Latest Fieldnotes

Pobuill Fhinn....... not the most impressive stone circle you’ll ever see.... if grading by size of orthostats is your thing, but – of course – there’s far, far more to a circle than that.

Pobuill Fhinn has it all in my book – siting, views and that undefinable ‘Je ne sais quoi’. Suffice to say Barpa Langass and this site took up a full nine hours of my day and I simply just couldn’t tear myself away. Number of uprights, alignments? No idea, such was the intoxication here. Guess I’ll just have to go and check what Mr Burl says.

The only regret is that I only got a couple of half-decent photos. Hey-ho.

Jane’s right.... Cullerie’s so restored it’s like a garden centre feature – why do they insist on having gravel interiors and neatly cropped lawns? Nethertheless despite this it’s still well worth dropping in on the way to Sunhoney et al – especially if you’re lucky enough to see the circle under a blue sky! And at least it doesn’t have a church plonked right beside it.

I’d say this would make a great introduction site (in the manner of Loanhead) prior to getting down to business with the more atmospheric Aberdeenshire circles........

A wonderful stop-off when driving up from Loch Tay-way to Aberdeen..... a very well preserved longbarrow where you just wouldn’t expect to find one. Right on! Scotland keeps the sassenach a’ guessing.

First – signposted – left turn on the forestry track brings the traveller to this beauty – a great place to hang out and eat a sausage roll in the sun.

Would you believe such a thing as Skara Brae existed if it wasn’t here before you? I mean, ‘flushing toilets’, damp-course for the walls, and – best of all – a mighty mantelpiece for the women to place their best ornaments and whatnot on, so as to impress the neighbours over for tea. (sorry if that sounds sexist...) It’s just so, well..... civilised... so like 21st century us. Are we really that different?

I was taught that it was the Romans who brought these things to ‘barbarian’ Britain. Seeing as they only gave up human sacrifice when forced to by ‘barbarians’, me-thinks history was written by the victors to suit their own ends. Wouldn’t be the first time, would it?

Shame the traveller can’t actually enter the dwellings, but fully understand why. What a place! Even the usually dreaded ‘visitor centre’ was good.

Cheers Lianachan... superb site, in my opinion far superior to Carn Liath down the coast – you’ll get no semi-interested tourists here.

Park just within the Caithness boundary, where there’s a little service link-road off the southern carriageway. The broch is out of sight, at the end of the deep gulley down the hill to your left – if you’ve a map and compass (and a hopeless sense of direction such as I have) a bearing might be a good idea at this point.

The broch is overgrown, but very well preserved internally, with a great entrance passage and guard chambers, not to mention stair passage, too. The farmer came to ‘check me out whilst I was there’ – unless driving up to walk his dogs for two minutes is normal practice – but no problems in this respect.

Incidentally there’s a great view where the gulley meets the sea – I’ve therefore posted a photo.

A great little site not far from Chesterblade with superb all round views.

In fact this is two sites for the ‘price’ of one, since 13, 14 – or so? – denuded round barrows crown the high ground in centre of the hillfort. The ramparts themselves are not particularly powerful, but easily traceable all the same.

The fact that the barrows were not used as spoil to help construct the ramparts strongly suggests to me that the Iron Age inhabitants were fully aware of the ancient sanctity of hilltops (such as Small Down Knoll) and were clearly quite prepared to embrace them within their enclosures...whether out of fear of retribution from supernatural forces, or genuine respect I guess we’ll never know. However this is far from an isolated occurrence in my experience, strongly suggesting a continuity of belief down the ages

Incidentally, I asked at Small Down Farm for permission to visit, which was readily given. Right on!

Visited: 14/4/06

Some pretty substantial round barrows to the south east of Anmer – in the vicinity of the Peddars Way.

Well worth a visit if you happen to be in the area, I’d have thought.

Visited 2/4/06.

After some 20 years walking the Welsh Hills I finally ‘bothered’ to haul my aching frame up here... suffice to say it was 20 years too late. Muppet.

Although the ramparts are bisected by very substantial drystone walls, there’s still quite a bit to be seen. If you can tear your eyes away from the majestic view of the Dwyryd Estuary, with Central Snowdonia’s peaks rising beyond, that is.

