Latest Fieldnotes

Follow Baza’s directions. I found the private road as directed by Baza easy enough. TIP – when walking up the private road keep to the right of the road. The burial chambers are NOT visable from the road. About 30/40 yards up the private road (from athe main road) hop over the fence on your right (be careful – fence is barbed and the side of hill is steep). Carefully move about 5 yards down side of hill and you should spot the chambers to your left – sunk into the side of the hill. Only the front part of stones showing. Hope this helps?

Park in the pay-and-display car park (not cheap!) and stroll up to the ‘log cabin’ where you can buy a nice cuppa and then take in the view from Symond Yat rock. Between the car park and said ‘log cabin’ you walk through the hillfort – defences either side of path. Couldn’t be easier.

Park by the entrance to Biblins camp and walk back along the road you have just driven up. After about 20/30 yards you will see a path on your left. Follow this path and after about 10 minutes you will reach the rock face with the caves. The first cave you come to is NOT King Arthur’s cave. Keep walking and it is just a bit further along the same path.

Visited 13.3.10.
In Hay on Wye head west on the B4350, look out for a turning on the left signposted: Capel Y Ffin. Take this turning. Follow this road along. After about 4 km when the road forks, take the right fork. The barrow is a couple of hundred yards on your left – right next to the road.

Visited 14.3.10.
Just to clarify the directions given by Elderford:-
After taking the turning to Capel Y Ffin follow the road straight along, there is NOT a fork in the road at this point – the road to the right is a turning. Also, after crossing the cattle grid, you need to take the left fork in the road NOT the right one. This takes you straight to the car park next to the stones. I counted four fallen stones next to the standing one, although I have read of only three. Perhaps I counted two stones when it is only one stone partly covered by grass? Lovely views down the valley.

The magnificent court tomb of Shalwy lies just a couple of hundred yards up the valley from its companion site Croaghbeg, dense vegetation ensuring it remains hidden from all but the most inquisitive – not to mention well informed – passer-by....
themodernantiquarian.com/site/5377/croaghbeg.html

It is arguably an even more impressive example of the type, being sited upon a small knoll and possessing an additional ‘triangular’ lintel stone and better defined court. The vibe and sense of place are just as exquisite, the build quality just as good as its near neighbour. These tombs were made to last, you could say. They’ve certainly stood the test of time.

Note, however, that an approach from Croaghbeg, although short, involves negotiating several barbed-wire fences and very rough, soggy ground. In fact, in retrospect, I would suggest that returning to the road from Croaghbeg and then approaching Shalwy direct would be a less arduous undertaking.

Despite initial appearances from the road above, these two court tombs do not grant personal audiences lightly. Hey, but isn’t that always the way with classy ladies?

It’s hard to credit that such ancient structures as Croaghbeg – and its near neighbour Shalwy – can remain in such a state of glorious abandonment in this, the 21st Century! If ever there were a pair of hidden megalithic gems, ‘tis these two beauties.

Even armed with one of the recently introduced Irish 1:50K maps, finding the courts tombs is much easier said than done, until two locals on the coastal road confirm the steep northern turn-off does indeed lead towards Gortnagalliagh. Sure enough, after parking near a junction with a rough farm track, I notice two apparent heaps of stone in the deep valley below to my right. Further afield, W.B. Yeats’ Benbulben rises beyond the tiny island of Inishduff within Donegal Bay. It is a sensational vista, it really is, and I believe I can make out Knocknarea.

Actually visiting the tombs is also no easy matter, progress down the steep valley side hindered not only by barbed-wire fences (the locals weren’t at all perturbed by our visit, it has to be said) and the rough ground underfoot, but by 6ft plus fern rendered soaking wet by a sudden heavy shower. Good job the ‘Gladmum’ and I elected to wear full waterproofs, then. Seeing the tomb up close and personal for the first time after emerging from the fern cover is something special, almost as if it’s actually located within a clearing in the primeval forest or something. Seemingly only missing its capstones, the structure is very well preserved, being solidly constructed of large stones. Having said that, the court itself appears a little poorly defined, although an apparent capstone-less dolmen structure within the court area is a nice additional touch.

A visit to Croaghbeg is a somewhat surreal experience, as if the traveller is granted several hours upon some Lost World plateau where time has stood still. There are no turnstiles, signposts, kissing gates or information boards here, and certainly no tourists to break the spell. Hell, there’s nothing at all to interrupt a perfect experience. Except the draw of Croaghbeg’s companion tomb, Shalwy, a little up the valley. themodernantiquarian.com/site/3033/shalwy.html
So why not indeed?

