Latest Fieldnotes

If in the area I can highly recommend a visit to the Skirrid Fawr Inn. This very old pub is supposed to be the most haunted in Wales and has lots of information boards inside (they used to hang people here!). The Inn also gives good views over the hill.

As a small aside to the notes given by Hamish, if you don’t want to enter the field without permission, the tomb is just visible from the gate if you look to your right along the hedgerow.

From the main cairn walk down the road for another 50 meters and second cairn appears. It is next to road (immediately west), which has damaged it’s eastern side. Still it remains over 8 meters in width and over a 1/2 meter tall. Most likely it stood like it’s near neighbour but now it is a faint reminder of olden days.

Visited 5/05/2010.

The cairn is situated on the west side on Scotland’s most famous roads, the B974. Normally one of the first roads blocked during winter and almost always the last to re-open. From Strachan head south on the twisty and often steep road. The cairn can’t be missed. It sits on the crest of hill with fantastic views south, the all round scenery is superb.

The cairn is over 15 meters wide and stands at 31/2 meters high. Being in a scenic place the cairn is still used. Flowers are left in respect of those who have passed away. Other offerings have also probably been left. The trig point that sat on top of the cairn has hopefully fallen down and not been vandalised.

Only a few meters walk from the lay by. A perfect stop for fresh air on the way down to Glasgow.

5/05/2010.

Came here (15.4.2010) direct from the summit of Pen y Gadair Fawr. Postie’s directions sum it up, there’s no easy path down here from the summit. You can’t actually see the stone until you get a little way off the summit itself, although the two appear close together on the map, there is a very large difference in altitude (summit cairn at 800m , stone at 560m). If you are keen/foolish/obsessed enough to follow my route and walk here from Talgarth, directions from the summit cairn as follows:

1. Head SW off the summit cairn. The land drops away very quickly. You will see Pen Cerrig-calch and Pen Allt-mawr on the skyline ahead, and a coniferous forest below them. I didn’t think this was Twyn Du at first, it looked too far away and too far below, but it is.

2. Head in the direction of the forest, taking whatever safe route you can. At first the descent is fairly gradual over tussocky grass, but as you head down the slopes get steeper and the vegetation a little higher. You also find yourself in parallel with a number of small streams that started from springs above and you may need to cross one or two of them.

3. As you get lower, the NE edge of the forest becomes visible and with it Maen Llywd comes into view! At least then you know you’re in the right place. Carry on down to the stone and be grateful you haven’t broken your neck or twisted an ankle getting here. Rejoice!

The stone itself is a lovely flat slab, about 7 feet tall and very narrow on its edges. It sits at the corner of the forest surrounded by a mountainous amphitheatre. Behind you is Pen y Gadair Fawr, ahead is Pen Cerrig-calch (to the SW). The distinctive skyline notch to the NW is the narrow ridge between Pen Trumau and Mynydd Llysiau (at least I think it is!). It echoes, at least slightly, the shape of the top of the stone itself. The stone is very high up – possibly higher than any other in the area, or even Wales(!). Even so, it’s still dwarfed by the ridges – none of the summits are visible from this elevation.

Not a soul to be seen, just the odd sheep. Postie is right, really worth the effort. The only (minor) blemish is the tatty rusty fence around the stone, which replaces an older drystone wall intended to separate the forest from the mountainside.

Leaving to the west, the land drops further again along the northern edge of the forest (I couldn’t face climbing back up onto the ridge). Although the forest is not access land, there was no sign of any forestry in progress and nothing to indicate that access was forbidden – a large area has been cleared and then left – and the easy downhill walk along forestry tracks provided a simple way back towards Lllanbedr and Crickhowell, including some very pleasant stretches along the Gargwy Fawr and then Grwyne Fechan (there’s an interesting ruined Hermitage at the southern end of the forest too).

