Latest Fieldnotes

This cairn is also spelt Pitmancy and can be found north of the historic Fyvie Kirk, complete with Pictish stones, just beside the B9005. Take the first lane right/east after the church and follow it for a mile. The cairn can be seen due south overlooking the River Ythan. It has magnificent views all round. The farmers, thru the years, have been kind and left a 10 meters by 10 meters mound 3 feet high. On it rests one fallen stone. Except for the farm, near the B9005, the one surprising thing is the lack of dry stane dykes.

Visited 7/4/09.

“Rock art that’s on the edge of a cliff”. To be a bit more precise: ”Quality rock art, that’s right on the edge of a whopping great cliff”. The trees do get in the way of the view and there’s the constant buzzing of the high voltage electricity cables directly overhead, but don’t let that put you off It’s a superb bit of prehistoric rock carving, or ‘Felzeichnungen’ or ‘Felsbilder’, or ‘Petroglif’ or whatever you want to call them.

Mrs H and I went on foot up the old path, which took about an hour and a half from Thusis. It’s probably about an hours walk from the train station of Sils im Domleschg and maybe half an hour from the carpark at Campi. The old route we took veers off from the main path to take the shorter, but more awkward route from the road, going over the Via Plana. This has now been superceded by a more accessible route from the car park, but is still shown on some of the older maps given out from tourist info offices, the newer, easier to follow route is shown on the signpost in Sils (See image above).

The carvings are profuse, and spread over a number of outcrops. The majority are in the Atlantic seaboard ‘Cup & Ring’ style usually found in Britain, Ireland and Spain, with a smattering of the more figurative ‘Rupestran’ motifs associated with the southern side of the Alps and Spain. The figurative motifs have been interpreted as representing beast of burden, which makes a lot of sense when you’re sitting looking at them, having just lugged yourself up 300m or so of Swiss mountainside.

There are a number of similarities with Northern British and Scots rock art, the ‘whaleback’ nature of the main carved panel was very reminiscent of Roughting Linn, especially the distribution of carvings being around the big natural basins. The rock itself seems to be some kind of schisty, metamorphised limestone, which makes the detail of the peck marks look similar to the carvings of Kilmartin. The largest motif on the whaleback has 8 rings and radial grooves that would look quite at home in either Northumberland or Scotland. But whoever carved it must have been quite agile, it’s right on the edge of a 10m drop. Mind you, that pales into insignificance compared to some of the carvings further along the path, which whilst not quite so close to the edge, are closer to a 100m drop, after which there would be a short bounce, then another similar drop. I couldn’t help but think that the view would have been more open back in the days when these motifs were made, as the view is simply astounding.

Which leads to the usual question of ‘Why here?’. This is an especially valid question at Carschenna, as it seems a tad out-of-place. It’s quite a distance from the Atlantic seaboard, and there’s not much in the style of cup and ring marks between here and Spain.* No-one can ever say for sure of course, but my list of influencing factors include the proximity to both the source of the Rhine and the Viamla Gorge, the combination of the two making Carschenna a point on a sensible route for prehistoric folks to have used whilst engaging in travel/trade from one side of the Alps to the other. Then there’s the unusual natural ramparts around the Carschenna plateau forming what would have been, and from the looks of things still is, a very good campsite, sheltered, but also with the excellent viewshed usually associated with CnR rock art in other areas. Then there’s another possible factor that also links back to the Kilmartin rock art. Carschenna seems to have a greater than average abundance of quartz, the path up from Sils is dripping with the stuff. So much so that there are signs reminding visitors not to pinch bits (a massive, road destroying rockfall on the western side stands as testament to what can happen if you go chipping too much out of the side of the mountain). The veins of quartz protruding from the outcrop next to some of the carvings, may have influenced the choice of rock to decorate, but the thing that reminded me of Kilmartin was the little bits of quartz that seemed to be wedged into the cracks at th edge of the main whaleback. This is the same thing described by the excavations at Torbhlaren (at least I think it was there...). Havings seen the astounding quality of some of the local quartz in the form of a knapped blade in the raetian musum in the nearby town of Chur, I can imagine it would have been a desirable comodity back in the days before metals. The blade in the museum looked like knapped glass, totally translucent, and what in megalithic times could have been easily described as ‘Dead Posh’. The same museum is well worth a visit, the artefacts found whilst digging in Chur itself, (apparently boasting continuous occupation since the mesolithic) being exceptionally well preserved. In particular, some excellent examples of enamelled jewellery and bronze swords. There’s also a portable schalenstein that could easily be mistaken for a Irish bullaun stone.

