Latest Fieldnotes

Hidden in a plantation of foreign trees that are alien to the landscape, this tiny circle has been much ravished.
But the feeling of ancient presence prevades it, whispering of dark, shadowy landscapes and torch-lit funeral processions in honour of a powerful, dead, queen.
The hairs on the back of your neck creep, and you turn around quickly and just miss seeing a primeval human darting behind a tree.
Spooky!

Visited the quoit in an autumn gale, the capstone poised ready to launch itself onto the surf of swelling grass.
Felt like I could ride that board to Men an Tol and out into the Atlantic!

Visited at the same time as a ‘Harry Safari’ minibus full of the elderly and foreign. Well, why not; but I observed that the not so nimble were struggling bending down in the fogou and the non-English speakers were somewhat baffled by Harry’s colloquialisms and interpretations of the site (and listening in, so was I). Still, the smiles in their eyes told me that the site had touched them with its mystery, as it did for me.
Rushed on to Men an Tol etc. before the minibus got there. I like people to enjoy the places so beloved to me, but I don’t like being part of a tourist attraction as I perform my ceremonies or just sit and meditate. Sorry Harry!

Dancing with the maidens at new moon on the autumnal equinox, raising the energy to heal a world reeling from The Lightning Struck Tower(s) across the ocean.
A merry dance of life amongst death; the joy of here and now, and place and time.
I finished by laying down in the centre, in the Shape of the Cross, and clung to the earth as the stars carried on dancing in a circle above me.
Returned to Treverven campsite and a celebratory feast of the Maiden’s blackberries, and scrumpy, in our tent.

Standingstone Farm, East Lothain
Friday 21/9/01 3:50pm
This is about plan C or D after a trip down to the Lammermuirs to check out some sites proved fruitless due to the continuing FMD restrictions. All the land, farm tracks, hill paths etc in this part of the land remain closed so I’ve compensated this disappointment by heading NW to the might of Traprain Law and the megaliths in its shadow. I was really hunting out Loths Stone, but have ended up here at the farm called Standingstone- no prizes for guessing where it gets its name from! I thought I’d better check the access around here and was directed to this amazing old farmhouse from a nearby cottage. The elderly woman owner was charm itself and invited me into her kitchen so we could have a look at the maps I had. She phoned round her neighbouring farms inquiring about access for me- turns out the public track up to Loths Stone still has sheep on it so the farmer would rather folk didn’t walk there just now. Anyway the woman gave me her number to phone at a later date to check out access and in the meantime was more than happy for me to have a look at the stone on the farm grounds. Back down the road from the main building and just behind a small cottage stands an orchard with this great monolith in the middle presiding over the trees. The orchard itself is waist high in stinging nettles and these buggers even managed to sting me through my combats! The stone’s over 2 metres high by about 60 cm thick and has been expertly shaped. The top of the stone slopes at about 45 degrees in a N to S direction and the whole monolith is covered in an amazing coat of khaki, yellow and white lichen. Even today after many years the stone still holds an almost perfect square cross section with sides almost in a N/S alignment (about 10 degrees) pointing towards Traprain Law. Time to head there and see if it’s open for business!

Directions
Take the A1 east from Edinburgh and head through Haddington on to East Linton. From here take the road south heading towards the might of Traprain Law. Pass Traprain and Sunnyside farms and pass the sign for the Law itself. Head straight on for a T junction and turn right passing Luggate farm. Traprain Law is on the right and at the SW base is a small group of cottages and farms. Standingstone is the last big building on the left of the road.

Traprain Law, East Lothian
Friday 21/9/01 4:35pm
This is East Lothians ‘Dunadd’- this hill dominates the East Lothian skyline as it rises out of the fertile farming plains all around. I can even see this mound from window in my work place in Edinburgh and it’s visible from many other points across the Capital and Mid Lothian. This must have been a great Mother of a central point for the megalith builders living around here- certainly- along its west base is a line of standing stones from Standingstone Farm, through Loths Stone, ending at another monolith just outside East Linton. The only other dominating feature of the land around here is the perfect cone of Berwick Law- another focal point for ancient civilisations. The climb up here is probably the most precarious I’ve done to any ancient site- my very limited climbing/scrambling skills certainly came in useful. I came up by the NE side of this ancient mound (not the easiest route I later found out!) which has been quarried in complete blinding disregard for this place. The presence of the quarry makes the climb up kinda scary and not for those like me trying to ignore the far-too-high drop to the right. This is the first time I’ve come up here though it’s been on my skyline all my life whenever I look towards the east. Driving here along the amazing country roads I rounded a small hill and it all of a sudden loomed over me filling the windscreen- ‘Fuck’ was my exact words! This place has been occupied/used from Neolithic, through Bronze (when it was used for burials), Iron ages up through Roman to about 5th century AD- jeez- that’s about 5000 years! It’s very size and position acts as a natural defence but there’s also man-made fortifications all around extending for over 100 m and up to 3.5 m thick. In more recent times this area has become the focus of paranormal/UFO research as the skies above my head have been filled with glowing orbs. Today it’s misty and I can’t even see as far as Edinburgh. There’s only one way back down from here and methinks it’s a sliding-down-on-yer-arse job!

