Latest Fieldnotes

Another visit to this hillfort after 3 years, last time I came it was a grey day and I wasn’t happy with the photo’s. This is a huge site, not including the hillfort, it was in use for many hundreds of years. Firstly there is a very badly damaged bronze age barrow within the hillfort and the iron age monument itself. There are norman pillow mounds, it was used as a racecourse in the 18th and 19th centuries. There is evidence of a napoleonic signalling station and a fair was regularly held here.
I know none of the above is necessarily relevant to this website on the face of it but I think it illustrates the importance of this site in the local area. The nearby villages are tiny and scattered and this must have been a focal point for trade. The banks are very slight and doubtful as a defensive position. Also there are other properly defensible positions very close by, Pilsdon Pen and Coneys Castle are much more viable places to be when under attack.

The ditch varies from less than 1m deep to approximately 1.5m deep.
The feature sinuously runs towards the ridge and at the northern extent finishes at the ‘7’ furlong marker alongside the fenceline. From the ground feature it would seem that this did continue into the field, but ploughing has removed all trace.
The downland here is very open and gives 360 degree views of rolling chalk hills.
Before leaving I repeated dowsing the feature, as I had done at various points along the ditch; I leave it to others to determine what response you see.

Living locally and having seen this entry lacking for a long time I decided to tab out onto the Wessex Downland and see what I could find.
Looking at the OS 1:25000 map there was an intersection between a footpath and the feature so heading out from Jimmies Farm I soon came out onto the open downland and the “scars” of the horse gallops.
Finding the required footpath, I tabbed across the gallop; the feature is very obvious in the landscape due to the rough grass that is uncut compared to the gallops.
Looking south from the intersection, the feature becomes less clear and according to the map and Pastscape the feature ends in a series of banks which have been identified as later post-Medieval sheep compounds.
Looking north from here, the ditch can be clearly seen as a north-south running feature with an easterly bank which is higher, and better preserved, than the westerly bank, which seems to have suffered more erosion.

We didn’t have a definite plan for today’s itinerary, although I was keen to see Culsh Souterrain. As we headed off, we were once again astounded by the weather which was already hot and sunny. Culsh was my first (and, so far, only) souterrain so I was quite excited as we pulled up in a very small lay-by. The entrance gives no indication as to what lies within and we got our torches out, ready for a bit of investigation. Unfortunately for Vicky, who isn’t best suited to dark, damp places the experience wasn’t too pleasant, and she decided to give it a miss so I headed in alone, struggling to make sense of what I was (barely) seeing in the torch-light. I loved the red granite stone, which was easy to make out with the little light I had and I was pleased to have read before-hand about the cup marked stone in the entrance, otherwise I am sure I would’ve missed it!

When I first started dragging Mark around the country in search of stones, one of the first places we visited was Rudston Monolith; a site that took my breath away with the huge phallic stone stood alongside the wee church. Here at Midmar I again felt that thrill of seeing the ancient with the relatively new, side by side and seemingly in some kind of harmony. The grave stones are a little too close but this didn’t seem too intrusive to me. I just marvel at the fact that any of this site remains.

From East Aquhorthies we planned to visit the most evocatively named stone circle and one we were both itching to see – Sunhoney. The name just drips from your tongue and conjures up golden images (well, it does to me) so I was almost gearing myself up to be disappointed; had I based too much on the coincidence of a lovely name? Well, the answer if very definitely “no”. We parked by the rather broken down farm building with the “Stone Circle” sign and set off walking. We were really lucky with the weather, as it was warm and the skies remained blue and bright. The approach to the circle is lovely alongside lush fields, full of tweeting and twittering birds. Then we came upon the site – set amongst the most beautiful ring of trees with foxgloves and wild grasses bobbing gently in the breeze. After the manicured surrounds of East Aquhorthies and Loanhead of Daviot, this was as absolute treat. Vicky was beside herself, taking picture after picture of the cup-marked recumbent and I just pottered around the site, feeling slightly drunk with the whole place, in the late afternoon warmth. The surround of tress make it difficult to place this most wondrous of sites within the landscape but certainly add to the amazing atmosphere of the place.