Of all prehistoric structures it is perhaps the portal tomb which is consistently the most aesthetically pleasing to the modern eye. Whether originally covered by a mound or not(?), the haunting, bare profile of a dolmen/cromlech is guaranteed to set the thought processes a’ flowing.... there are squat, powerful ones (e.g. Lligwy), the overwhelmingly massive (e.g. Browne’s Hill), the elegant and impossibly fragile (e.g. Pentre Ifan), the downright bonkers (Trethevy Quoit), the cute little ones (Chun Quoit, Maen-y-Bardd) and the classic ‘Flintstones’ form (Devil’s Den). Quite where the Kilclooney More portal fits in to these categories, I don’t know. To be honest I think it’s in a category of its own. Really, it is that good.

Sure, I’d seen the pictures and this dolmen was the primary reason for the trip to Donegal – although the many court tombs had a little to do with it, I suppose. But little can prepare the visitor for the elegant form, the streamlined contours... and the sheer, well, sensuous femininity of this wonderful structure.

The visit starts in a less than inspiring manner as I park at the ‘Dolmen Centre’ (oh dear) beside an impossibly yellow church (double-plus oh dear). Hmm. Trying a bit too hard, me-thinks? Anyway, crossing a bridge beside the latter monstrosity, accompanied by a very annoying hound which wants me to play ball, a path leads onto open moorland, the dolmen eventually appearing upon the horizon. Tourists, with their trademark inane assertions, abound, doing little to dispel my distinctly ‘underwhelmed’ state of mind. ‘This had better be good’... Needless to say it is. Very.

The capstone soars upon well proportioned orthostats as if seemingly made of balsa and liable to float away into space any second, the whole sculpture so incredibly well balanced it takes the breath away. Surely this capstone was always meant to be seen? Further inspection reveals a near 360 degree sweep of mountains upon the horizon and a smaller chamber – seemingly the real thing and not a folly – behind the main event. Hmm, were both after all covered by a single cairn? More questions than answers, a particularly knowledgeable American tourist then going on to torpedo another of my cherished stereotypes. Are you listening to me, boy?

I leave this wonderful site for the nearby ruined court tomb.....

themodernantiquarian.com/site/5332/kilclooney_more.html

.....thinking that, quite possibly, this is the finest dolmen in these Isles.

It’s not ideal and not for most people but sleeping in the car makes for a good day out, this time we parked a couple of miles east of Abercastle, a few hours later and the alarm goes off at first light, then its funny how comfortable a Ford Mondeo can be.
Last time we came there was a campsite here, its gone now and the farm isnt a busy place anymore, nor is it a happy place.
We parked the car in site of Carreg Samson in the farm yard and walked the last hundred metres down to the dolmen, the cows began to stand up as we approached but they kindly vacated the field for us and gave us no bother.
You can stand up under the capstone like at Pentre Ifan but unlike that waif like streamlined structure, this is rough, chubby, and oaf like, but i’m being unkind the stones are bigger to hold up the continent of capstone above.
Of the six orthostats holding up the thick wedge of a capstone only three touch stone and they are of two kinds of rock, three of a smooth sandstoney and three conglomerates, reminded me vaguely of East Aquhorthies where they too intentionally used different kinds of stone.
What does it mean, does it mean anything, could it be part of the builders folklore, traditions or religion.
The stones are far more permanent than the ugly farm, hopefully it wont put up too much of a struggle and do the decent thing and dissappear, leaving the cromlech alone with its view and its visitors.

Definitive directions: There is room to park on the road to the west by a house, walk south back down the road to a footpath, a gate has to be climbed to get in the field and once there the path is indistinct. Go straight up the hill through a gateless gap in the hedge, the map says the path forks here but as there is no path on the ground, we must trust our noses, i’m Anosmic so which sense i’m using I dont know.
Keep going uphill untill you see the big rock outcrop, a fence is crossed and there is the cromlech in the same field as the outcrop.
It is only a ten minute walk to the stones, one or two gates and fences, put away any fear of farmers this is our world, “I was here first” is no excuse to keep us out, be brash, be brave and if caught out feign ignorance.