Carschenna. It’s not crap. It’s the Alpine Achnabreck. Gets a 9 out of 10 from me.

*It was a Very Strange Thing that in the main street of Thusis, there’s a shop with a signpost to Santiago de Compostella. Seems that Thusis is one end of a medeival Pilgramage route to Galicia. Given the unlikely fact that both these places also have rock art, makes me wonder if the actual route taken is considerably older.

Northwest of the groups of tombs so visible from the access track, and in line with the field boundary, this tomb is just to the right of the path.
A short dromos, into a chamber with a central pillar and a niche opposite the entrance, and then two doors to the right. Climbing through, you’re on a little rocky platform and the ground slopes away towards 4 doors set up from floor level and with a magnificent step to reach the farthest to the left, and a further chamber beyond the second left.
Something about this made me think of the fantastic Hal Saflieni Hypogeum on Malta – but on a much smaller scale of course. I spent what seemed like ages just sat enjoying the cool and the calm and the shafts of sunlight illuminating the entrance.
As in Tomb XVI a twice trepanned skull (image linked) was found here – though this person was not so lucky .... they didn’t survive the second operation.

This is easily found and involves a short, easy walk. The A947 goes thru Oldmeldrum. Look for the sign for Oldmeldrum Golf Course and head east for about 3/4 mile. The stone stands in the middle of the 10th fairway, to the right of the road, so beware of golf balls. Once again Bennachie and the Barra Hill are clearly visible.

Visited 30/5/09

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I found the plan of this tomb .....
The long dromos or corridor was partly flooded so I’d climbed down into in it where it narrows, and straight in to the main chamber (pictured) with doors at the centre of each of the walls. I’d also noted a chamber to the side of its antichamber, but didn’t realise quite how extensive either part was. Take a look at the plan!

One of the most important tombs at this site, and we didn’t find it. It’s in the area of scrubby vegetation between the very visible tombs such as Tomb VIII and the buildings you pass on the track to get here – hence the grid reference is not absolutely accurate.
It was found still sealed with a slab, and finds included burials from around 2000BCE (though other finds have been noted from the much ealier Ozieri culture) and a twice trepanned skull.

This is one of the most powerfull site I visited.
The big rocks are visible on the archeological area of Susa, just in the center of the city (main city of the Susa’s Valley).

There are many cups connected with a lot of channels and one bassin. The most visible cups are very regular, deep and larger, executed with metal tools. The water still runs from cup to cups!
In roman times an impirtant aqueduct was built on the rocks, close to the Arc of August. So, this was a very important cult site in prehistoric, celtic and roman times. The site look to one of the most “holy” mountains of the Alps: Rocciamelone, also the Arc of August is built exactly to watch the top of the mountain from the engraved rocks/main arc of the aqueduct.

One of many christianized stones of the area is still visible on face of the church of Villa del Foro, a small village near Alessandria, big center in prehistoric, celtic and roman times. Object of cult but expecially object of superstition is dedicated to the holy woman called Varena that in many legends saved the stone and the village from the pagan cults. Is not sure if it was a menhir or an altar stone.

Pera Crevolà“, means in dialect “riddled stone”. It’s near Mattie Municipality (TO – I), 25 minutes walking from the Menolzio village (Val Susa, Torino Province). The altitude is 950 m.
This incredible rock is not very big (150 x 170 cm), but it’s totally covered by engravings: 237 cup-marks, 13 channels and 5 crosses.

