. The north side of the stone had its views covered by show jumping accessories. I could have moved them but with the house nearby I decided against it. Why do people do this? Obviously they don’t have a clue which is a shame because this is a wonderful stone. There are a lot of sites nearby so another visit won’t be a problem.

The easiest way to get here is north on the B9012 from Elgin, then take the minor road west just before the village of Duffus. Take the second minor road north, keep going when road runs out. I parked at Inverugie Farm. Go into the field to the north west and follow the trees west.

I’ll definitely be back as there is another rock art example nearby.

Visited 19/07/2010.

As is usual there is a hard way to climb up to a site and a much easier way back down. This site was to prove to be no exception. Follow the B9013, west of Elgin, north towards Burghead and turn north east at the small village, College Of Roseisle. Take the next minor road direct east. I parked between the farms of West Bank and Mid Bank.

Over the gate, up the side of a field, climb another fence, follow the gap the in the trees to the top of the hill. If you survive the insects the cairn is situated at the top of the hill. But it is worth the trek as the views are fantastic. To north the Moray Firth and the Black Isle, which today was shrouded except for the distant thunder and lightning show. The views south over the Moray plains to the Highlands are equally breathtaking. The cairn itself must have been massive. Even today it is some 36 meters wide and 3 meters tall. On it’s summit is a trig point and a much welcome trunk bench. Two cists were discovered in 1859 during an excavation by the well liked and respected Lady Dunbar of Duffus.

As for the way down follow the track south east. This leads to Mid Bank farm. No fences, no jabby things just the hungry flies. I felt sorry for the horses in the fields, they seemed to having a hard time today. At least I could escape.

Visited 19/07/2010.

Visited 17.7.10.
My last site to visit of the day and what a site to finish on!
Easy to get to – well sign posted from the surrounding major roads and a large free car park with toilet facilities etc. There are plenty of visitor information boards around and the path to the Hillfort was easy enough to find. A very informative information board was at the entrance to the Hillfort giving time periods, site development and archaeological digs information. The ramparts are fairly well preserved and there were a series of different coloured concrete circles in the ground which I assume show the position of buildings? Unfortunately these were not mentioned on the boards. The main thing about the site has to be the view – simply stunning across into Wales. WOW!
Worth the visit for the view alone – you can see for miles and miles and miles….

‘Visited’ 17.7.10.
The only place I could find to park along the busy A429 which runs to the east of the barrow was in the BP petrol station. Opposite the petrol station is a ‘path’ through the trees. There is a sign in the woods which states walkers are welcome but no camping / fires. At the other side of the trees is a barbed wire fence which I didn’t bother to try to cross as the field in which the barrow stands was full of head high crop – no chance of seeing anything. Definitely one to visit after the harvest or in the Winter / Spring.

We parked to the west of the cairns on a long farm track close to the Pylons, from there you can see where to go easy enough.
My walking boots gave up trying to repel water months ago, so even though at this point it isnt raining my feet are soaked by the time we get to the top.
The cairns full name is as daft as any Iv’e ever heard, its “Cairn on ridge outcrop known as Cras”
I shortened it to just Cras, so its named after the outcropping which runs WSW-NNE. A small saddle between two such outcrops hides the cairn, the only place it might be visible from is on the hill above Aber falls.
Hill walker, is a name sometimes given to me by people who dont really understand that I’m not just walking but actively looking for something, something that has meaning, for me and for anyone who can look past this all too brief sojourne we call life. Imagine some “hill walkers” at the bottom of the hill the weather is a bit crap and one says to another “looks like rain and the winds getting up”, does the other say “the map says there’s a cairn we can partially demolish to hide from the wind and rain if it comes”.
“Fine, lets go hide from the very thing weve come to experience”
Thats how difficult it is to understand why or how it happens, do they come up in dry weather and do it then for next time, or do they do it in the rain, which would probably take much longer than simply going back down.
Hill walker I am not, but my travels frequently take me up hills and mountains, despite my tirade the walkers did do us one favour, they exposed a chamber within the cairn, could be cist but im unsure weather its technically underground level.
The cist is an elongated polyganol structure, (crap description see pic) definitley an original feature as coflein says so.
The view even in low clouds is almost breathtaking from on top of the outcrop to the east, especially down to Aber falls beyond I could see Carnedd y Saeson and the big enclosure and Maes y gaer hillfort all of which I was at last month, but with much more amenable weather.

