Latest Fieldnotes

At the far-western end of the great Mynydd Du massif, and just a short scramble from the A4069, stands the barren, windswept mountain of Garreg Lwyd – all 2,020ft of it. It is crowned by the disturbed remain of a large Bronze Age burial cairn.

Despite the proximity to the road, you’ll find a real, tangible sense of wilderness here, the view of the main Mynydd Du peaks to the east one of bleak, untamed moor. In many respects you’d think finding a cairn at such a place would temper this feeling a little – the human connection and all. But to be honest places such as these set my mind a’racing, particularly when a veil of mist comes sweeping around, stripping the senses back to primeval levels of awareness. Which I guess was the whole intention placing it here....... I’d swear that was not the wind but the chants of some long forgotten ritual held at this very spot. Or not.

To quote Coflein; “Towards the SE edge of a large flat-topped hill of turf covered limestone pavement are the disturbed remains of a once substantial round cairn, approx 20m in diameter. It is of loose limestone rubble & boulders with much modern disturbance and the SW part has been rebuilt in the form of a tower, 6m dia x 2.5m high, probably as a boundary mark”.

Visited 19.6.09, walking up from Lamorna. The round is approached along a bridleway that runs alongside someone’s holiday let – the guy sitting on the bench eating his sandwich looked a bit taken aback as we walked past him.

The round itself is reached through at gate on the right at a point where the track jinks off to the left. It is a small, circular field, which at this time of year was waist high in grass. It was constructed in the Iron Age – there are a large number of these small circular structures on the West Penwith peninsula.

Sadly the vegetation in the surrounding fields stopped us from visiting the hut circle that lies at the northern end of the round, or the standing stone to the west. Really, it’s just a round field!

Being a grumpy bugger, the approach to Merry Maidens has a tendency to bring out the worst in me: “look at that, those lazy ****s in the 4x4/People Carrier who’ve just pulled up and parked right next to the gate, can’t anyone walk anywhere, grumble, mutter, etc”.

For some reason, our latest visit (19.6.09) saw me in a particularly chilled mood about the prospect of the circle being thronged with busloads of people. Perhaps the visit to Boscawen-Ros had got me in the right frame of mind? Anyway, for once there was no-one at the circle when we arrived, so we managed to have a lounge in the longer-than-usual grass under a beaming sun. When eventually people did arrive, they came over the stile from Lamorna direction and had obviously walked, which made me even happier. I must learn to be less of a fascist about drivers. At least until next time we’re there when a mini-bus pulls up...

Dominating the eastern side of Fforest Fawr’s Llia Valley, home of the superb Maen Llia standing stone, Fan Llia is a big, stranded whale of a mountain, its flanks eroded by a myriad water gullies. Yes, it rains a lot....

Few people come here, save the occasional die-hard walker or SAS man on exercise. Fewer still come to hang out – in sub-zero temperatures – at the remains of a Bronze Age burial cairn in order to escape for a while from Christmas ‘festivities’ .. but it takes all sorts, I suppose.

Coflein says “A robbed round cairn located on Fan Llia, on the crest of a ridge, close to a point where the ground begins to fall away steeply to the S. It measures 11.3m in diameter and stands to a height of 0.5m. It is composed of consolidated stones and is surmounted by a small modern cairn of loose rubble”.

The distinctive, decapitated summits of the Brecon Beacons rise beyond Fan Fawr to the east, these also crowned by Bronze Age burials. In fact, come to think of it, the Welsh uplands are, in many ways, one huge prehistoric monument. Right on!

Fan Llia is most easily climbed from the local picnic area to the south.

What a magnificent beast of a stone this is! I’ve only seen it from across the field before (and nine years ago at that), but this time went right up to it. At this time of year (19.6.09) the field is completely planted with cereal crops, so it was a matter of threading my way along various tractor tracks to get to the stone itself without causing untold damage.

Well worth it though, this is a lovely stone – not as tall as the Pipers and more slender, but an impressive lump of granite. I could have stayed longer but Merry Maidens and lunch at Lamorna beckoned.

Visited 19.6.09. One of those great irregular stones that looks completely different from every angle. If it is genuine, its position is not particularly impressive – apart from Chapel Carn Brea to the NW, there is not much to see from here. Even without the hedges, the natural contour blocks the view eastwards. Perhaps Burnewhall Farm was built on top of something interesting.

Still, at 6ft plus and on a footpath, it’s definitely worth a quick look!

