Ty Ar Boudiged

Today we have been to Brest, to Oceanopolis, Brittany’s biggest aquarium, our hotel in Vannes is about a hundred miles away. In between the two, more or less, is Ty Ar Boodigay. Ever since Moth and Jane went there nearly five years ago, the name has been rattling round my head, and, even if the precise picture of it had faded in my mind the memory of a perfect chambered cairn had remained, I must see it, I decided, next time I’m in the area (like I come here all the time?).

It is a drive of over forty miles from Brest to Brennelis and I’d be needing some petrol, so I chose to go along the main N12 duel carriageway from Brest to Morlaix, but there was not one petrol station (at home I’d have passed at least three), very close to running out I went into Morlaix, a big town, but not big enough to have a petrol station though. I thought of going to Barnenez cairn instead, but stuck to my guns, in the end I found a petrol station after much panicking and flustering, and soon we were heading south on the right road, with petrol a plenty. Bloody Frenchies.
Brennelis is a very small town in Brittany’s rocky hilly interior, it is as hilly as it gets in Brittany but it’s nothing like Snowdonia or owt, a bit like Bodmin moors high places.

The official car park quickly passed us by on our left, so we turned back and parked up, it was a big area but we were all alone. Nice.
The chamber is visible under a tree and close to the car, half a minutes walk. The back end of the chamber is arrived at first, something has been removed from the side of the chamber and you can scramble in through the wide gap.
But I like to walk all the way round before I go in, but all the way round can’t be done because of a low wall that slightly truncates the barrow, that and a bit of graffiti inside are all that’s wrong with it.
Around the front is the entrance, and it is a wide and welcoming entrance that beckons you in, I suspect that a cap stone or two may be missing from the very front. Inside it is dry, light and airy, and there is a standing stone. What ?
Where have I seen one of those before ? well Bryn Celli Ddu for a start, and like that one the stone is not structural in any way, very mysterious.
It’s late in the afternoon now and it’s almost time to go, it has been a perfect time here at Ty Ar Boudiket, a picnic would be ideal, a cold beer or two sublime.
Swallows squealing round, warm dappled sunlight filters down through the trees, it is lovely lovely lovely, I am very sad to have to leave, but I’m already looking forward to the next time , and the holidays not over just yet.

About 10 minutes drive from Mougau is this monument that is not to be missed if you’re travelling across Brittany.

On the northern outskirts of the village of Brennilis is a real beauty this real beauty: Ty-Ar-Boudiget chambered tomb. It’s essentially an allee couverte, but with a complete kerb and an earthen barrow, and stands much as it must have done after it was built.

It reminded us of the many similar more complete jættestue and høj monuments to be found in Denmark and at D49 Schoonoord in the Netherlands. But round here to find a monument in this condition is a rare thing. How it escaped being denuded like all the rest I don’t understand, but I’m so glad it did.