Latest Fieldnotes

Behind the Ring of Brodgar in the RH corner of the field there is a cist-like structure at the top of this mound, though all I could locate on my visit was the turf-covered edge of a long horizontal slab at the side facing the loch. During an excavation nine pieces of silver ‘ring-money’ were found.

Supposedly an early archaeologists’ name for it rather than a local one, this is the knowe opposite the modern entrance to the Ring of Brodgar and slap bang alongside the car park. At one time two short cists were extracted from the mound, but unfortunately having been excavated many times all that is left is the many inroads that now make its appearance so interesting. Contrast that with the basically featureless Fresh Knowe (HY296134) back down the road a little – though there is mention of traces of horns at the south and east corners- and this was at some time the the subject of an abortive excavation (however mention of a cist is believed in error for Salt Knowe behind the ring).

Going down the road to Yesnaby almost instantly you realise that this is one of the routes in Orkney that has missed out on a closer look by the archaeological community, using CANMAP there seems little here but on the ground it appears jam-packed. Abundant rocky outcrops do confuse matters I suppose. If I were looking for the broch again I would try for the more direct approach from Borwick Farm. Going along the coast as I did is only for the very able bodied and definitely not when it has been chucking it down. First obstacle a barbwire fence, which fortunately at one section has a couple of lines missing. Here tou can see two lines of ‘standing stone fences’ intersect [see Breck spine for a fence example]. One of the fences goes across till it hugs all along the very cliff edge. Oh these standing stones are real beauties standing in sturdy big slab-lined rectangular sockets magnificently constructed. Eventually you see the broch ahead on a small headland. For most people the best thing to do would be to use a good telephoto shot from this spot (which I missed out on) and then turn back. The photo would look as if taken from a rock-steady boat to my mind. But now you descend a steep and slippery hillside and cross the stream just above the ruin in the narrow valley. Now an uphill struggle and a barbwire fence. The stile over this is of inferior modern construction – two strips of wood parallel to the fence at no distance and resting on narrow pillars. There is no gap in the fence here and my shortish legs only just scraped over. At the top of the hill entrance to the site is over a less rickety stile thank goodness. Before this standing stone fence at left there is a rectangular depression with several stones that is definitely not wall. To the front right of the broch tower there is a large area covered with stones of various sizes and conditions. Once inside the fence you can see that there is one large thin slab that appears to show a structure. The entrance to the broch tower is round to the left. In front of this are two now uncapped guard cells in plain view, the left being especially well preserved. The doorway is only preserved up to the lintel but apart from a bit of a gap there the broch continues up for several courses more. Some large stones lie on the entrance floor and make it so that you have to bend over to scramble through. Inside there are still some suggestions of structure. All the back is gone of course, and there the broch wall remains are only a couple of feet across and back onto sheer cliff. In order to obtain an overview I had to stand on this hunched back with my 28mm attached, when I just managed the shot. On going back I could see two structural holes either side of the entrance – for a bar ??

You can’t possibly miss the headland that it’s on but there is a map at the car park to be on the safe side. Very difficult to reach (though a peach compared to the Broch of Borwick). Even to get there you have to go over fractured stone pavement along the coast, pass over a small stream and around a tricky boggy path. Only one of the defensive walls is that obvious but it is charming even if not a full line of stones know. There are some structures o the top that were (?fancifully) called sailors’ graves. I saw one of these by the cliff edge ahead of the stone cairn and on the RH side, roughly 3m across. Just three slabs sticking up and a few other stones beside, but a very obvious structure in regards to the situation

Located behind the ruins at the back of Via, which lies the other side of the road from the Loch of Clumley that gives the alternative name. Very impressive pileup, you can understand why the archaeologists admit to being baffled by the remains. The enclosure reference is to the approx. 88x75m depression about it. Though not totally sure the six stones are in situ archaeologists hazard it may be all we have left of a Maes Howe tomb. The stones aren’t all that big, the impression of being massive comes from how thick they are. In Orkney most chambered tombs are of much slighter slabs or of drystane walling. But the impression I had in the flesh was more a sense of its being a dolmen or cromlech. The marshy ground a little distance to the right appears to be above where the well was previously. I am posting seperately a cist-like structure that I saw at the top of this. The decorated stone eluded me.

Visited 27th August 2003: Ballakelly sits in a small circular enclosure in a field adjacent to the A25. Parking is appalling, and the road is relatively busy (for the Isle of Man). We squeezed our little car into a gateway across the road, but it felt temporary, and contributed towards a very brief visit.

The stones that make up the site fall into two distinct groups. The chamber on the north west side of the site, and a scattering of stones on the ground to the south east. When we visited there was quite long grass growing around the stones, which combined with the restrictive perimeter fence made it difficult to figure out. Having read up a bit on the site since our visit, I realise we missed both cup marks and the end of a splitting wedge lodged in one of the scattered stones.

Would have liked more time to figure this one out.

Not much at all to see on the ground, and access is poor as it’s used as a horse riding field now... but ariel photography has shown a henge and D shaped enclosure once stood in theses fields, just a spit away from Arminghall Henge at the southern tip of Norwich.

The high path running along the ridge from Round Hill to Ellacar Pike is an ancient trade route above Middleton and Denton Moors. This is supported by a number of boundary stones bearing 18th C ‘D’ and ‘M’ inscriptions when it was still regarded as a significant landmark. One fallen boundary stone is a reused cup marked rock and there are still a number of old milestones around these paths. Both Middleton and Denton Moors contain a number of cup and ring marked stones.

A number of paths meet at High Badger Gate, which is possibly the site of an old market.

Take the footpath down to Malham Cove and look up on the hillsides around you, they still bear the prominent cultivation terraces and settlements of Bronze Age farmers, later reused by the Saxons.