Shown on the OS as “tumuli”, these two round barrows are easily visited from Bodrifty Iron Age Settlement. Take the path that leaves the north east corner of the settlement. Just before the path passes into the signposted access land area, the two barrows lie on either side.

The NW barrow is very low and difficult to see, but the SE barrow is easy to make out, even in summer vegetation. A capstone or the top of a cist is visible in the centre of the barrow.

Not worth a special trip, but can be seen easily if you’re visiting the settlement or walking from there up to Mulfra Hill round barrows or Mulfra Quoit.

The cairn has been cleared of bracken and other vegetation recently – even in midsummer (16.6.09) the stones are now all clearly visible, rather than the overgrown tangle it used to be.

I climbed Parlick today after parking up at Fell Foot as this is the recommended route. It is very steep and almost vertical at times but on the whole it took only 30 minutes to climb and this included frequent stops to catch my breath and take in the views. This route is not for the unfit as the climb is challenging.

The cairn at the top of Parlick is massive and is in need of a bit of repair as most of the stones are scattered about. However the two cairns on the top of nearby Fair Snape are both in very good condition.

The views are amazing from Parlick. You can see Pendle hill and Longridge Fell to the south. Over to the west you can see Blackpool tower on a clear day and you can make out the Bleasdale circle if you look closely enough. I took the 45 minute walk over to Fair Snape Fell which is a nice stroll and not too challenging however it is very windy on this walk. The wind comes battering in from the Irish Sea and even on a July day it was very chilly up there.

Overall a nice day and well worth a visit.

Visited 16.6.09, walking from St Just and Tregeseal. This is the first time we’ve actually been up to Watch Croft for seven years. Late last year a decision was made to introduce a new grazing scheme affecting the croft (and Tregeseal, Men an Tol and Lanyon), which has been deeply unpopular, so I was worried that access to the croft would be restricted. We came up the bridleway from the SW and passed an odd square galvanised object lying next to the path – it turns out that this was a cattle grid that had been installed and then removed again due to various problems. The introduction of the scheme is clearly not going smoothly.

Anyway, the access appears to be largely unaffected on the south side of the croft (I think it may be a different story on the north side) so we managed to get up to this terrific spot without any trouble. It’s a great place to come on a sunny day, with an ever present breeze to keep you cool. As the highest point in the peninsula, the views are excellent, especially to the south to Ding Dong.

One thing I noticed that I didn’t spot last time is that the eastern barrow (with the trig point) has been subjected to the building of one of those annoying walker’s windbreaks that are made from the stones of cairn itself (this is a problem on the North York Moors, but I haven’t seen it here before). Even so, the cairn is impressive and well worth a visit, with the added bonus of a nicely tapering standing stone just down the slope.

Leave Banff on the A98 taking the first road to the south, left opposite the Inverboyndlie road. Go past Gowan Hill farm pulling in just at crossroads of two farm tracks. The remains of the circle are to be next to the track going west.

Canmore describes the site as having several stones and that might be right but it doesn’t say how the circle was blitzed. It is obvious just by looking at the stones that they were drilled and then blown up. There also might have been an inner cairn as there at least two kerb stones still in situ. So the circle came to a sad end but it did have tremendous views looking on to the Banff Links and the North Sea beyond. Lots of other finds happened here so I’ll put up the Canmore link.

Two stones are rumoured to have been taken to Colleonard House, on the other side of the hill, to be used as gateposts. I’m not sure as they look manufactured. However they do look old. No walk of any distance involved here.

Visted 20/07/09.

Stirling Cairn is found on the eastern side of the Hill Of Alvah. (there is also a cairn on the western side) Leave the A97, going south, at B9121, signposted Turriff, taking the first left. About 1/4 from the top of hill, eastern side, a track can be which leads to masts. Follow this for 1/2 mile and it leads straight to the cairn.

The cairn stand at about 65 meters in length being almost 8 meters tall at it’s highest. Although some severe mutilation or robbery has taken place there is more than enough here to give a clear picture of the original structure. Two stones remain of the kerb. The views towards Banff and North Sea are tremendous. Whoever this was built for must have been well respected. Even the cows behaved themselves, just!

Visited 20/07/09.

Boxgrove is almost certainly the oldest site to be added to TMA.
About 480,000 years ago, groups of homonids were here slaughtering and butchering some of the large game which came to a small lake fed by springs at the foot of a cliff. The fresh water lured prey and hunter alike.

