thesweetcheat

The field system fills the slopes below the eastern spur of Hope Bowdler Hill. Brown Clee, the highest point in Shropshire, is on the skyline.

The possible cairn on the saddle between the northern and southern summits of the hill. I dismissed it as a sheep shelter at the time, but should have paid more attention. Looking towards the Long Mynd. The southern summit with a modern marker cairn is on the left.

Brown Clee (left of centre) seen from Hope Bowdler Hill. Titterstone Clee is to the right. The dark band running horizontally across the centre of the picture is Wenlock Edge. Bottom left is part of a prehistoric field system on the slopes of Hope Bowdler Hill.

Seen from the Gaer Stone outcrop on Hope Bowdler Hill to the south.

Gaer Stone, a prominent rock outcrop on the slopes of Hope Bowdler Hill. The name is interesting, “Gaer” meaning fort in Welsh, but there’s no sign of a fort on the hill, despite the presence of an Iron Age fieldsystem.

Blurry zoom from Maiden Castle. To the right of the barrow, another ploughed-out round barrow and the remains of a prehistoric cross-dyke can be seen as lighter soil marks (bottom right corner).

The awesome inner northern rampart, looking westwards.

The remains of the Roman Temple inside the fort, with the northern rampart visible beyond. The original Neolithic occupants would have noticed that the walls of the temple are made of unworked flint.

The inner eastern entrance. Note drystone walling revetting the earthen banks.

Complex earthworks protecting the eastern entrance to the fort.

Southern ramparts.

The incredible multiple ramparts on the south side of the fort, like a scene by Ravilious.

The northwestern ramparts.

The complex defences around the western entrance.

The ploughed-out long barrow can barely be seen – there is a slight rise in the slope of the field, centre of the picture. The hillfort rises beyond.

Clandon barrow seen from path near Lanceborough King Barrow.

The long barrow is barely more than a light soil mark, so reduced has it been.

Seen from Maiden Castle long barrow, with the eccentricities of Poundbury beyond.

From the northwest.

From the northwest, with the ramparts of Maiden Castle rising to the left.

The barrow from the south.

The huge barrow, sheep for scale.

Trees in winter.

Henge interior, New Year’s Eve.

Looking down on the entrance from the northeastern quadrant of the bank.

The entrance.

The henge from the northwest.

The western Beacon from the west. The eastern Beacon can just be seen further along the track on the left.

Tangled undergrowth masks the disturbed top of the western Beacon.

Approaching the western Beacon from the east.

The eastern Beacon, from the west.

The overgrown eastern Beacon.

The eastern Beacon.

Approaching the eastern Beacon along the forestry track from the east.

The possible/probable cairn to the SE of the main summit cairn.

The disturbed cairn to the west of the largest summit cairn.

The large summit cairn, with modern commemorative cairn on top. This is the highest point in Somerset and I have never been to a more god-forsaken spot. The direction of the photo is roughly south, the only direction that the driving wind and near-horizontal rain wasn’t making photography entirely impossible.

Disturbed cairn to the immediate west of the summit.

Sitting in the comparative shelter of the modern summit cairn, on top of the largest bronze age cairn, looking southeast. The light green mound beyond the topograph is another possible/probable cairn.

The slopes below the eastern rampart (top left), providing a formidable natural defence.

The entrance to the fort, looking south towards the Stiperstones ridge, lost in the fog.

The northern rampart.

Looking down on Crowsnest Dingle, far below the northwestern corner of the fort.

At the northwest of the fort. The Breiddin Hills, with their own hillforts, can just be seen on the skyline on the far left of the picture.

Looking south along the western rampart.

Looking along the western side of the fort, to the Shropshire plain. The rampart can be seen as a lighter green feature running from the bottom left corner diagonally across the picture to the centre right.

Looking west along the rampart at its southwestern corner. Another hillfort also called Castle Ring is sited on the ridge across the valley.

Approaching the fort along the saddle to the south.

Earl’s Hill, with earthwork clearly visible, seen from Castle Ring on the Stiperstones in less than brilliant midwinter visibility.

The hillfort seen from the southeast.