Directions
Take the A1 east from Edinburgh and head through Haddington on to East Linton. From here take the road south heading towards the might of Traprain Law itself. Pass Traprain and Sunnyside farms and take the next right following the signs. There’s a couple of car parks- the second one from this direction has some Historic Scotland boards telling of history, folklore, natural history etc.

Another 2 ditched hill fort, like Faugen and Chun Castle, but totally overgrown with trees. Some nice trees though. Again some tip top views and a half and a good start out of Penzance to get an alternative view of the surrounding country.

Most of the tracks marked on maps are completely overgrown in Penwith and quite unusable without a scythe, which I don’t usually carry aound with me myself. This is a bi-vallette hillfort; it has 2 ditches (it says on the nice sign at the gate) and dates, so is reckoned, from around 500BC- 0AD and would have belonged to a local chief. I only found the inner ditch/wall to be discernable and it is quite a search to find a way in. Two standing stones stand in the NE of the round a bit like gateposts and if you look though them to the SW St Buryan church tower can be clearly seen and if you look NE through them Penzance Parish church can be seen. Funny that. And indeed the view up here is utterly choice. A good place for a fort maybe but also a good place to be on top of the world watching the sun rise and the sun set and the moon glide over the sea.

Carn Kenidjack strikes such a distinctive pose in such a bold way that is visible from so many points around Penwith that really you’d be rude not to make the effort to go there and spend a little time. I sat with a friend for hours there with the sun up above and a little doggy having a great time. Up above all the heavy stuff at this seriously heavy place. Good views of the sea to the North and the three hills of Carn Brea, Bartinne Castle and Caer Bran to the South. Wonderful outcrop to park in on. And from there ya can see, just, the little rig of tiny, humble stones that are the Tregeseal Dancing Stones which are just a simple delight, darling. Wow. Very, very nice indeed. 19 stones, like most round here. There are a couple of outlying stones visible from the circle towards Kenidjack, but they could just be ‘normal’ stones, it’s a bit difficult to tell.

You know all that dungeons and dragons stuff? Well this could be fogous and ferpents. This place is huge. I thought it would go on for ever, like sum kind of Khazad-dum. Unfortunatly there’s a new set of metal braces holding up the roof near the entrance, but don’t let that put you off. A must, must.

It took me while to round asking the woman at the garage whether the inconspicuous clump of gorse in the field behind her whole filling station was where the 3 brothers were residing. She said that they were out on the moor, which apparantly meant yes. And then I had gorse and heather to wade through for about 200 yards in sandals. Ouch!
The stones lie looking a little like a dolmen/quoite, in that one of them caps the other two, but I suspect that this is not their original state. It kind of looks like they’ve been dumped unceremoniously in a field, though that may be to fool such fools as me. Going on the name I think of the 3 brothers N of Lancaster and so imagine them standing seperatly. The surrounding land and sea is not dissimilar to Morecambe Bay either. There is a ruined chapel nearby in the NE of the field.

There is a car park just to the side of Carn Brea, in between that and Bartine Castle and most people take this route to the top which is probably the most boring one to take, a bit like going up Snowdon via the railway. The way I prefer to go is to take a footpath from a place called Brea on the B3306, near the airfield and so walk up from the West (although I guess that it might be good to come down that way after the sun has set too) thereby taking in two standing stones at the bottom of the hill, set close to each other, not unlike gateposts (see also Faugen Round). It’s also quite good fun making it up this way because of the maze like gorse.

Never realised or understood quite what the significance of these stones were until I checked out the site...

Henblas is now a tourist-type farm attraction with childrens play area, falconry displays et al. One of the attractions is a bone-shaking ride on a tractor-pulled trailer which loops around the farm and does a circle about this monument. We thought it was a natural occurence until seeing the photograph on this site. I don’t know if it’s worth the ( not inconsiderable ) entrance fee to see the stones alone, but the kids loved the farm though..!

This is another site I remeber from childhood holidays in the rain searching out all the ancient burial chambers in Angelsey.

Revisted last year and when we arrived a cool dude from the University was inside. He invited us in and pointed out the spiral markings and the area where strange brews of bones and other bits and pieces where discovered...