The climate of southern Britain at this time was similar to the present but the topography was vastly different. A very wide land bridge existed between the proto-North Sea and the proto-western English Channel. Most of the present flora and fauna was present but many large herbivores/carnivores crossed the bridge and included rhino, bears, huge extinct lions, hyenas and wolves. The countryside was more open than thought a few years ago and appeared more like a cool savannah due to the heavy grazing.

Boxgrove Man, of whom a tibia and two teeth have been found, was a sturdy, athletic and tall (6ft) individual. He was not a modern human but of a species called Homo heidelbergensis, who were descendants of Homo ergaster who had left Africa about a million years previously.

Prey animals seem to have been killed with wooden spears and butchered on the spot and eaten raw, no evidence for fires has been found. Large bones were split for their marrow.
The cutting tools seem to have been made quickly on the spot and then discarded. Too heavy to carry by nomadic hunter gatherers?
Various groups must have returned again and again as about 450 hand axes/knives have been found.
Boxgrove Man might have come to a sticky end as his tibia was found to have been chewed at each end by (possibly) a wolf. Whether he was predated or scavenged after death, who can tell?

It all came to an end with the onset of the Anglian Glaciation when severe tundra conditions prevailed. Meltwater outwash created new valleys and also covered and preserved this site.

As with most excavated sites there is almost nothing to see above ground.

Thanks are due to WARG, the local Winchester society for archaeology and history, for finding me a slot in the very limited numbers allowed to be present.

Very especial thanks go to Mark Roberts who, as the project director for the UCL excavations here and elsewhere, was an astounding guide to the geology/history of this remote period. He also provided the genuine finds from the site (apart from the tibia) for us to handle and marvel at.

The pictures have a few more detailed notes

The English Heritage/UCL website is here for more info on the excavations...... matt.pope.users.btopenworld.com/boxgrove/boxhome.htm

Access

No public admittance. Old quarry is being infilled and regraded. Private land.

Overgrown in midsummer, these barrows are still worth a quick visit on a walk between Tregeseal stone circle and Tregeseal holed stones. Three stand prominently next to the path – the SW is larger and has some remains of a kerb, the middle one is the best preserved, with visible capstones covering a chamber or cist of some sort. The NE barrow of the three is badly damaged, with a large excavation crater in the centre and no obvious megaliths (it is very overgrown in the summer though).

16.6.09: Our first visit since the decision to fence and graze the common (see West Penwith news item and forum discussion). Approaching from Tregeseal village, the first signs of the new policy was an ugly looking barbed wire fence crossing the landscape. However, once past that, there was no other sign until we reached the circle itself.

At the circle there were a few cow pats around the stones, but no cows. It was ironic to note that the cows had obviously cropped the grass around the circle, but had left the bracken in the centre – the whole reason for the grazing policy!

Oh well, at least we weren’t knee deep in dung or trampled.

I love this circle, along with Nine Maidens of Boskednan this is my favourite of all the ones I have visited.

For the first time I sought out the remains of the detroyed western circle – the high bracken growing all over the hedge made it difficult to see anything, but I did find one of the remaining stones of this circle (see photo). Obviously something to look for in the autumn.

A lovely pair of sites, which I have been meaning to visit for at least 10 years, but it was always too far from the M6 on jaunts to the lakes & Scotland.

It is a fair old round trip from the motorway, but it IS well worth it – in fact I’m surprised more people haven’t been. The circles are easy to find, well signposted and there is now a small layby for 2 cars, with an info board and sheets to carry round.

The circles are very different: The Loupin Stanes is a compact circle on a small flat platform and feels very cosy. The Girdle Stanes is a massive circle with many stones, and isn’t really diminished by losing such a large area to the river. If anything it just emphasises how old the place is.

Well worth visiting, though the walk between is boggy and a little longer than hinted at-don’t wear your flipflops- make the effort to visit this site and you’ll be well rewarded.

From Aberchirder travel south on the A97 until the signpost to Cornhill. Turn on to this road and immediately go left on to another minor road. Follow the road until the wood after Whitemuir farm, there is plenty room for car parking 100 yards from the start of the wood.

Walk back up the road until the wood ends, then turn left into the field. A further 100 meters and the white quartz stone can be seen, almost like a prisoner trapped within a small square fence. To be fair the farmer has done a good job in looking after this beautiful stone.

Visited 17/07/09.

To the north of Mains of Afforsk there is lay-by in which I parked to have a look of the OS maps. No tracks or anything could be seen but I estimated that I was at least 600 meters north of the farm entrance, which in theory put me closer to the cairn. I walked for at least a mile thru bogs, ditches and burns as well as dead trees and heather until I came to dry stane dyke. Turning right, therefore uphill, and kept going until the wall ran out. However luck was on my side and the forest clearing was just ahead with cairn in the middle.