Ffyst Samson is just brilliant, how could it possibly stay up there, my daughter and me tried to push it off to no avail, ( i’d be mortified and stay at home forever if we’d succeeded) I guess its just so damned heavy and we’re so little.
In the wall next to the cromlech is an out of place large stone and just yards to the north is a longer stone which could have been part of it.
The outcrop is easy to climb even for a ten year old girl so no excuses, the view from the top is exquisite in the extreme, the cliffs and rocks by the sea, the other rocky tors nearby and further away the blunted peaks of the Presellis.
Perfect, I suppose I should have said I never found it either to help presreve its solitude and mystery, but this kind of peace and beauty cant stay hidden forever, welcome to the wooooorld of tomorrow.

If you’re coming from the direction of Tinkinswood, this place is well signposted, and there’s just enough room to park at the side of the road. It’s a short uphillish climb to the stones (through a kissing gate at the edge of the rough field) and then you can’t help wondering why this place gets all the height and view compared to its neighbour just down the road. The sign at the road said ‘burial chambers’ so I thought I was supposed to look for something else, so like SwastikaGirl, I got confused by the (ex) ring of trees. It might be nothing old but it’s a peculiar sort of thing in any case.

The tomb couldn’t be more different from Tinkinswood and yet it’s equally impressive. It really is like a giant greyhound’s kennel, any giant greyhound would be happy to live here out of the rain chewing on a bone. I had the urge to draw it from all four directions, it’s just so sculptural and solid. The drawings didn’t come out very well but it was enjoyable at least, I felt like I’d seen it properly. Unlike Kammer it didn’t occur to me to leap up onto the capstone – I’m sure you’d feel on top of the world up there – it would have been an undignified failure in any case.

Any sensible person might travel a long way to see either of these places. But here you have two top quality megalithic destinations just down the road from each other. What more do you people want.

Delightfully close to the road is this terrific stone row, but parking is a nightmare, there is only room for one car and thats blocking a gate, but luckily the biggest stone is just 48inches away so you’ll not be far away.
The stones have a great view down to the coast and up to the rocky topped Garn Fawr and Carn Enoch, and just maybe a summer solstice sunset alignment. The telegraph pole marks the position of a large recumbent stone now mostly hidden under the earthern bank, the stone is halfway between two stones that are too far away from each other.
Look back at one of the pictures from 2002 and see the difference in ivy growth between then and now, it’ll be gone from view altogether in just another year or two, the hedge that preserves a good stone row also hides it completely, and i’m sure ivy isnt a good friend to rock.

I left the car in Kammers green dot (ironicaly its just yards from a sign for Pentre Ifan, see map) of a parking place but didnt take the advice of taking the footpath, it doesnt go near the cairn anyway, instead I took the more direct route of following the river from the road, up a driveway then skirt round the property and head for higher dryer ground, my more or less hit and miss approach paid good dividends as I spotted the only likely looking stones poking above the tufts of Gorse, so I walked straight up to it dodging the inevitable boggy bits, no problems at all.
I liked this place a lot, the stones arent massive and they arent aligned on anything, but they managed to steal the show, Carreg Sampson can keep it’s stonking great capstone i’m happiest here this morning. The hillside sweeps high and steep to the south with Carns gallore, and all around is open moor thats strangely vibrant in colour.
I’m reminded wistfully of Brittany.

Ooh I did enjoy this place very much. It’s such a pleasant walk across the field, and then there it appears, with its tidy and inauthentic herringboned stones at the front, looking like a little thatched cottage sunken into the ground or something. But when you see how big the capstone is – I couldn’t help smiling. It’s amazing. No one else has mentioned this, so it must just be me being weird, but there was only one obvious course of action to me. I had to leap up on the top and lie down immediately. The stone is like a gigantic golden mattress, it really is, albeit a bit on the hard side. But lying there you’ll realise it is at the perfect angle for gazing at the sky, it’s gently sloping and very comfortable. I watched the clouds float past. It was a bit like being anchored at the centre with everything moving round. ?Or is that just my overactive imagination. And of course you’d get all the benefits of the Ancestral Wisdom seeping up through the stone. Imagine what it would be like to look at the stars from here, just marvellous. It was a bit cold this afternoon to be honest, but when the soon-to-be-setting sun peaked out from the clouds – and it happened to be directly at the right angle for the capstone – the stone turned such a beautifully warm colour.

It’s slightly galling that you can see the disguised top of the brickwork pillar in the top of the capstone. It’s not so bad as from the side. But where did the missing side of the burial chamber go? And I was interested to see the curved stone chosen to define the front entrance ‘portal’ too.