The mound is outside of the field fence, an unenclosure. Coming from Unstan I thought of going along the coastline but I reckon Dead Sand could well be quicksands, and the land beyond looked patchy – also I wasn’t sure where the mound lay in relation to the fields where kie were grazing. Instead I decided to go via Corn Hillock, taking the track that goes down to the north end of Cumminess Bay. Walk the shore as the clifftops though low are broken up in places. The planticru on the landward side is out of proportion to the surviving mound, and I wonder if has a more direct connection to earlier features than simple re-use of stones. Coming to the exposed fraction of the broch the cutting looks way too regular for erosion by sea. There is an area at the front of the cut covered by stones that could either have come from the wall or might possibly be a floor exposed by erosion. Standing above the wall still present gives the impression that it is only faintly curved near the mound’s periphery and then sweeps in where it is more fragmented, and then following on there are a few slabs (rather than blocks) in a line above the level of the wall top. Walked the grassy mound top directly behind the wall and found myself stumbling over hidden stones – the smal structure ?? – so watch your step there. Then in front of you there’s a big depression, a rounded hollow almost down to ‘ground level’, open seaward, that is probably an ovoid stroke lens-shaped area like those you’d expect between an outer broch wall and the tower. At the back can be seen just two courses of a wall, just two stones with another one a few inches away barely peeping out. Another, say, six inches to thesouth and there’s a brown stone behind a grassy veil and and another couple of feet another similar. Not much of a wall line but its there [just now I’m reminded (for the brown stones) of the two near the top of Howie o’ Backland in Deerness]. A couple of stones at the bottom of the hollow may or may not be loose. Between the mound and the shore the ground is flagstone with a slight incline and it is obvious that the broch has been built straight onto the rocks. Unlike Inganess and Berstane there is no cliff beneath, so it must have stood further back from the coastline than them. Near the base the odd brown stone can be seen, these being more obvious and frequent near the cut. If the mound has always been about its present height then the broch can never have been much more than three metres, perhaps four metres at most. So my thinking is more central tower than high tower.
I wonder if this entire stretch of coast could actually have once been called Gammi Sea, from the Knowe of Gemashowe (lost but near the Hall of Ireland) through Cummi Ness and the knowes of Gimme’s Howe to [or including] Gorrie Knowe just north of here.

I decided my my 8 year old nephew and 6 year old neice should see Stonehenge, as they hadn’t even heard of it. They were very impressed with the stones, but were more interested in the barrows because of the possibility of bodies being buried in them!
This is an extended group, the main set comprising 1 bowl and 3 bell barrows, a single bell and a twin bell, formed as 2 pairs. The bell barrows are particularly well formed types of they’re class. There are another 3 bowls and 1 bell outlying to the west.

This cairn, also known as Denovan and Hillbrae, is badly damaged. However some stones remain to give an idea of it’s original shape. According to Canmore “sham bishops” preached here. Once again excellent views of Bennachie.

From the A96 at Colpy follow the A920 for about 1/2 mile turning north at the Fisherford signpost. This will lead past the Culsalmond Church, the site of a destroyed stone circle. Head to the top of the hill and a lay by, on the left, will be found. From here walk down hill thru using the path for about 200 meters. Turn at the clearing and walk another 50 meters. The cairn is at the other side of the fence within Pulwhite Wood. Hillbrae Farm are the buildings further down the hill.

Visited 28/05/09.

Alas this stone has fallen over, the last remnant of a four poster circle. The site has been fenced and also contains an old door. Coles also says that there was another two circles in the immediate area.

Leave the A947 beween Fyvie and Turriff at the Seggat signpost. Go up hill following the road to the farm at the junction turn left, south, and keep going until a wood has been passed. This is Rappla Wood. Stop at the first field entrance. From here walk, walking towards the top corner of the wood.

Visited 28/05/09

This cairn is also known as the Black Cairn and offers tremendous views of the Garioch area especially of Bennachie to the south. The cairn has been badly robbed but at the same time retains its shape. Several years ago bones were found and taken to Edinburgh museum.

