I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. I think I’d been spoilt by the sight of Men Gurta earlier in the day so I was a bit deflated to see the Magi Stone.
This must have been a very proud stone once apon a time but, alas, it now lies prostrate all on its own away from the maidens.
It was a gloomy evening it was getting quite dark so I didn’t take any photos of the stone
The Nine Maidens was marked on my Visitors to Cornwall map but, because of the gloomy evening, it took about three drive by’s and ten minutes aimless traipsing before I finally spied the Maidens at the far end of the field.
Maybe it was the evening or the light, or that I was alone but I gained a sense of uneasiness approaching the stones, almost forboding. It passed when I reached them and was snapping away.
Ironically named, the stones all seem to be male, if you go by the shaping if they were in a circle. They bear the now familiar quartz scarring and stretch some fifty metres in total alignment length.
Set at the far end from the road, there is a style for easy access about 200 metres from the layby I parked in.
Having stumbled across the Menhir, the sheep pointed me in the direction of the Barrow, located in the bottom right hand corner of the field, about 200 yards from the stone itself.
Clearly visible from the road, although it’s not the most spectacular of barrows, it’s there none the less!
The St Broeck Down’s (or ups) Menhir.
I wasn’t sure if or how we were supposed to get close and was considering cycling backto the entrance to the wind farm but at the bottom edge there was a gap in the fencing so I left FMJ with the bike and jumped over.
Like Men Gurta this stone is scarred thorugh with the distinctive quartz markings. Standing about 7ft high, there is a distinct fissure through the stone.
It reminds me a little of the Lynham Barrow Stone in Oxfordshire and I wonder if the angle of it’s erection is deliberate or if it’s down to subsidence. Both mark the locations of barrows and are at a 10 degree tilt. This is a bigger stone to the monolith at Lynham however and beautfully marked. Wonderful.
This amazing monolith’s markings give it an almost reptilian quality, scarred through with quartz. Striped, it gave me the impression of a dinosaur.
Peaking over the hedgerow as you approach, It is hugely impressive the closer you get. Towering 12 ft above you, it is a wonderful sight and well worth the hike up here.
There was no rubbish either, which had been a concern reading other field notes.
The gentle swoosh of the wind turbines in the distance got me to thinking what the erectors of this masterly stone would have made of the surroundings 3000 years on.
The silence was shattered by the FMJ screaming at the site of a grass snake. I should think it was more bothered at the interuption of it’s sunbathing
Group of three cairns associated in legend with the nearby Haltadans stone circle. The cairns are more readily visible than the circle, but still quite hard to distinguish from the geology of the area. As with Haltadans please be aware that the area is a nesting site for birds.
Access is by a fairly obvious track out along the promontory from the end of the minor road signposted ‘Scatness’. Its about a mile to the fort, part of which is along a narrow rocky strip with chain hand rails. It was a fine day when I visited, but this would be very dangerous in rough weather. Please avoid the pool to the left as you start off if visiting in the nesting season, as it is home to a tern colony.
The Historic Scotland guidebook for Shetland suggests that the fort is contemporary with the brochs, but represents the efforts of a community with less resources than those who could ‘afford’ brochs.
The fort itself consists of a double ditch and bank, once stonefaced, which cuts off the headland. There’s a stonelined passage through this and into a ‘blockhouse’ with two cells and the remains of a third.
Please note that the first assemblage of stones you see is the misguided result of ‘tidying’ the site.
Only seen from roadside as on way to ferry and there are no ready parking spots on the single track road, but this stone is one of the most impressive I’ve seen. It really does look like the figure of a woman.
Would recommend taking advantage of the audio guide which comes included in the admission fee, and does a very good job of explaining the various layers of settlement here. Takes about 30 mins for the basic package, though there are optional extras which would take it over an hour.
Visited June 2007. Could not readily identify the site at the grid ref given by the O.S. Best reached by driving to the airstrip or the waterworks along a rough track, and then striking out in the direction of the summit in front of you. Please be aware that the area is a nesting site for many birds – including skuas! RSPB ask that you do not approach the lochside as this will disturb rare species.
In the summer months you can visit Mousa at night, and not only experience this site in the atmospheric ‘summer dim’, but also see the amazing sight of the Storm Petrels who nest there flitting back to their nests after a day out at sea. Highly recommended.
Drive past Bron y foel isaf burial chamber and where the lane turns too rough to drive park and walk. Just up the path a sign points right, follow the sign, past the ruined house, and this is where it gets tricky, the path fades in and out but if you can follow it across two little bridges then now is the time to veer left and go up hill wading through cow grass( not quite as big as elephant grass )and the occasional quagmire.
The ring cairn is a complete circle and I kinda liked it once I’d found it, even though it was almost hidden in the grass and bracken.I tramped around it revealing the stones as I went some are quite big. Not the most impressive site in this part of Wales but I cant help myself, I love it round here and I’ll keep on coming back until I’ve seen them all.