I didn’t stay half as long as I’d have liked. But even so my imagination had been further carried away by the time I got back to the first of the kissing gates. It had a rather interesting multi-note squeak which I couldn’t help thinking reminded me of the Authentic Prehistoric Music :)playing in the gallery at the museum in Cardiff, where I’d been earlier. If tma had an mp3 facility for gate noises, I’d have been tempted to record it.

The site is well signposted from the main road in St Nicholas, it has a proper hard parking spot, and the path (although undulating) is very smooth. No mud today, Postman. There are two kissing gates though, which I don’t think can be avoided. The sign says it’s open from 10-4 but I didn’t feel too naughty being a bit later. Perhaps it’s to discourage stargazers and those wanting to do a bit of dreaming like in the folklore. I tidied up the usual tea light cases as you can imagine.

Still think this could be a much denuded Taing of Beeman like settlement even though the possible dividing orthostats run across the mound apparently on the edge of the southern half rather than strictly in-between. Definitely a game of two very different halves. Backing up from the northern edge of the ‘upper’ half to take it in I found that I seemed to be stepping back along some kind of small ‘causeway’ leading up to it. This half consists mostly of a circular depression with a few relaxed stones about it, whereas the southern half has a rather level top with several definite orthostats. Thinking of the Beeman settlement and how it was mistaken for a broch from the air I wondered if the now demoted ‘disc barrow’ nearby might not be still more settlement [with the bank meant to keep the inhabitants out of the myre].

Along with West Kennett, my favourite tomb. Although I got completely caked in mud walking to the site (and ruined footware in the process) it was well worth it. Crouching into the chamber and sitting at the back is very special. It does feel like going back in time. I can’t recomend this site highly enough. All I would suggest is take your wellies if it has been raining!! Enjoy.

Keep going south on the A97 at Mossat, past Kildrummy Castle until the minor road heading west. Turn up this for a 1/2 mile and stop at the the first track. We parked and walked up the steep hill taking the sharp corner north for a further 3/4 of a mile. Fortunately the forestry track was clear of snow and a pleasant walk was had to the cairn. The sun was out with heat seeping into the frozen landscape. Spring is on its way but it has its work cut out the snow in the fields is mostly all over 2 feet in depth. Much deeper in some parts as we later found out.

However this track has caused a bit of damage to the eastern side of the cairn. It now stands at 14 meters wide and is less than a meter tall. A dry stane dyke runs over it and a boundary marker stone also stands here. Once again a very beautiful place.

Canmore says 150 meters from the Morlich steading and the OS indicates a road to it. Once upon a time there was but not now as the steading has been, sadly, empty for years.

Visited 8/03/2010.

To be honest there’s not a lot to see here, a grass field with minor ditches around the sides.

This can be tricky to find as when you get to the top of the hill the stones are not visible. Once at the top, take the path along the ridge to your left (when looking at the River Severn). As you walk along the path you will see the two Severn Bridges. Head ‘off track’ roughly between the two bridges until you see the outliner. Harder to spt in the summer due to the masses of bracken.

Stone sited on bank pretty much opposite the entrance to the golf club. Very difficult to park on the busy main road. You have to peer over hedge to see stone – not visable from the road.

Park in country land and follow public access route as shown on O/S map. Stone is on the right in second field you come to. Easy to spot – large flat stone in middle of field. Lots of cup marks on surface. When I visited I found a lucky horse shoe!

The chamber is signposted (small weathered sign) off the road which runs past the house. The chamber itself is about 10 yards down the drive entrance on the left hand side – in the flower bed!

I spent a day at this site last year helping a volunteer group clear the banks of bushes, new trees etc as part of a CADW initiative. It was fantastic to be able to spend a day at a site ans know that you are helping preserve it for future generations. To avoid a long walk I would suggest you park by the church hall? (white building) and follow the path to the left of the house. It is only a 10 minute walk from here.

I visited the stone last year and am happy to report that it looks quite happy with flowers neatly planted in front of it!

When I visited this site I spent a lot of time trying to find it. I would suggest you first look for the children’s park with swings etc. (close to the road) Behind the park you will see a grassed area, with trees behind – that is where the hillfort is. When you get to the trees there is (was) a fence which has been pulled down with a large sign stating no motorbikes or guns!! If you are feeling brave go through the fence and start the short but steep climb through the trees and up the bank into the hillfort. The banks / ditches are pretty well preserved and there is the added bonus of a cracking view over Cardiff to be had!!