Visited Ladle Hill and stumbled across a very well preserved Disc Barrow on the northern slope of the hill. I would say it is about 30ft in diameter with a ditch surrounding it at about 4ft deep. A lovely spot to visit as the hill commands good views of the nearby Beacon Hill.

A walking day out with some friends (21.2.2010), initially under an overcast sky, then sunshine. The photos on TMA hadn’t quite prepared me for the size of this thing – woah! Although ruined, this is a giant of a long barrow. I was immediately in prehistory heaven as soon as I saw the round barrows dotted next to the carpark and on the approach to the long barrow (I think my friends thought I had gone mad) and from there on in it just got better. Knap Hill is a dominant presence so close to barrow (and presumably pre-dates it, but I don’t really know).

We climbed up to the barrow in a stiff, freezing cold wind, which didn’t encourage much lingering. A walk down to Alton Barnes, passing the fallen sarsen (another worried look from my friends – he’s taking pictures of a big stone?) and briefly onto the Ridgeway. The barrow remains visible along the Avon and Kennet canal, through Stanton St Bernard and around the western side of Milk Hill, where it disappears from view. Coming back round from the north, with Knap Hill in the centre of the view, the barrow re-appears on its hilltop, a terrific monument to the ancient builders, a waymarker for any passing gods. My infrequest visits to Wiltshire always leave me a little overawed and this was no exception.

After aborting a visit in rain and mist last year, which would have been via the easier approach from the south (see Gladman’s fieldnotes), some winter sun and a good dusting of snow tempted me to try again. Getting off the train at Abergavenny, Blorenge fills the view to the south, a huge flat-topped bulk. The approach, via Llanfoist, starts at about 50m above sea level and then involves a steeply climbing footpath, under the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal, to Cwm Craf. The snow line started here today (20.2.2010). From here footpaths encircle the mountain in a few directions, and I took the bridleway west around the northern shoulder. Here you are at about 350m, and an amazing vista opens out with every step. Behind is the distinctive Skirrid, to the right the Sugar Loaf, with the highest Black Mountains peak behind it, while over to the west the Brecons start to unfold. This is spectacular countryside. The summit itself remains invisible until you are practically up on it. The massive cairn sits on the top of a fairly flat plateau, with the gentler ground sloping away to the south. Next to it are a trig point and an unsightly walker’s cairn, no doubt robbed from the monument itself.

The views are terrific. Only the top of the Skirrid is now visible, the Sugar Loaf looks to be on a level with this cairn (it’s actually a bit higher), to the west the white peaks of Pen-y-Fan and the Brecons Horsehoe are visible. To the south you can see the cairns of Carn y Defaid and to the south-west Coety Mountain. A light aircraft flew past below me. An amazing spot on such a cold, clear day. And I’ve finally stood on top of my first South Wales summit (it’s taken me long enough).

Leaving to the south, it’s a relatively short walk to Blaenavon over much more gradual slopes. Woo-hoo!

A stone circle moved and placed in a wall has long been the subject of myth and speculation amongst the inhabitants of Turriff and Inverkeithney. For many years I was led to believe that the walls at Laithers and Muiresk might provide an answer. However one of my friends asked about Drachlaw, Carlin, Sheilburn etc. Standard answer check TMA, check Canmore and Scotlands places. He phones back and says which one at Drachlaw. Immediately the Sherlock Holmes in me went to work. On checking there was a circle that stood at West Drachlaw, so returning from Huntly gave me an excuse to investigate.