Walking up from the west this is the cairn that you see first, we ignored it and went on to the Cras cairn first then went to this one on the way up Moel Wnion.
Some cairns are totally gone, only detectable through digging, destroyed by human progress or natural erosion, this is ok, I can understand how things dont last forever, but this cairn has had to endure an architectural living hell. It no longer looks like a cairn at all as walkers have built it into at least four seperate foul weather hides, it now looks more like an old sheep pen or something, with walls almost five feet tall, why why why would you need four shelters built into it, is it one for locals one for tourists and two for miscellaneous others, my mind deeply boggled we carry on up the mountain and into the clouds.

We walked up from the two ill named cairns to the north, and as we ascended the clouds closed in and our compassless selves guessed the way up, as the cairn occupies the highest point on Moel Wnion you cant really go that wrong.
The views should have been tremendous but visibility was down to twenty yards or so, despite the clouds we found the cairn with ease.
This cairn’s slow destruction was a product of walkers hiding from the elements (why would anyone do that) and belligerent ordnance surveyors who plonked there part time trig point right in the middle of it, who ruined first I don’t know but ruined it is, at least there’s fantastic views all round Anglesey and the mountains mmmmmm ? oh right there’s just clouds.

Visited this site at the mid-point of an epic drive back from the Isle of Lewis to Somerset. I’d been in two minds about stopping, but when the sun broke through the clouds it seemed like a sign, so off I trundled to take a nosey.

Glad to say, friendly farmer is still in residence. We drove through the gate as their was nowhere obvious to park (I wasn’t entirely comfortable approaching so close to the farm in the car, but nothing to be done about it...) As I got out of the car, the farmer was walking over. I asked in a friendly fashion if it was ok to visit his stones please, to which he responded jovially “of course it is!“, and pointed us in the right direction, whilst his beautiful collie was molesting us. I have to say, I think it’s incredibly tolerant of him considering how intrusive visitors must inevitably be, with the trek to the stones leading right past his front window.

On they way to the stones, we were again molested by animals... this time, young sheep! I’ve never seen sheep be so friendly. This lot practically mobbed us, running up and nuzzling us with their noses.

The site itself is fantastic. It really shouldn’t be, with the M6 running so close, but it certainly has a magical feel to it. I was oddly unperturbed by the passing cars. I guess that there’s just something about people in fields that makes drivers want to honk, because I was also beeped by a couple of motorists.

On the way back to the car, I tried to find the farmer to thank him. Sadly, he wasn’t to be seen, so I left a bottle of wine on his doorstep as a small token of my appreciation. I strongly suggest other visitors do similar, because this guy really is welcoming above and beyond the call of duty, and his attitude is a breath of fresh air and absolutely made my day.

Park on the A543, only good map reading and an ability to place yourself can tell you where, a footpath leads directly from the road to the stones but it isnt signposted, so ......
Go up the hill untill the ground cover changes from ferns and heather to just grass follow that line untill the path presents itself. Or head for the bridge across the narrow northerly end of Alwen reservoir. The stones are big, on the whole and easily spotted.
As Arthur and me approached the stones a small bird suddenly darted out of the grass, I took a closer look at where it came from and found a tiny little nest full of wide yellow mouths demanding food, as far as cool things to see go it almost overshadowed the stones .
I think there was seven stones, quite large boulders in an oval shape, this is no stone circle, and it was only in adding it as a site that ring cairn was applied as a name, it isnt one of them either. Coflein wont commit to any more than “prehistoric stone setting”.
After an exhaustive inspection of the stones and a sit and ponder moment my springwatchian nature took over and I came over all Simon Kingy lieing down on my stomach to have a closer look at the still parentless tiny nest, theres nowt cuter than baby birds, if there is I dont want to know.