From Wartle travel on the A920 heading towards Colpy. The occupants at Braeside of Rothmaise has made some woodland walks on the hill. The car park for this can be 1/2 mile after the farm (towards Colpy). Follow the track up the hill and the cairn can be found quite easily. Follow the path completely round the woods and 21/2 miles will have been walked.

Visited 28/5/09

The stone is still resting behind the farmsteading and quite an impressive stone it is. Leave the A920 at Tocher farm, two miles from Wartle heading west, turning north. The next farm is the Knowley which is severe need of repair. I got lucky when the elderly occupant kindly led the way to the stone. He also showed where it had originally stood. 20 years ago he had several visits from people who wanted to re-erect the stone in it’s proper place but nothing has been done.

Visited 28/5/09

If it wasn’t for the entry in Aubrey Burl’s “Megalithic Brittany”, I’d probably have passed this by believing it to be a folly!

According to Burl, “It is a thin, grey pillar, striated by the weather. It stands at 2.3 metres high and has been incorporated into a memorial to the dead of the First World War”.

Now – I’ve seen a few standing stones in churchyards, and a few christianised ones, but never, until now, one that’s been turned into a war memorial!

It’s a fine sight, though. Sort of jumps out at you as you round the corner. The later additions are quite odd. Really makes it look like the whole thing is a modern construct.

The war memorial, as far as I can tell, was built by René Quillivic. According to Wikipedia:
”After World War I he had the opportunity to pursue his art in the form of war memorials, in which he typically emphasised pacifist ideals. Most of these were located in Finistère (Carhaix, Coray, Fouesnant, Loudéac, Plouhinec, Plouyé, Plozévet, Pont-Croix, Pont-l’Abbé, and Saint-Pol-de-Leon).”

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Quillivic

Slightly separate from the main memorial is another (modern) menhir, with the head of a woman and an inscription bearing names of the deceased.

At the other end of the churchyard is the “fontaine de Saint Théleau à Plozevet” – a delightful little holy well which I sadly didn’t take any photos of!

Access:
About 21km on the D784 from Quimper towards Audierne, on the right hand side of the road, in the churchyard. there is a car park next to the church.

Mullach Inneona was the inauguration site of the kings of An Deise Thuaiscirt from time immemorial until the coming of the Normans. According to legend, Aonghus Nad-fraoich, King of Cashel, granted the territory of Uibh Eoghain and Uibh Fhathaidh (Iffa and Offa E. & W.) to the Deise, as a reward for expelling the Osraige from the area. They gave their name, An Deise Thuaiscirt, to the newly acquired territory. It is related that St. Patrick came to Inneoin to fast against the king, Ledhan, because he had refused to accept baptism from St. Declan. Declan came to Inneoin to meet Patrick. They deposed Ledhan, appointed Feargal MacCormaic in his place, blessed him and proclaimed him chieftan. The Declan and Fergal gave a large area of land to Patrick in which there was a clear fountain, since known as St Patricks Well, which was to belong to Patrick’s successors forever. The last king of An Deisc Thuaiscirt was Maolsheachlainn Faolain. In 1159 he made a grant of land to the Cistercian Monastery of Inis Leamhnachta. With the coming of the Normans in 1160, he gradually lost power and his death in 1205 signalled the end of the Deise Kingdom. Thus ended the reign of Mullach Inneona as an inaugeration site, where for centuries was enacted one of the oldest rituals in Europe, the wedding of the lawful king to the goddess of the place.

When taking a short-cut around Clonmel I spotted this unusual sign. Not sure what it was I read it and called back when it was dryer to view the site. It appears to be a natural mound that was used for the inaugeration of the Deise kings.
What I found interesting was the info boards reference to the “wedding of the lawful king to the goddess of the place” and also the clear views from this area to Sliabh na mBan.

Ended up heading to this low boring mound by accident by mistake thinking it was the more impressive mound of Carn Mhic Tail.