The Backhill of Drachlaw farm is 3 miles west of Turriff on the B9024, on the track just to the north. Turn at the Drachlaw farm signpost, the complete stone circle clearly visible from the road. Drive up the entrance to the farm and stop. The stones are in the dyke to the left. 4 stones are in the wall, 1 was removed to form a gatepost a further 100 yards west. The missing sixth stone has also turned up. An outbuilding collapsed during storms so the lintel was removed and used as the other gatepost. At least it has been given it’s original job as a standing stone, it did stand in a circle 28 feet in diameter, albeit not quite in the same place and different employment.

Yet another investigation closed, Sherlock would be proud! (I hope)

Visited 22/2/2010.

What a spectacular site. What struck me the most is how quickly you forget that this is a reconstruction. It really doesn’t seem to matter. I’d expected the experience to be tempered by the knowledge that the site isn’t original or ‘genuine’, but frankly, it just looks so stunning that all such thoughts are driven from the mind.

I was also surprised at how little the surrounding tip impacts upon the site. And when it does, it almost enriches it in a strange way. The fact that such a unique and stunning location can exist in such against such an incongruous backdrop is somehow rewarding in its own right. Perhaps it helps that the site is reconstructed rather than original, because it feels as though something has been miraculously salvaged where there might otherwise be nothing at all.

When entering the tip, I wasn’t at all clear where to park, so I ended up parking in the wrong place (of which more later). Basically, there’s a small parking area just to your left as you pass the public recycling area (with a “congregation point” sign, but no parking sign and no sign for the quoits). Once parked, there, there’s an obvious public footpath leading to the stones.

The one thing that marred the experience for me was the horrible little jobsworth oink who took an attitude with me for parking in the wrong place. It wasn’t clear where to park, there was nobody visible to ask, and my car was tucked well out of the way of passing trucks, but this bloke still had the demeanour of personal affront that only ever seems to grace small-minded little men who’ve been waiting years to exercise the slight modicum of power that’s fallen into their sad little laps. There were threats of locked gates and rude reprimands for missed signposts – where a simple smile and an indication of the correct place to park would have sufficed. It’s a shame, because the company that own the site have obviously put a huge amount of effort into supporting the reconstruction, and it would be nice if their staff could show a little more enthusiasm for the project – or at least a little less belligerence.

Whilst parking at Newton farm I was approached by the farmer who asked what I was about to do. I replied that I was looking for a nearby cairn. The answer to that was that he’d show me something better. Intrigued we walked the half mile west from the farm to the site.

In an area teeming with RSCs this location was perfect. It is on the same side of the valley as Dunnydeer and more famously Stonehead. Now I thought I knew about most of sites up here but how did I miss this. The recumbent stone is massive being over 5 meters in length, 11/4 meters tall the same wide. Chokes appeared to holding the stone level underneath. Looking carefully to the hills in the south west it appeared, to me, that the recumbent was aligned to the nearby Correen Hills. Also one flanker remains lying on the ground, when standing this would have been well over two meters. Some cairn material remains but was hidden by the deep snow.

The farmer has said that he will look out all the details, old plans and maps, he can for my next visit, he also added that as far as he knew these stones had always been there. This time the cairn will be found and hopefully more light will be shed on these stones which I think must be the remains of a ruined RSC.

Visited 20/2/2010.

The remnants of this once massive cairn, also called the White Cairn, can be seen in a field just north of Brankston Farm. From the A96 at Colpy head west following the Largie signpost. Turn right at the junction, heading further west past Lenchie farm. Brankston is a 1/2 mile further on the opposite side of the road. If driving park here, then cross the road, over the gate with the cairn being 40 meters into the field.

Today it was covered in snow. Now it is a scattering of stones, 15 meters wide, with a small pile of cairn material in the middle. However the views towards Bennachie are superb. The Hill of Skares stands to the north.

On a reflective day it was nice to stand in a reflective place.

Visited 20/2/2010.

[visited 20/2/10] What an amazing hill fort! Its a massive bivallate fort with views stretching all the way to Wales, Exmoor and if someone took the trees out of the way probably Lansdown. With palisades and a clear tree line, this fort would have dominated the upper reaches of Chew valley and the northern Somerset levels.