Visited 22/4/10 – I have copied details of the walk we took in case it is of help to anyone without a car planning a visit – see below my fieldnote.
Having managed to get lost a couple of days previously while walking back to the Merry Maidens across fields from Lamorna we followed the directions of the walk reproduced below to the letter – and it worked.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with a fresh breeze – perfect walking weather. Many of the stiles have ‘snagging’ blackthorn hedges growing around them so a pair of jeans is recommended walking attire.

Boscawen-Un was everything I had imagined; ‘magical’ is an over-used word when describing ancient sites but this one really is. My previous experience of a stone circle was Avebury so finding this perfect small circle of nineteen stones with it leaning ‘sun-dial’ centre stone and one white quartz stone was beyond superlatives. There were two women sitting in the centre when we arrived so we just sat down outside the circle and waited quietly. After about 15 minutes they left wishing us an enjoyable visit. It was pretty much perfect – a stone circle encircled by yellow gorse and creamy blackthorn blossom; a pale half-moon in the clear blue sky. I didn’t really want to leave and definitely took the spirit of the place with me when I did.

Walk taken from the Signpost ‘Discover St Buryan and Lamorna’ leaflet.
The route follows public rights of way but may be heavily overgrown in summer. Shorts are not advised at such times (Note: a ‘hedge’ in Cornwall refers to a granite wall).

1. From the St Buryan Inn walk along the Penzance road, passing the Anglican church on your left. Continue along the main road (no pavement on the LH side) and, just before the St Buryan Garage, go left at a public footpath sign and follow the path between the house, crossing two stone stiles to reach an open field. Trend right across the middle of the field towards a telegraph pole, then cross a stile into another field. Keep ahead past a gap in the field hedge and continue keeping the hedge on your left. Soon, cross left over another stile, and continue with the hedge on your right.
2. At the field corner, bear left, then after a few yards go right over a stile and keep ahead down the right hand side of the next field. Where the hedge bends sharply right, then quickly left, with the hedge on your right. At the bottom corner of the field, go left along its bottom edge for 150 yards (137m) then go right over a stile into another field. Continue with the field hedge on your right and descend towards a wooded valley.
3. Descend stone steps and follow a rough path to cross a fine little ‘clapper’ bridge. Continue out the trees and bear up left* then right to emerge onto a broad track. Go right, and through a gate into a field. Cross the middle of the field towards a small, isolated, granite barn next to a farmhouse. At the bottom of the field cross a stone stile beside a field gate, then bear left through another gate into a field. Pass the small barn, then keep ahead with the field hedge on your right. At the bottom of the field, step over some boulders onto a footpath between high hedgerows.
4. Turn left and follow the path for about 400 yards (366m). Where the path bears right go left through a wooden gate to reach Boscawen-Un stone circle. Reverse the directions to return to St Buryan.

* This has now changed slightly and you should bear up right where there is a new stile. We went left as directed to find a single strand of barbed wire across the path – it didn’t cause a problem and we noticed the stile a few metres along.

The Air Cleuch burn tumbles down a steep sided gully in the hills above the Dalveen Pass. The Pass is an ancient routeway up from Galloway a few miles below. The rocky outcrop bears many cup marks and juts out above the right bank of the burn, about a hundred yards upstream from the wee bridge on the A702. The views are spectacular. The site looks across at the Daer/ Clyde watermeeting where the farm of Crookedstane has a standing stone. Together, the hills of Upper Clydesdale and the Moffat Hills mark the watersheds of the three main rivers in Southern Scotland, the Nith, the Tweed and the Clyde.
A couple of hundred yards above the outcrop, the Roman Road crosses the burn on its way from the lonely fortlet at Durisdeer to the fort at Crawford. Between the cupped outcrop and the A702 are three rather curious flat topped mounds. There are also earthworks of an ancient settlement a few hundred yards to the west and beyond that a ruined medieval bastlehouse. The hillside is littered with platform settlements, cairnfields and Bronze Age funerary sites. In the hills just a mile to the north, Lead, Gold and Silver were mined throughout the ages. This area is now pretty much deserted save for a few bored sheep, but it was a very busy place for us humans in the past.
Summer or winter, the site really has a desolate, empty feel and despite the nearby M74’s best efforts, the silence of the empty hills wins over with peace, perfect peace.