From Cors-y-Gedol burial chamber carry on down the lane, over the river, up the lane, turn right then take the rough path right when it branches.This path will take you past the circle, come off the path when you see the big cairn then south through the wall up a little hill to the wall and you have just walked through the middle of the stone circle.
Unfortunately the circle is well and truly Knackered, I could only identify half a dozen stones with only one standing. Sad, but on the plus side its only a short walk to Fridd Newydd stone circles (also knackered) and the hidden gems that are Carneddau Hengwm and the hillfort Pen y Dinas.
From the A496 turn east in Coed-Ystungwern heading for Cwm Nantcol but instead of turning left go straight on through one or two gates and the chamber is set in a wall on the right .There is no-where to park and the wall must be climbed to inspect the whole place. Big capstone one orthostat and short door stone . Nice place, come before the bracken takes over
From Bron-y-foel-isaf keep driving along the little lane through two gates then park and walk . It’s a long walk for little stones but a great place . It may be easier to apprach from Cors-y-Gedol hall as a small lane goes all the way I think .The stone furthest west is about 2-3 feet tall and straight /flat on one side, Coflein suggests it might be the last stone of a destroyed circle. The slightly smaller stone 130paces east has no such suggestions made of it, it’s just a small squarish standing stone looking down into the valley and off to the mountains, fantastic place!
Because of its easy access and out of the wayness I decided here would be a good place to christen my new lightweight 2man tent.
We got there just after sunset, with just enough light to erect said tent and take one photo. As me and Eric sat about watching the bats scoop about I came up with a brilliant idea I got in the car angled it just so and put the lights on full beam, and took a quick photo I think it came out quite well.
Needless to say waking up in the morning (to cow noises too close) just 20 yards from a burial chamber was cool . It was bigger than I thought nearby is a hut circle which I didnt look for but a mile or so further south east is the almost gone stone circle of llecheiddior
Yet another cup-marked stone at Drummin. The cups in this one are less eroded than both Drummin II and Drummin III, but not as well preserved as Drummin I. It’s a large earthfast boulder, hidden in the gorse 40 metres or so west from Drummin III. There are about 15 cups in all, some more eroded than others.
I was surprised at the fine condition of the barrow. Called a bowl barrow in the Wicklow inventory, you can drive to within 100 metres of the site up the track, across the commons from the Kilmacanogue to Roundwood road. The fosse and bank are still very visible and the central mound is now home to many rabbits. The Sugar Loaf broods to the north-east.
Another stunning Cornish cliff castle, which is slightly north of another probable fortification at Cape Cornwall. There are the remains of a triple ditch defence line. Also a very well defined stone entrance. It doesn’t enclose a large area and would have been easy to defend and very hard to attack.
This must be the most westerly fortification in mainland Britain, lands end is only about a quarter of a mile away to the south. There is a definite entrance to the fort in stone. There is the vestige of a stone wall, I suspect it’s been robbed for other purposes.
The approaches to the fort appear to have been cleared of large boulders and the ditch can still be plainly seen. This is the oldest clif fort in Cornwall, dating from about 500 b.c.e. it has been excavated and nearby field systems are reckoned to be associated with the fort.
All the photos of the circle after the fire made me quite worried about the possible state of these stones. Thankfully all seems to be well, indeed any signs of there having been a fire are gone. There don’t seem to be any cracks in the stones nor does there seem to be any shifting of them.
Yet another fabulous Cornish setting, fairly easy to get to, but remote enough not to be a casual place to visit.
Carn Kenidjack stands on the hill to the north of the site and the Scilly islands can be seen to the south west on a clear day, which it was when I was there.
This is a stunning place for the views alone on a beautiful sunny day in June, I’m not sure how I would feel about being here in a howling gale in mid winter though. The perfect place to defend, the cliffs either side of the narrowest point are at least 100 feet in height. It’s a bit hard to see but there are the remains of walls and at least one entrance.
It’s name in the Cornish language is Ynyal which means desolate.
This is an ancient settlement site with the remains of two burial mounds at it’s highest point. The more southerly of these has a cist, square in shape still in situ and appears to have kerb stones around it’s edge. The more northerly mound is very sparse, only a few stones remain.
Also at the summit of the hill, next to the mounds is what appears to be a well or spring similar to that found in the interior of Chun Castle.
The information board says that there are field boundaries and hut circles which can be seen in the winter when the foliage has died back.
St Michael’s Mount can be clearly seen from this hilltop site and the small hillfort of Caer Bran is visible on the adjacent southern hill.
This stands in the middle of a field which had cattle in it when I visited it. As it stands at seven feet in height it’s probably too tall to be a lately erected rubbing post, anyway I’ve seen cows scratching themselves on the Men Scryfa and no one seems to doubt it’s age, well some do, but I don’t.
A very enigmatic place in the centre of the ancient landscape. Pronounced k’nijick by the locals it looks down over Tregeseal stone circle and other signs of long occupation.