I did my normal trek about the ramparts, clockwise for those keeping count, struggling up to the western entrance. The fort was built sloping down from the highest point on the hill to where the land dropped away on the eastern end. The interior earthwork noise is believed to be mostly from a pre medieval rabbit warren, with possibly some additions during ww2. Presumably the small circles formed from the loose stones near the northern ramparts are probably ww2 picket posts.

Access is for those who like hills. The Eastern entrance has still got a reasonable track coming up from the A38. If you are approaching from the west, be prepared for a long muddy walk which out of summertime might be difficult with a pushchair. I trekked up from the A38, parking at a pub down a small lane on the other side of the A road.

A wonderful site. Two boulder burials, about 65m apart, with magnificent views to Corran and Carrigfadda. The pyramidal shape of the eastern boulder – 2.5m*1.4m*1.35m, according to the Archaeological Inventory – mirrors the shape of the latter.

Permission to visit may be obtained from the farm on the other side of the road.

Large – 2.3m * 2.1m * 1.2m according to the Archaeological Inventory – with long views to the north and west. Four support stones, although only two and a scattering of field debris were immediately apparent.

Permission to visit may be obtained from the nearby farm.

Eric and myself slept in the car again after another four hour midnight drive, I was so tired when we pulled up in the parking place next to the dolmen that I forgot how uncomfortable cars are for sleeping in and after marvelling at all the stars for a minute fell straight to sleep.
The alarm went off at 7.30am, Eric elected to stay and watch the car which left me and the stones alone waiting for the sun to rise, well one of us was waiting the other didnt really seem to care.
I havent been to Pentre Ifan for ten years, I know its that long because my kids havent been here, infact I think my eldest was concieved whilst on a camping trip down here. ( sorry, too much information?)
It was as awsome as I remember it, how did they get that capstone up there and how does it stay there, it sits on the sharpest point of three stones which look like they might crumble at any minute from the weight.
I wonder what happened to the two facade stone on the west of the chamber, only two stumps remain but presumably they would have been as tall as the two on the other side, theres quite a few big stones lying around perhaps one or two are these missing stones.
The sunrise was a magical moment, I circled the chamber like a predator circling its prey, or maybe a photographer getting the most from his muse. Every now and then a huge flock of noisy starlings went over, heading back to the coast for a days foraging.
Why didnt I put this place in my top three, curse you only top threeeeeee.

an example of natural “cups ”

No problem parking, theres room for a whole hoard of megaraks (what do you call a group of megalith hunters?)
A cold and frosty morning, and since the glorious sunrise at Pentre Ifan a half hour ago the sky has really turned quite dark. Gors Fawr couldnt be any easier to find just walk from the car towards the mountains and you cant miss it.
Sixteen stones in all some fallen some still tallish and proud, some stones have that nice thick grass, some have a gorse bush and one or two have frozen pools round them.
Its a perfect place, the very short grass, ease of access, the view, and the perfect little circle, all contribute to making it a very good place to be, with a hint of Cornwallyness to them.
The pair of tall stones to the north east are a bit of a conundrum, are they explicitly connected to the circle?, are they the same age? which came first. Mysteries are good, far better than the simple truth, they say the truth will set you free,
but how free do you feel?
The only truth you need to know is that the Preseli’s are a mysterious and beautiful place, best appreciated from places like Gors Fawr.

You should probably ask for permission from the house thats next door to the cairn, we didnt, we parked infront of the gate that leads to the field next door, hopped over said gate and started making tracks in the light snow cover toward where I hoped the kerb cairn would be, trespassing is bad...ok, do as I say not as I do.
The cairn wasnt where I suppossed it to be, but a quick glance over the wall and bob was me uncle.
Reading Kammers misc note and the description by Figgis reveals two changes to the site, the brambles and hedge have gone, but the eastern arc of the circle has dissapeared under a wall, perhaps the wall and the hedge are one and the same, either way its a sad thing to see, it starts its life as the most important thing in the world ( to its builders atleast) then it lasts a few millenia
with not much at all happening, then someone thought it a good place for a wall, and ending with me, just someone looking for somewhere cool to spend some time with his son and camera, look at the pictures but dont feel sad they’re already dead.
Please forgive the melancholy.

