Belas Knap Long Barrow View all content for Belas Knap

I was not prepared for the steep trek up through the woods, which left me realising just how shockingly unfit I am! The levelling out of the next section of path allowed me to recover in time for the sudden arrival at the long barrow, which equally took my breath away. On this cold & windy, yet bright April late afternoon, I found that I had the barrow all to myself, adding to the distant feeling from the valley far below. Belas Knap was an ideal start to this week away in the Cotswolds, giving me a perfect introduction as an example of how the areas’ long barrows seem to be perched high on the edge of a plateau (as I would later note at Hetty Pegler’s Tump for example). Without the trees covering Humblebee How on the east side I guess the view from, or indeed up to, the barrow would have been quite something. I think I’m beginning to realize, the longer I spend visiting these ancient sites, that it’s about the environment, the setting, the place, the feeling, as much as it is about the actual look of the monuments. So although, as others have commented, Belas Knap is quite manufactured and overly neat, it is still here. Literally, which is great of course, but also in the sense of giving context as to why it’s here in this place.

Posted by ruskus 8th April 2015ce

Comments (1)
You can see it from Cleeve Hill, which is quite a distance away (but a little bit higher up than the barrow). The classic Cotswold longbarrow position is just off the top or crest of the hill, this one is fairly prominent from that direction but not visible really from anywhere else, which is why you come on it suddenly if you approach the way you did. Setting, place and feeling - right on.	Posted by thesweetcheat 8th April 2015ce
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