Visited 1.5.10.
See other postings for directions – spot on.
I parked just over the small bridge and you could see a ‘path’ through the grass on the other side of the stream where other people had visited. Although you can’t actually see the Maen Mawr from this point you will have already seen it on your left when driving up the road. So far, so good. Then almost disaster struck! As I carried little Dafydd across the stream my foot slipped and we both fell onto the stones and into the water. Luckily, my arm protected Dafydd from injury although we were both completely soaked! His dummy and my notes disappeared downstream!! As we had come this far (and it was quite warm) I decided to push on and see the site. A 10 minute walk and we were there. This is a lovely, lovely place with wonderful views and the Maen Mawr clearly pointing down the valley. I noticed some floral ‘offerings’ had been left at the base of the Maen Mawr. Due to circumstances (Dafydd was now starting to show signs of getting seriously cold) I didn’t stay as long as I would have liked and we squelched our way back to the car and had an uncomfortable hour’s drive home before being able to change!
Seriously, we were fortunate not to hurt ourselves. The steam is easy enough to cross when there has been little rain in the previous few days but I imagine it would be very difficult to cross in the Winter or following havy rain. Please take care and I would strongly suggest you take wellies for this one.

Visited 1.5.10.
The stone is visible from the road in both directions although easier to see if driving south. For directions to the stone:
Follow road north of Cerrig Duon stone circle. As the road rises to the brow of a hill you will see parking spaces on your left. Park here and opposite you will see a small wooden stile. The top of the stone is just visible from this stile. Into the field and follow the wire fence up hill untill you reach the stone. Only a 5 minute walk but quite steep and the ground is very boggy!

Visited 1.5.10.
First, directions which I hope will be helpful:
As you drive north through Rhyd-Y-Fro village you will see a pub on your right called the Traveller’s Well. Immediately after the pub there is a small turning to your left – take this lane. Follow this lane north and you will eventually go over a cattle grid. Just after the cattle grid is a sharp turning to the left. Take this turning and follow the lane uphill (very sharp turns so take it slow) until you come to a yellow salt grit box – park here. Follow the stone field wall around (to the right) until you reach the metal field gate. From here head out across the moorland aiming slightly to the left of the highest point. As you near the peak you should see the top of the stones peeking out above the ‘spikey’ grass. The walk will onle take about 10 minutes – NO gorse!!
I really enjoyed this site – better than expected – with wonderful views. Dafydd particularly seemed to enjoy himself playing amongst the stones and was very reluctant to leave. Despite the forecasted rain the weather was dry, with some sunshine and no wind. A lovely place to visit but I am sure the walk would be very boggy after rain.
The cist in the centre of the circle is about 5ft x 3ft and has 3 of its stone sides still remaining.

Take the B4391 out of llan Ffestiniog, at the first right turn, turn left up rough track through two gates and park at some kind of monitoring station amongst a dozen or so fir trees.
The first point of interest is just yards from the car, a copy of a 5th to 6th century grave stone bearing in latin the inscription:- Cantiorix lies here he was a citizen of Venedos cousin of Maglos the magistrate. see interesting, where is Venedos and who was Maglos.
From here follow the path between two hills, well, one hill and a mountain, for incredible views and a look down onto the fort climb the small mountain.
The fort has been partially reconstructed around the north facing entrance which is next to a snail shell hut, once a round house but then turned into an iron smelting furnace. Fifty metres north outside the fort another iron smelting hut is consolidated and preserved it’s even got slag still in situ, as it were. The fort isnt a big one, maybe 30m x 25m but the reconstructed part really makes up for any size issues (size isnt everything, it depends where you put it and how good it looks)
Inside the fort there are weird little standing stones which threw me a little bit untill I realised they were markers for buildings maybe, one of them looks like a small four poster right in the middle of the fort. There are also two more round huts to be seen in the fort but they’re walls aren’t high.
As with most ancient places in Snowdonia they take a back seat to the scenery, Manod Mawr (661m) is the domineering influence here, from the south it looks like a single hugely gigantic lump of rock ( I mean sacred hill)
But we can also see down to Cricceth and the sea, and the bigger mountains to the north west, the forts position guards the entrance to the hidden valley, it’s invisible from the road, and a good source of iron ore.
A weirdly wonderful and magical place marred only by big ugly quarries, which were easily ignored.
I apologise only mildly for the plethora of pictures as its a really photogenic place with lots of features, and seeing as its just me doing Snowdonia in detail, it might be some time till someone comes here.

