thesweetcheat

Built on the exposed rock of the clifftop.

Phosphorescence on the carved stones.

Looking northwest from the reinforced top of the covering dome. Holy Island and Holyhead Mountain far right.

Reverse of image from 6 months earlier, the promontory fort seen across the bay from Barclodiad y Gawres chambered tomb.

A rather snatched shot, looking down on the ridiculously massive round barrow at Smitten Corner, to the north east of the highest part of Black Down.

Detail of the bank surrounding the disc(?) barrow to the southwest of the Hardy monument, two round barrows beyond.

Large disc(?) barrow to the southwest of the Hardy monument.

Very low barrow to the south of the Hardy monument.

The round barrow nearest the Kiss Me Hardy monument.

Round barrows downhill to the east of the Hardy Monument. Bronkham Hill beyond has a further extensive barrow group.

The somewhat trashed round barrow immediately east of the Hardy monument.

The mound.

A magnificent monument, whatever the inaccuracies of the reconstruction.

Looking west towards Hampton Down. The stone circle is not visible from here, due to intervening rising ground.

Towards Chesil Beach and The Swannery.

Flinty nougat.

I climbed into a briar patch for this one Brer Rabbit.

Looking towards Black Down, topped with a Bronze Age barrow cemetery and the Kiss Me Hardy monument.

Ritual significance.

Looking east.

Head on.

Looking across the down towards Kingston Russell stone circle, which is in the field behind the trees, left of centre.

The square capstone of the chamber.

Facade with fallen stone and displaced capstone behind.

The long mound.

Looking west.

Looking southeast-ish.

Some of the stones barely protrude above the grass, even in winter.

Flints stud the surfaces of the stones.

Detail of the northeastern arc of the circle.

Looking northeast across the circle.

Looking north across the valley towards Martin’s Down and Black Down, location of an extensive group of bank barrows, long barrows and round barrows.

Well-preserved round barrow to the southeast of the long barrow. It is situated at the head of a dry valley holloway running up onto the Down from Long Bredy church. Looking southwest towards Puncknowle and the Bride valley.

The round barrow at the eastern end of the long barrow. The northern part of the Long Bredy bank barrow can be seen on the skyline, left.

The west end of the long barrow. The nearby mound is a reservoir, but on the skyline is a very decent round barrow with the long silhouette of the Long Bredy bank barrow running across the hilltop behind it, extending out of shot on the right.

Looking ESE along the top of the long barrow, towards neighbouring Black Down (two bank barrows) and the second Black Down further away near Portesham, topped with a Bronze Age barrow cemetery and the Hardy monument.

Southwest flank of the long barrow.

Small but nicely situated round barrow at the southern end of the bank barrow, near the summit of the hill. Views across to Puncknowle and the Bride valley.

Vanishing point. Looking along the bank barrow from its southern end.

Very decent bowl barrow on the southeast side of the bank barrow. Looking towards Black Down and the Hardy monument, an objective for later in the day.

The bank barrow from its north end. The sleeping sheep partway along and the distant sheep on the skyline give some idea of the incredible scale of this monument.