The Italianate – and frankly, bonkers – Portmeirion is visible to the right of Porthmadog across the water [I am not a number, I am a free man...etc] and The Rhinogydd rear up to the south-east, offering some of the roughest walking in these Isles.

I can’t imagine this hilltop offered the most comfortable living of the Iron Age, but I’d say it arguably possesses the finest views of any in the UK. Why, there’s even two cairn circles below to the west.....

A lttle hillfort occupying a summit of Llantysilio Mountain, not far from Llangollen.

I approached via a very minor, steep road heading north west from Rhewl. This terminates by a gate, whereby a bridleway leads along the flank of Moel y Gamelin to a col, a short ascent to the left bringing the traveller eventually to the ramparts.

These may not be the best preserved you’ll ever see – and there’s even what appears to be some sort of off-road circuit below [only in Wales, my friends] – but, given reasonable weather, the views of the Vale of Llangollen will blow you away! You can also extend the walk to Moel Morfydd to the south east and Moel y Gamelin itself to the west, the famous Horseshoe Pass [Bwlch Oernant] visible and easily reached from the latter.

Couldn’t agree more.........

A fabulous, triangular promontory fort with two substantial ramparts and ditches, the outer ditch of such a depth that it makes it’s companion bank seem much taller than the inner one.

The views are great – as you would expect in The Derbyshire Peaks – and if you’re feeling up to it there’s also a superb walk along the escarpment of Combs Edge to be had, with some excellent rock scenery en route.

The fort is a short, steep climb up from the minor road from Dove Holes to Combs where there is a parking space or two. If these are occupied by climbers there’s another space near the entrance to Whitehills, a little further along .

Quality.

These barrows are just west of Setta barrow and the Five barrows group. They run south to north on the top of a west facing ridge.
Apparently there are four in the group, but I could only see three. The southern one has a group of low stones in its centre. Not sure wether these are the remains of a burial chamber or cist. The central barrow appears relatively undamaged and is a medium sized bowl type. The north on is low and appears to have been damaged at some stage.

I went to this group prior to visiting Setta barrow which is a few hundred yards north east. They are a varied group in terms of size and are spread east to west across the ridge of a high hill. Some show signs of having been excavated, particularly the central one with the trig point on it.
The setting for these barrows is quite spectacular, with views across many miles of Exmoor. There are at least 6 other barrows within a short distance and an iron age hillfort a couple of miles to the north east.
One of the barrows in the group is a bell type barrow and is a real rarity , wessex fancy barrows aren’t usually found this far west.
I counted 8 in this group, all of which are pictured here. Having read Rhiannon’s previous info I did not attempt to look for the stone row.

This ruined burial mound sits overlooking Malham Cove. Arthur Raistrick describes the mound as being ‘three quarters removed at the time of the enclosures.‘

There is still enough of the cairn remaining to identify the site so it’s worth looking out for if you ever visit the cove. Access is fairly easy although you can’t walk right up to the cairn. It can be viewed from the side of the cove once you climbed up the many dozens of steps and tottered across the lovely limestone pavement.

Arthur Raistrick described this site as a sub-rectangular Bronze Age house. Prior to his excavation the site was ‘almost covered by scree on three sides’.
I had hoped that there may have been something left to see as Raistrick described the structure as being built of boulders.
On my visit I couldn’t find a trace of the site

Seaty Hill
Not a lot to see on the ground, best viewed from the hill opposite, Abbot Hills, where the ditch and bank are more obvious.
Easy access from the track from Malham Cove or better still the footpath from the wonderful Gordale Scar. Either way a high stile over the wall is involved.

A small, yet powerful hillfort sited upon Great Hetha Hill, one of the Cheviot foothills near Hethpool... and therefore boasting superb views in all directions.

Two stone ramparts surround the enclosure, with an entrance at the north-west, or so it would appear. At the north-east the defences deviate to enclose an oval enclosure, perhaps an annexe for livestock?

A glance at the map will show that Great Hetha Camp is just one of many defended hilltops in the region, the largest and most famous of which is, of course, Yeavering Bell, well seen from the ramparts in the distance. Nearer to hand (below to the north east) lies the Hethpool stone circle.