Follow directions for Bryn y Castell, Then follow the path north east, a bridge over the little river Gamallt and then up up and away in to the mountains, incidentally this is the roman road Sarn Helen, which runs just 50 yards north of the big enclosure.
Climb up on to the rocky outcrop for an astounding view across the enclosure to the mountains, then carry on follow the peaks deeper into the highlands, on the east side of the lastish small peak is two or three hut circles, one of which may be two joined together.
Back down to the enclosure, follow the escarpment that forms the east edge of the enclosure untill you can see an old ruined building, next to it is a small hut circle and near that one a long hut.
So Gamallt settlement consists of two hutcircles and an enclosure with two more hut circles 200metres firther north.
Absolutely a staggeringly beautiful place.

Finally found Fairy Well at HY2943212982. The Ring of Brodgar and knowes are in a large field with a quarry and such at the SW corner. From this corner a short fence forming a Y with it goes towards the loch and 5m from the base of the Y the well is well hidden by undergrowth at the edge of the steep bank here (about a fence post height). Scramble down onto the shore and look back at the ‘cliff’ face, watching your step as the ground is lumps and bumps and very squishy [so you don’t notice your feet sinking in]. All the way up are large stones of varying shapes though at the moment the spring comes from a gap at the base. A man came walking his dog which lapped up the fresh water momentarily revealed. Not a very regular construction and it appears to have collapsed back – a few feet to the east several yards of the bank have been roughly faced with very large slabs etc. to hold the bank up. Removed as much veg as I could, not sure how it would stand wholesale removal in its present state.

What is left of the cairn sits in the middle of the Barmkyn Fort, the only feature in the interior. Only a few scattered stones remain of the 8 meters wide site. A climbers cairn has been built on top. When the vegetation returns it will be very difficult to spot.

Visited 2/05/2010.

When looking for the RSC at North Keig most people will park at the quarry. Walk down thru the trees and the famous circle is reached. For the fort, Neolithic, walk the opposite direction up the Hill Of Airlie. A walk of about a 1/2 mile. There is a path of sorts.

There are two walls one almost gone and the outer wall. In parts this stone wall is almost 8 meters wide and 1 meter tall. Some stones poke thru the turf. In the south eastern corner a 4 meter gap indicates the entrance. What a place for a fort. Magnificient views down the the Don valley, west to Strathdon, east to Bennachie and north looking towards the Brindy hill and road. (The road to Premnay.)

Also there is the remains of a cairn in the forts middle. The only thing left of the interior.

Visited 2/05/2010.

First discovered at least 35 years ago .Dunno by whom .Tree felling going on in the area so slightly apprehensive .They should be aware as it’s on Canmore .

After the stiff climb up on to the ridge from Wern Frank Wood barrow (15.4.2010) via the steep Cwm Cwnstab, the views open up in all directions. It is very difficult to describe the immensity of this landscape. The summit of Twmpa is visible to the NE, then the walk SE along the ridge gives wonderful views of Mynydd Troed and the Y Grib ridge. Ahead, the flattened summit of Waun Fach, at 810m the highest point in the Black Mountains, is between me and the summit of Pen y Gadair Fawr.

Once reached, the Waun Fach summit is a lunar landscape, pitted and worn through the peat by countless walkers’ feet. Whether there was ever a summit cairn here we will never know, even the trig point is reduced to a worn plinth surrounded by trenches. From here, there is a great view of Pen Cerrig-calch and Pen Allt-mawr, both with their own Bronze Age cairns. And there is Pen y Gadair Fawr, its distinctive peak (800m) crowned with a large summit cairn, itself topped with a recent walkers’ construct.