Carleton Jones book on the burren believes that this is a medieval inaugeration site for the O’Connors and O’Loughlins. He says that “Carn Mhic Tail is named after Tailm the ancestor of both Conchobhar and Locklainn, and it was considered the burial place of Tail”. He does go on to say that many medieval inaugeration sites reused ancient burial mounds so as to legitimise their rule.
In this case I would think it would have to be a burial mound of some kind. It is a huge cairn, could be 10-12m high. No idea what diameter.
It is easy enough to get to, it is close to the little village of Kilshanny, dont try to cross the Derreen river to get to it, drive around to the opposite side by the road and it is only about two fields walk from the road in.

St Brandans Stanes can be found by leaving the A97 at the A95 heading south towards Keith. About 1 mile down the road is the crossroads with the B9025. Stop at the next farm on the right. An entrance to field is slightly further along the road. follow this track, turn right, then left follow until the trees run out. The circle will will be in front of you.

Two flankers are all that remain. The cup marks are buried beneath the build up of sands, dust and weeds which has built up round the stones. Total walk is about a mile altogether and is very flat with okay underfoot conditions.

Visited October 08.

This was one of the most amazing barrows I have ever seen. Ive never seen one holding its water in such a tidy and aesthically pleasing way. Looking at the main ring-barrow here it does add to the argument that some barrow/monuments may have used water features to make them more dramatic. I think in this case you will agree it does look pretty impressive.
I presume that the water doesnt stay here year round. This barrow is located alongside a path that can be accessed by driving up the hill to the right coming from the ferry (towards Doonagore tower house). There is a warning sign for dangerous cliffs and this barrow are pretty close to the path/cliffs. You can get a view down to the axe factory from here.

The other two are about 300m farther to the east.

This standing stone is up on a hill beside what i believe is O’Connors pub (cant be sure of that).
As you can see from the picture a bullock was rearing its head behind so I didnt go all the way up to see it.
Carleton Jones book on the burren gives it only as a probable standing stone. His reasoning being that it can be clearly seen from Doolin House, the old MacNamara residence and that it may be a folly. In support of this is the fact that it is not marked on the OS Map as a standing stone. I suppose without excavation it will be impossible to know for sure.

I would never have heard of this except for the book by Carleton Jones “The Burren and the Aran Islands”
He gives a ref from the Journal of the Limerick Field Club 1905 “Flakes, hammer-stones and broken axes were lying about the place in a very instructive way. The axes were probably broken in the process of manufacture and through away as useless” and shows drawings of the artifacts found.
He thinks that it may have been a stone axe quarrying site during the Neolithic and possibly into the early Bronze Age.
He goes on to mention that a beach is a boundary area which the neolithic people may have seen as sacred, the boundary between the sea and the land. This place was doubly so because this sacred area also naturally produced axe heads.

It is easy to find over to the left from the aran islands ferry at doolin and makes a nice walk. The ferry area was a hive of activity but no one seems to walk over here at all. The sea rolled stones would seem to make natural axe heads.

I recently purchased “The Burren and the Aran Islands” by Carleton Jones and had been meaning to have a look at some of the sites around Doolin in West Clare.

Im not that familiar with court tombs but this one looks to be fairly ruined with only half of one of the kerbs of the court remaining. It is interesting though in that as Carleton Jones states in his books on court tombs that they seem to be monuments that are hidden away in the landscape. This court tomb follows this pattern and is reasonably difficult to pick out and doesnt seem to take in any obvious views.
To find it take a cul-de-sac down towards a camp site and stop at the sign for “Beware of Bull”.
There seems to be a good few beefy looking bullocks around so I would be careful what field you stubble into here.
I have give 10 digit GPS ref because it is difficult enough to spot with all the rock here and the bushes.
There seems to be a few large boulders strewn around it and you would wonder whether they had any bearing on its location?

There are two stones left at Marnoch church. One stands at over 8 feet at the churchs front door within the walls and another stands just north of the church at about 6 feet. However another stone lies fallen at the back of the wall nearer the house. (I see no mentions of this stone and assume that it has always been there) Marnoch Church is signposted and can be found just north of the B9117. Leaving the A97 it is about 1 mile.

Visited 12/10/08.