The cairn is about 15 meters wide and 1 meter high. As Canmore says it has suffered thanks to the forestry work. I couldn’t find any kerbs or stones of any kind except one. This stone was cross incised and had scratch marks on it. Was it worth the hike probably, but after some photos were taken the heavens opened along with thunder and lightning. The speed of the weather changing took me by surprise so a soaking was added to my collection of cuts and bruises.

To be honest I was looking for the ring cairn and became lost. This cairn, luckily for me, appeared from out of nowhere. The ring cairn can wait another day and I’ll stop at Newton of Braco instead!
edit. Not being very wise on the subject the scratch marks are indeed Ogham.
Visited 16/07/09.

This site is on Ardgathen land as the occupant at Greystone hurriedly told me. So I went to Ardgathen and parked. The ring cairn is in a field about 100 meters away walking towards Alford. A brand new fence has been erected so better to walk down the lane to the gate.

All that remains, to my eyes, are the raised circular area, which may or may not be a wall. An outer kerb cairn with four stones can be seen. Admittedly some of these stones are flat to the ground. I counted 10 kerbs, earthfast, close to the circular area which would have made up an inner circle. One massive boulder, looking like seat, resides in the central area along with a couple of smaller ones. Coles said that he saw three rings of stone. The third ring has gone. Great scenery and all round views.

To reach here, drive thru Alford on the A944 turning south at the Kingsford road. Ardgathen is the first farm on the minor road.

Visited 16/07/09.

Tombeg can be found just beside the B993 on the minor road leading to Balvack. Sadly the inhabitants at Tombeg farm have long gone and the place is in serious ruin apart from two sets of beehives still looked after by their owners. I parked at the farm and walked back down to the road and turned left, south, for only 10 meters. Look closely and the stone can be seen standing proudly amongst the trees on the Tombeg side. It is beautiful spot with many large boulders lying about.

Spoilt for choice in this area as some of the North East’s best circles are nearby. Beware of the nettles!

Visited 16/07/09.

On a day of some severe drenchings this was the last stop on the way home. Head 1 mile north from Oldmeldrum on the A947 and turn left at the Balcairn/Balgove crossroads. Travel for another 11/2 miles until the farm of Balcairn is reached.

With permission I parked and continued down the road until a farm track to the left appears. Walk about 100 meters and some gates on the left can be seen. The stone sits facing towards Bennachie 200 meters uphill in a field. Many years ago a second stone stood some 50 meters away but unfortunately it was removed. I would advise wellingtons as the cattle have churned the gate entrance into a quagmire. The lane isn’t much better.

Visited 16/07/09.

Park on road, theres plenty of room and the nearby farm is in ruins.
It was a long wet walk with daughter and dog, but niether complained at all, even when I lost Pips umbrella.
The stones are surely the remains of a stone circle, some kind soul has put metal stakes in the ground where stones may have been. Ranging from 5ft to 2ft, the stones are high on a flat hilltop with no view, but then it was quite foggy.

There are “no parking” signs on the road by the house nearest to the chamber, parking is way down the road, one place only.
The footpath is clear up to a point just try to head for the gap in the woods, the cairn blocks the corridor, which also looks like an ancient river bed, where the water had fallen over the cliffs into the sea is where the cairn is located.

This is apparently the only chambered cairn on the island, so I just had to come see, another early visit with Maggie the Jack Russell.
The cairn isnt in best condition when covered with ferns it’ll be gone, only one upright remains of the chamber and one half of it is gone completely. A cist is located half way along its back. Fantastic views everywhere.

I spied this stone unintentionally whilst driving to a nearby recording studio and since then haven’t been able to find out anything about it. But exist it does. At Pitcaple leave the A96 go thru Whiteford and turn towards Wartle at Durno.

The stone stands in a field to the east 50 meters from the road. I parked opposite the farm walked down the track then back uphill to avoid annoying the horses. It stands almost 6 feet high by 2 feet wide and has superb views of Bennachie.

Visited 12/06/09.

This standing stone is situated about 1 mile to the south-west of the circle at the Backhill Of Drachlaw. Leave the B9024 at the Shielburn signpost and follow the road to it’s conclusion at the Newton Of Fortrie. The stone, which stands at almost 6 feet in height 4 feet in width, is in a field 50 meters to the south of the farm.

Visited 12/07/09.