After a mile walk across the boggy saddle between these two summits, there is a short uphill stretch to the cairn itself, which is actually a rather fine one, despite the silly walkers’ effort on its top – noticeably reduced since Gladman’s photos.

A fine spot on a fine day and well worth the effort, whichever way you come from. From here I headed to Maen Llwyd, close by but at a much lower elevation and not reached by any easy path from here.

Fortunately, some enterprising soul has slighly vandalised the chainlink fence next to the locked gate opposite the chamber entrance. There’s now enough room to shove a camera lens through, or for those individuals with slightly less respect for authority, it might be possible to utilise the damaged areas of fence as footholds for climbing over the top. Obviously, I’d never recommend anything so foolhardy, but a little leprachaun told me that it’s a very easy climb and well worth the effort.

Bowman’s Rock can be found by parking at the church in the small village of Kirkton Of Rayne. It is short walk of 500 meters to the stone on the track just to the north of the church.

The cup mark can be seen on the second picture but it is badly weathered. Something nags me about this place so I’ll have to go back. What a shame there seems to tractor marks on some of the outcrops. Bennachie is the obvious focal point and wonderful it looks, ironic that next to the rock is a demolished farm building.

Visited 29/04/2010.

This stone is slightly to the east of Bowmans rock and at last I’ve taken the cup mark. (1st pic)

Visited 29/04/2010.

Scotlands Places say this cairn is badly ruined and it is but it has enough to remind us of former glories. Much the same views as its wonderful neighbour. Head west from Both Hill 1 and follow the old dry stane dyke which leads straight to and over the cairn.

The site sits at over 11 metres wide and is 1 metre at its highest. However stones do poke over the heather making it relatively easy to spot.

Visited 30/04/2010.

On the way up to Dufftown to play a gig I had a brain turn and decided to climb Both Hill. Fortunately the boots happened to be in the car. From Huntly travel west along the A920 Dufftown road. Belnaboth farm is slightly to the north, just before the Haugh Of Glass road, and here I asked permission to park.

From the A920 Both Hill looks a fairly gentle. In reality it is a very steep climb first thru grass then deep heather. The hill is covered in holes, stones and bogs, also a couple of small streams for jumping practice.

The cairn is on the summit of the hill with all round views up and down the Deveron valley, north to Knock and west to the Cairngorms. This is an area I have often walked as the area is covered in various cairns. This cairn is over 17 meters in width and almost 2 meters. Some damage has been done to the eastern side and it has been hollowed out to make a sheltering spot for a weary shepherd/Drew.

From here its head west to next cairn. For this time of year its freezing!!

Visited 30/04/2010.

This is a surprisingly large structure on the Wiltshire / Dorset border. It’s 365metres long with a 40 metre gap where the modern road cuts through it.
This is part of a group of cross ridge dykes which straddle the Dorset / Wiltshire border, thought to be iron age in date, their purpose is uncertain. They appear to mark the extent of an area of land, but do not appear to be for defensive use as they are not long enough and only extend across the tops of hills.

As you head back north along the road from Grimspound you can see the larger of the stones. There is space to park and just a quick walk across the bracken there are a few circles and large stones scattered about. Oh, and some sheep :)

At last I’ve managed to find this elusive long barrow, after about the 5th attempt. It is in dense beech woods north of the other long barrow nearby. This barrow is generally listed as Vernditch Case long barrow, the other is usually listed as “long barrow south west of Vernditch Chase”, but what’s in a name?
The barrow itself is quite slight and difficult to see, I’m happy that this is it, as it is in the right place. However there are various bits of Grim’s Ditch in this area and I have seen photo’s that purport to be the barrow which look more like the ditch, i.e. much too long and thin. This is one for completists (like me, I suppose) as it is small and has probably been ploughed in the past.