The children were open-mouthed and awestruck at the chamber and description of the “witches’ brew”. This is a fantastic setting and quite a magical experience if you can get inside – the key should be available from the vistor centre in Abbefraw. I understand it’s been significantly restored though...

we arrived here after visiting some of the other sites in the area.
It was better than any of the pictures you see of it, it had a great calming effect, especially as we were there on Sept 11th this year, after hearing about all the trouble in the U.S.A. A lovely walk just a bit to breezy to get the scetch pad out.

Hmmmmm.....Forestry Commision, those two words spell disaster for this monument. Well maybe that’s a bit harsh cos the stones are wonderful, but the views would have been amazing if it wasn’t for those pesky conifers. It is a harsh-ish climb, and you don’t get the sense of height or views really for it.

But a bit of imagination will quickly get you in the mood, these remains are fine, and ok, the wood around is actually quite atmospheric.

Wow! Hot sun beating down in mid-September, a picnic of epic proportions, and a view over Ailsa Craig to dance for!
This is such a lovely place, blackberries on the way, beach in front to check out for sure...

The remains are small, the mound apparently was much bigger. Check out the alignment on the Ailsa Craig rock, obvious, how did it work when the chambers and mound were still intact. Must have been from a bit further off. But now the “gunsight” effect is pretty spectacular.
Cows chill in the next field, a couple have brought their child here, everyone is taking time and taking it in.
Not like on Machrie Moor, where people zoom round the path see the stones (just) and then piss off back to their waiting cars to see the next thing on the list.

Good skillz ancients!!

Just returned from a blisteringly hot(!), September visit to Arran. Our first visit to the moor was greeted with torrential rain, followed swiftly by bright sun. But a return visit rewarded us with bright sunshine, a cloudless sky, and suprisingly, an empty moor!

Take time here, there are so many monuments that your first visit will be one of confusion. Too many stones to take in, all connected by a handy track. Allow at least an afternoon, or even a day. Time seemed to just disappear.

The natural amphitheatre of the moor is spectacular, the sandstone of the main upright megaliths working beautifully and quite oddly (my first red sandstone experience) with the mountains. There are many other circles dotted about, all on their own would be fantastic monuments.But combined with a Stenness-esque centre-piece, it’s all almost too much to take in.

So, I reckon, maybe make a preliminary visit, get your bearings, then return for a long, long visit, the rewards are surely great.....
(p.s. if it’s raining take your wellies!)

Pitcur Souterrain, Perthshire
Sunday 16/9/01, 11:30am
I’m sitting here at the end of the only remaining roofed section of this massive souterrain writing by the light of my caving helmet. The stillness in here is breathtaking. It’s not really as cold as other sites I’ve been to- I’m sitting in my T-shirt and waterproof trousers. This whole site is, unfortunately, in a bad state. I’ve read in “The Souterrains of Southern Pictland” by F.T. Wainwright (1963) that there were two botched excavations (i.e.- treasure hunts) and that all of the finds have been lost. The whole place is in need of some clearing- along the unroofed sections I found it impossible to walk due to trees growing in the structure, weeds up to my neck and precariously balanced roof lintels still in place at certain parts. Even back in 1963 in the aforementioned book it was described as “site is most depressing, waist deep in nettles, and with trees and bushes growing in the souterrain”. However, this roofed part that I’m in just now is pretty well preserved- and big- about 17 m long and high enough to stand in at sections. At this end the earth floor rises up to meet the roof lintels, but I’m sure this is a recent feature- other souterrains I’ve been in have all ended with solid stone. I’ve carefully placed some candles along the length of the chamber, but it’s not really too dark in here. There are also many remains of some not too carefully placed candles! Time to go back outsideÉBack at the entrance to the remaining roofed section- it looks as if there was a gate or even iron bars barring the entrance at one time. Whoa! I’ve just noticed an amazing cup marked stone on the left of the roofed section. There are also two small side chambers off to the right, one just before the roofed section which is blocked with earth and the other just inside- stone lined and v. small. Back up on ground level and to the right of the roof there is a 1 by 1.5 m approx. cup and ring marked rock lying horizontally with about 30 cup marks, many with associated rings. This is a really huge and complex site, but the condition and overgrowth make it doubly difficult to get an idea of- a case of not seeing the souterrain for the trees!
Note- another souterrain- more cup (and ring) marked stones. Most of these sites I’ve visited have rock carvings, yet, I’ve read that these were places of storage. Why go to the effort of carving (probably magickal) symbols in a cellar? Doesn’t ring quite true with me.

