thelonious

thelonious

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North Lochend

15/04/2017 – Just a short walk south of Longhill cairn is this cairn on a little crest. Biggish but not much showing of any inner structure. Stones used are quite large. There is an odd cist like hole just a little down the slope.

Longhill

15/04/2017 – I like to look over maps, especially in the winter months, planning, always planning that’s me. This cairn overlooking Maywick really got me a few months back. Just a little cairn marked on the OS map, probably not that exciting but you never know. We started to plan a little trip up north around it to have a look. Even if the cairn was a bit rubbish it beats staying home ignoring all the jobs that need doing round the house, I can ignore them just as well whilst I’m away.

Early flight from Aberdeen to Sumburgh then a short taxi to Maywick and we were good to go at the start of the walk by half nine in the morning. Weather was fantastic, little wind, sunshine and blue skies, very lucky. It’s a short walk up the track from the road to the west.

From the photos, the cairn might come across as just a few jumbled up stones but it really is a good one. Canmore has it as a round cairn adapted from an earlier heel-shaped cairn. Decent size foot print. The cairn is much robbed but because of this the facade of the heel-shaped cairn is revealed. Also stones of the probable chamber with two lovely what are surely portal stones still standing. Probably just a coincidence but looking out through the portal stones the view seemed to point straight to the distant island of Foula.

Really taken with the cairn and so glad it caught my eye on the map a few months back. Great location and wonderful views. A magic visit.

Periton Hill Barrows

24/03/2017 – Walk over Periton Hill from Dunster to Minehead. Just north of the trigpoint are two barrows. Little to see but you can just make them out. Go for the walk, which is nice, not the barrows.

Bats Castle

23/03/2017 – What a great hillfort this one is. Well worth a visit along with Black Ball Camp just NE on Gallox Hill, if you are in the area. Easy access from Dunster. Good sized ramparts and ditch. Very fine views. Even a bench to rest a couple of weary feet.

Withycombe Common

23/03/2017 – Good walk from Wheddon Cross to Dunster today. Route taken was

Wheddon Cross -> Lype Hill -> Luxborough -> Monkham Hill ->Withycombe Common -> Bat’s Castle -> Dunster

Weather was rubbish in the morning. Low cloud and rain. On the way we passed a couple of cairns on Lype Hill and then stopped at the Royal Oak in Luxborough. This proved to be a fine place to get something to eat whilst we waited out the rain before climbing up to Withycombe Common in the afternoon to look for these barrows.

On the top of the hill is a linear group of three round barrows. Easiest to find is the most southern one with a trigpoint on it. Middle one was very hidden in heather. Most northerly one was OK with stones showing. Good views to Dunkery Beacon and the sea from here.

After a bash about in the heather we headed off to Bat’s Castle then Dunster for the night.

Dunkery Beacon

22/03/2017 – Fine walk from Porlock to Wheddon Cross via Dunkery Beacon today. For anyone interested in routes, access etc we went

Porlock -> Hawkcombe Woods -> Porlock stone circle -> Alderman’s Barrow -> Almsworthy stone setting -> Bendels Barrows -> Great Rowbarrow -> Dunkery Beacon -> Dunkery Bridge -> Mansley Combe -> Wheddon Cross

Took all day with our slow plodding but it was a good way to get a feel for Exmoor, a place I hadn’t been to before. Mostly on good tracks/roads, a bit wet underfoot today. The weather was changeable to say the least, snowing in the morning then lovely sun and blue skies in the afternoon.

Dunkery Beacon really does catch your eye from far away. A strong feature in the landscape. We were lucky to get the top to ourselves today but I guess it’s a busy spot in the summer months. The cairns at the summit are a fair size with the main one having a modern commemorative cairn on top. If you like a trigpoint, sad to say Dunkery Beacon’s is long gone. Very good views today as the weather was kind (I was thinking of TSC’s battle against the elements whilst there and thanked my lucky stars).

If you like an upland cairn with a view you can’t go wrong with this place. Lots to see and do in the area as well. Top day out.

Almsworthy Stone Circle

22/03/2017 – A very curious place. I counted about 10 or so small stones still standing but not really any obvious layout. I was very taken with this site. Like Porlock stone circle nearby, the setting is good and there is a nice feel to the place. A little squelchy underfoot so maybe not the best place for a sit at this time of year. Nice herd of ponies close by, just to complete a lovely scene.

Porlock Stone Circle

22/03/2017 – Nice walk from Porlock through Hawkcombe Woods to this stone circle. Easy access from the road through a gate. I liked this one a lot. The setting in the landscape is very good with a grand view of the surrounding moor. Enough stones left to still give a good feel to the place. Always good to visit a new circle for me. Well worth the trip.

Bossington Hill

21/03/2017 – Fine walk over Selworthy Beacon from Minehead to Porlock. This nice cairn is in a quiet spot on the hill and makes for a fine place for a rest. The views north across the Bristol Channel are wonderful on a sunny day.

Hillend

28/01/2017 – Snowy walk to Hillend hillfort today. We came from Caeketton Hill. Easy access from the north as well. Nice fort with good views.