thesweetcheat

Looking up the coast towards Peel Hill (far left).

The prominent cairn seen across the heath on the way to Bradda Hill.

Looking towards the Calf of Man, with Meayll Hill and its wonderful circular chambered tomb on the left.

With Port Erin on the left and Meayll Hill behind.

The neighbouring Burroo Ned fort is on the left.

Looking along the middle ditch.

Looking down on the triple ramparts, with the Calf of Man beyond.

Boot to highlight the size of the cups/basins.

More of the cups/basins.

The heather-clad inner bank.

Looking towards The Sound visitor centre. The grassy headland to the left is occupied by The Parade, another Iron Age site.

One of the biggest cups/basins inside the fort, with a smaller one below it in the foreground. Looking towards the Calf of Man.

Lovely quartz outcrops inside the fort.

Looking north over the inner bank.

Looking southeast towards Spanish Head from inside the fort.

Eastern end of the inner bank.

The fine fort on its headland setting, seen from the northwest.

One for the gorse enthusiasts.

This is a substantial barrow, but very overgrown.

Clagh Ouyr is the hill on the right of centre, with North Barrule beyond. The 1:25000 map shows three cairns in antiquity script, one at the col near Black Hut and two on the summit ridge of Clagh Ouyr. On the coast to the right of Clagh Ouyr you can just see Maughold Head, where we were the day before this.

Beinn-y-Phott is right of centre, with the southern hills of the Isle of Man fading into the blue beyond. In the distance to the right you can see South Barrule (hillfort) and Cronk ny Arrey Laa (cairn). Seen from the upper slopes of Snaefell, with copious quartz outcrops.

It’s not clear whether the cairn on top of Bheinn-y-Phott is ancient (the 1:25000 shows it in antiquity script) but it’s a fine hill to put one on. Seen from near The Bungalow below Snaefell.

Looking across the forecourt of the southwestern tomb.

Southwestern chamber.

The lovely orthostat in the facade of the southwestern tomb.

The southwestern chamber.

The narrow portal leading from the forecourt into the chamber of the northeastern tomb. The two-stone portal arrangement is very similar to that at Cashtal yn Ard.

Northeastern tomb.

Forecourt and facade of the northeastern tomb.

The northeastern tomb, showing retaining wall/kerb.

The prominent fort from Maughold Brooghs to the west.

The fort from below, probably the easiest place to see the bank from.

Fine kerbing visible on the left.

The fine little kerbed cairn on the highest point inside the fort.

Looking SSW along the coast from the fort.

Looking down on Maughold from inside the fort. The pointy-looking hill is North Barrule, over on the far left is Snaefell, the summit of the Isle of Man.

The path cutting through the single bank of Maughold Head fort.

Maughold Head, prominent on the left, seen from Ballafayle chambered cairn.

From the northeastern corner, showing the edging of drystone wall. The summit of North Barrule peeks over the intervening ridge.

The bank running across the monument is apparently a modern addition. Now that the surrounding trees are gone, it sports a nice growth of heather.

Possible cist at the southeastern end of the mound.

The band of exposed stone is the line of the 1926 excavation trench.

Uprights in what I assume would have been a facade around the inner edge of the courtyard.

The wedge-shaped tomb from the north, with the forecourt on the right.