Carn Besi is a truly knackered burial chamber, and amidst all the other treasures on show in and around the Preseli’s, there’s probably not much reason to come here.
But and however, the site has a good panoramic view of the mountains, the capstone is I think intact, there may even be the last vestiges of passage stones directly infront of and leading to the chamber.
Plus it’s so very close to the road and the parking is soooo convenient that I dont see how you wouldnt want to go have a look at Besi, plus it does have something else, something less tangible, something ethereal maybe, if you find out what it is let me know.

We drove past it, TWICE and still had to ask directions! The lady looked at us like we were crazy and then just pointed at it from where we were standing. Felt a bit like a fool...

Bizzyberry is one of those rather surprising hills, Not very high (363 metres) but commands extraordinary views over to the Tweedsmuir Hills, the Broughton Heights and in all directions. The views North on a clear summer night are breathtaking and you somehow feel that you should get such vbiews from a comparatively low elevation. To the far West you can see Ben Arthur (The Cobbler) in Argyll and panning acroos to the East there’s Ben Lomond, The Trossachs peaks, Ben A’an, The Lomond Hills of Fife. And of course it looks over its shoulder forever at the might bulk of Tinto Hill with its massive cairn on the summit.
Bizzyberry Hill actually has two forts. The fort at the summit has a spectacular steep rock cut ditch on one side. Now under turf it is great for rolling chocolate eggs and children down. Some remnants of the defence wall can be discerned around the edge of the fort’s footprint.
Further down the hill at its Northern end sits another fort, This has circular stone footings for houses and is protected by three deep ditches which are also useful for rolling children down.
The spring (“Wallace’s Well”) just below the summit fort is still there, though little more than a trickle from a crack in the rock into a boggy puddle.
The hill also holds a probable cremation cemetery on the saddle between the forts. There are also at least three cairns. I have located two of them. One yielded a bronze axe (now on display at the NMS in Chambers Street, Embra) and a jet bead in the 19th century.
I have climbed the hill many times and it is best done in sunshine with a picnic. My kid has been climbing it since he was three so its not very difficult. The “Ewe Hill Hillfort at the North End of Bizzyberry is the best preserved and the ditches and house footing are in very good nick.
Parking? Park at the layby a mile or so North of Biggar on the A702 signposted for Gladstone’s Cottage Ruin, the hill sits across the road. Or park in Biggar and walk out past Loaningdales Outdoor centre to ascend the hill.

Eric and me left the car in a layby on the A487 right opposite the entrance to Castell Henllys.
We entered the field just yards from the car and made our way straight up hill, over one fence, and the henge/fort crowns the hilltop.
The entrances to the henge are at the northwest and southeast, I dont know if thats how most henges are, but it seems a point in favour to me.
The banks are almost covered with gorse and muddy as heck, making a circuit of the enclosure an endeavor in itself, but they are still tall, atleast 6ft in places.
If this hillfort was a henge then it was uncharacteristically large, especially so for south wales, there can’t be many superhenges in the area, its not much smaller than the Mayburgh henge way up north.

This henge is situated at the top of a field overlooking the inner Cromarty Firth. The earthworks are well preserved and the ditch and bank can be traced easily.

Speaking with the old farmer, many years ago, who owned the land, there used to be a stone avenue that led off from the henge down the hillside towards the water. From what I recall the avenue wasn’t complete but included a “fair number” of stones. The orientation would have been towards the west looking at Ben Wyvis. He remembered helping his father pull them out and they were discarded in the area; it should be noted the small greenlane that follows the fields near to the henge had many big stones along the boundary.