These two magnificent cairns are located at the 2,076ft summit of Garreg Las, western outlier of Mynydd Du [Black Mountain]. Note the peak is sometimes also called Twyn Swnd by locals.

This long ridge of shattered rock is perhaps best approached via Cwm Sawdde Fechan, although longer routes starting from the A4069 to the west and extensions from the main Mynydd Du massif itself are possible. Whichever way you choose you won’t need me to remind you these are serious hill walks and should be treated as such.

The rewards upon reaching the cairns go without saying... although I’ll try. Firstly the views...north lies the fertile Dyffryn Tywi, whilst to the east, the barren landscape of the major peaks of Mynydd Du is one of great beauty in sunlight – and of glowering hostility in poor weather. In short, this is no place to be when the mists come down, unless you know what you’re doing.

Then, of course, there are the cairns themselves. Two very substantial examples indeed, which appear much less disturbed than similar examples throughout South Wales and beyond, no doubt due to the isolated nature of Garreg Las lying well away from main hillwalking routes.
As a result the traveller is almost guaranteed solitude here, a rarity in today’s world and just the ticket if losing yourself in timeless melodrama for a few hours is your thang.

Access here is pretty easy. Park at Curbar Gap car park and take the main path across Baslow Edge (or wander along the edge itself if you wish and take in the views). The main path leads straight to it and you can see it coming a mile off.

The easiest fieldnotes ever. Underneath the memorial, in Huntly Square, are last two stones of a stone circle. Enter Huntly from the roundabout ,on the A97, George V avenue which leads to Gordon Street and the square. The Picts took advantage but their markings have been beaten by natural causes.

In the centre of Huntly.

A small group of four bowl barrows just to the north of the village of Chaldon Herring. These are in a valley to the south of a ridge which has the Five Marys group on it and from which these photos were taken. I could only see three of them from the hill above them, the one I couldn,t see is only slight and may be swamped by long grass. The Five Marys are the best place to see these slight barrows from.

A very pleasant bit of wildish woods in the middle of suburbia. If you need to escape the city and pretend it’s actually 2009BCE then you’d do worse than Croham Hurst. The hill is made of layers of unusual geology and drops away very steeply to the south. Also you can get here in about a fifteen minute walk from South Croydon station. There is little to see of the barrow(s) but the place feels really old and self-sufficient. Nice.

From Huntly travel south towards the village of Rhynie on the A97. Just before entering the village is the Mill Of Noth farm, left hand side. Parking is available on request. The stones are behind the farm. Go past the wood art, thru the gate and over an barbed wire fence to get close up. They both stand at almost 7 feet tall looking strong and frail at the same time. The road in the background, in one of the pictures, leads to Corrstones.

Visited April 09.

Lagmore east is found beside the A95 at Ballindalloch golf course, at the Bridge Of Avon. There is plenty of car parking space. The site is only a short walk. On the hill above is the more famous Upper Lagmore, if arriving from the north Marionburgh will have been passed. In the past this was a very dangerous road, it has been upgraded in recent times but still needs care.

Visited 23/12/08.

I’d been meaning to visit Hordron Edge Circle for years. I finally made it there yesterday. On my way to Baslow Edge, I had plenty of time to spare so decided that I was going to drop in on the spur of the moment. I went via the Cut Throat Bridge gate and path route. Not too bad a walk, the only steep bit being where the path turns up to reach the top of Jarvis Clough.

A lovely place it is too. Unfortunately, although the weather had looked promising when I set out, the cloud had thickened and was letting no light through at all except the flattest, most diffused light – rubbish for photography! Consequently, I don’t have many images to post. Still, I know where it is now, so will be back for a sunset on a better evening.

Head north from Torphins on the B993, St. Marnans Road, taking the first left signposted Learney. At the end of this road the standing stone is in the field in front. A walk of about 100 meters, slightly uphill. Parking can be found beside the Mill Of Learney. This granite stone stands at around 5 feet tall and was probably part of a circle. Punters at the nearby pub still say that it was a druids meeting place.

Visited October 08.