Previously a Victorian Showcave in which evidence of early human habitation was found. A wonderful place to spend an afternoon exploring with a torch. The highlight being the underground waterfall chamber at the back of the cave.

You’ll find it just over the river from the Apronfull of Stones cairn.

An easy route is to approach from the east over Ilkley Crags and past the Pepperpot Rock, this brings you to the back of Willy Hall’s Wood.

This is one of my favourite spots to while away time on these moors. The atmosphere is buzzing and it’s not hard to see why this would have been a sacred spot in prehistoric times... in fact, it still is now. Willy Hall’s Wood is a mound surrounded by two streams which drain off of Green Gates and join again at the bottom of the mound at Willy Hall’s Spout. The stream then flows down into Ilkley under Brooke Street and joins the Wharfe at the bridge near the Roman Fort of Olicana.

Near the crossing of the eastern stream is an upright boulder with a number of large bowls or cups on it’s eastern face. I’m uncertain whether they were fashioned or are natural (I have seen many similar features on a number of rocks around Ilkley Moor), but I am certain that it’s not there by accident and feels very much like an ‘entrance’ to the site. A few yards north of the main rock is a cluster of small boulders, one of which has a small cup on it’s top.

Unfortunately, Willy Hall’s Wood Stone still bears the marks of someone’s utter stupidity. As previously shown here, someone has followed the design in red paint and added runic nonsense to the north facing side of the stone. The paint seems to be an acrylic and has dried to a rock hard, matt finish which will take decades to weather away naturally. A curse on the backward thinking motherf*cker.

Still, even this vandalism can’t detract from the beauty and sacred intent of this spot.

Much of what is here is poorly accessible due to the thick forestry plantation, but as the woodland is up for sale, the trees may be harvested soon. A few rocks exist in the heather nearby and a large boulder (now a boundary stone) set into the wall bears dozens of cup marks on its upper surface.

The area a few hundred yards to the east of the Badger Stone has a scattering of cup and ring marked rocks, including the curious ‘Pitchfork Rock’. Search amongst the waterlogged ground and spring heads for a few beauties!

Either approach from the usually boggy path from the Wetstone Gate transmission masts to the east, or along the forestry wall up from Rivock Edge.

A large scatter of boulders, one of which is used as a boundary stone still. A number of rocks bear large cups similar to those on the ‘entrance stone’ at Willy Hall’s Wood and one large, upended triangular boulder is beautifully weathered.

The walls here look so good ‘cos they were excavated and rebuilt in the late 1980’s. Excavations revealed signs of settlement on this spot stretching back 9000 years. Possible started as a mesolithic hunting camp.

Took the path up through the wonderful Troller’s Ghyll to Skyreholme and found three carved rocks (there’s many more but didn’t have time to look) and possible rubble walling nearby.

On a visit to this site that was well known to me during my childhood, I found the site changed slightly. The old stone gutter is gone and the water now flows into a round concrete basin and disappears underground. A low wall has also been built at the back of the spring.

A search of the nearby rocks revealed no further clues such as carvings.

An amazing array of weathered outcrops and rock idols absolutely crawling with people. Go on a pissy, cold day in winter to avoid the hoards.

Situated above Shipley Glen and overlooked by rock art on Baildon Moor to the north and east, this sad little circle lies near the road which destroyed a section of its northern end. It’s hard to distinguish amongst the rock scatter and fallen stones, but a couple of (largely reconstructed) double arc settings give it away.

Camping at Dobrudden was a great experience. Within half an hour of rolling out of bed each morning, I was out walking the dogs and searching for rock art. Most of the photos I’ve uploaded are from the ridge on which the campsite/caravan park sits, but from what I see here, I’ve missed quite a few. More carved rocks and a possible stone circle are on the next ridge down near the curve in the Brackenhall Road.

I also found a faint, vaguely circular enclosure to the east of the caravan park.

Also worth noting is the livestock on the campsite. Turkeys, geese, chickens and peacocks! Watch out when you’re reversing!

A fantastic high outcrop of millstone grit at the northern side of Wharfedale. Connected by folklore to the Cow and Calf rocks on Ilkley Moor, this place is worth a visit if only for the great views and weirdly weathered bowls. Standing stones reputedly once stood nearby, so it seems very likely that the sacred nature of the crag was recognised by our ancestors.

Funny what you find on your doorstep. A short detour from the A14, through Woodford will find this little gem overlooking the Nene valley. Nice Easter day and the first barrow is now a giant rabbit warren. Footpath gives excellent access.

I was around the Killala Bay area over the easter period and paid a visit to Kilcummin holy well as I had read somewhere there were two standing stones marking the spot where St Cumin is said to be buried, the well is actually in Ballinlena next to Kilcummin. I was delighted to find the well was in a small enclosure along with two small cairns that are now part of a christian pilgrimage. This is similar to Glencolmcille in Donegal where some of the stations of the pilgrimage are actually megalithic sites. The two standing stones are in the next field about thirty metres South of the Holy Well.

Visited here last Wednesday (April 14th) to investigate reports that the circle had been destroyed and yup, it’s gone! A sad clearance pile of rocks heaved out and dumped near the style still bear JCB marks and the field in which the remains of the circle stood has been stripped down to the soil and is now grassed over. A very slight depression in the soil remains overlooking Bradup Beck.

This was a protected monument on the Scheduled Monuments Register and I’m sure the landowner can be prosecuted if the destruction was carried out without permission.

Local folklore also tells that a number of stones were taken from the circle many years ago to build the nearby Bradup Bridge.

This ruined chambered cairn can be seen on the eastern horizon between the market stance and the war memorial in Benbecula on the A865

There is another cairn close by