Directions
From Coupar Angus (North of Perth on the A94), take the A923 towards Dundee. Just after the second crossroads (signed Collace and Newtyle) look out for Pitcur farm and cottages on the right hand side. Stop off here and ask permission- I spoke to a manny in the second cottage who said the farmer was quite happy for folk to visit- “aye they get school kids and even folk from as far awa as Fife visitin”! He also said he’s always meant to have a look at the ‘caves’, but never gone up with his torch. Back out of the farm road turn back left again and just down the road on the right hand side there’s a line of fence/wall/bushes/telegraph poles separating two fields. Walk up this and the souterrain in is the fenced off area- you can’t miss the weeds n trees!

Colen Wood Stone Circle, Perthshire
Monday 17/9/01 3:55pm
Number three in a series of three- well sort of! This circle is the third and final site in a line of three circles starting east at Blackfaulds, through Druids Seat and ending here. It’s an absolutely roasting day and after the battle through the gorse and trees to get here I’m a tad hot to say the least. I thought it would be easier getting up here (it’s signed), and maybe once the crop has been harvested it will be. However, just now there’s not much room between the edge of the crop and the barbed wire fence so I came up through the strip of trees where the gorse bushes are also chest high in places and boysoboys does that stuff scratch! The view from here though is just amazing- Perth, the hills of Fife, over to Callander, Ben More etc- wow. There’s not much left standing of this circle- in fact only one stone about 75 cm high of about 13 stones. It’s hard to tell as there are many small stones that might have been placed on this uncultivated piece of ground from the surrounding field. On the remaining upright it looks like there might be the remains of two small cupmarks on the upper surface. However, on a now recumbent stone to the immediate west of this one there are about 30 cup marks showing on its upright surface. So maybe this site is ruinous, but the view has got to be one of the best of any site I’ve visited and it’s an amazing place to spend a quiet mo on a glorious late summer afternoon.

Directions
Travelling south from Blairgowrie on the A93 take the last turn off right just before Guildtown (signed for Stormontfield). Drive past the large farm called Cambusmichael and look out for woods ahead. About halfway through the woods there’s a small layby on the left next to a large gate and fence. Walk further down down the road and there’s a large style over the fence. Look up to the line of trees and you should see the green and white ‘Stone Circle’ sign. Walk up by the trees and the circle is at the top of the hill.

Spicey little Bronze Age site, set in the northern bend between Marlow and Cookham. To get up here:

from the South, walk down the path alongside Winter Hill Golf Course, down the insanely steep chalk hill, across the bridge across the marsh, and dodge the wild horses

From the North: walk down the side of Bourne End train station, past the auction house. Right at the end of the car park, you’ll see a slight gap in the fence. Sashay down the shady path, and up onto the railway bridge. All the way across, and turn left (upstream). Go up past “The Bounty”, through all the gardens backing onto the river, through the gate and towards Winter Hill

and behold! Cock Marsh!

It’s formed by sediment piling up from the river over the years in front of Winter Hill, forming a completely sealed off island – steep hill on one side, natural semi-circle of river on the other.

There are 3 barrows still visible, one just as a crop mark. The biggest is about 3m high, with a bit of a ditch left on the north side. The others are in pretty poor repair, but this is a delightful, resting, calm place. Stop by, if you’re in the area (there’s a pub handy as well)

RG

I visited the Smithy for the first time this week, running the gauntlet of an angry stoat on the way!
What a stunning site. Warming sunlight filtering through the almost protective wall of trees and the lack of other visitors created a perfect atmosphere.
The long, low tapering mound is beautifully shaped and the row of stones guarding the entrance way are just perfect.
I will be back soon.

A strangely tidy Neolithic long barrow 90 feet in length.
Approximately one mile from Hetty Pegler’s Tump this barrow lies in a public park just to the right of the car parking area.
The chamber has been opened up so no dirty knees at this one folks.

I parked my car in the small space on the verge of the road and started beaming like a fool as I approached the Tump (also known by the less romantic name of Uley Long Barrow). Although the mound is somewhat disfigured where it’s been dug into, the entrance to the chamber is beautiful.
Crawling under the huge slab of stone above the entrance I was immediately struck by the warmth and absolute stillness, a marked contrast from the gale blowing outside.
Get someone to walk about on the mound while you’re inside...the amplified thump of footsteps is fantastic!

Oh, yes and I am hooked! Such a shame that someone shoved a village in it but when I think of the utter peace of mind I feel when I sit within the henge, on a pub bench with a cold beer- it’s almost less of a tragedy (but, not quite). But, up there, on the South-West bank with a view down to the stones, across to the avenue and away to Silbury Hill- that’s where I’ll be. Oh, yes.