spencer

This crannog wasn’t on my OS map.. I was heading towards Ford and the awesome Loch Awe beyond while heading home at the end of our stunning visits to Colonsay and Gigha when I caught a glimpse of it through the dense roadside foliage. ‘A crannog!!’ Screeched to halt in nearby passing place. It’s a real swine to get a picture of, I had to descend a steep bank to the lochside and fight my way along through undergrowth and sallows. Succeeded in the end.. A small affair above water, plenty below doubtless.

As for Loch Awe, we drove W along it at the start of our holiday and once was not enough. The B840 is an amazing, beautiful drive in May. I cannot recommend it highly enough. And there’s all those crannogs… next time, touch wood.

Pregacial survivors… the highest on Colonsay. Christopher Somerville notes in his excellent book Life Between the Tides that the highest of the raised beaches here now stands 130’ above the present sea level due to post glacial uplift. Those at Uragaig and Kilchattan are also notable. These earlier sea levels have resulted in many former sea caves along the island’s coast being sites of very early habitation.

While on our way along the track to Kerry Ring armed with an out of date OS map I did a double take.. eh, what’s this? Only later did I find that it was listed here. It is a skyline feature as soon as you get to the end of the forestry when coming from Black Wood car park – I had thought from a distance it was Kerry Ring. Superb views from here – until the replanted pine forestry along the ridge overlooking Kerry obscure that direction. Do ‘do’ the Kerry Ridgeway if you get the chance. So many sites and vistas. I’ve yet to complete it. Next time, touch wood.

An annual pilgrimage to this most idyllic and unspoilt part of the world and where my family’s roots are. I had previously failed to spot this site when driving to and fro but this time, armed with a large scale map thought I’d give it another go. Only after locating and photographing it – it’s just described as a ‘mound’ – did I find via the HE listing that it dates not from the Dark Ages as I’d previously read but in fact is about three thousand years old and therefore eligible for inclusion on this site.
The theory that it is the resting place of a chieftain named Pussa is therefore incorrect, unless his remains were interred subsequently. I prefer the translation as ‘burial mound with the pear tree’ anyway. The current tree, a venerable ash, both disguises the site and perhaps, due to its size, is counter to the HE description as being in good condition. But… nice to bear the name of something prehistoric, eh? And if you ever get the chance to visit this supremely timeless area do not hesitate. You’ll come back again and again as I do. A E Housman was right. One day my ashes may lie here too.

This is eroded and robbed site is situated atop the ridge that divides the Castleshaw and Delph valley from Diggle and may be seen from both locations. To reiterate, the well preserved horseshoe shaped feature downslope nearby is a WW2 gun emplacement – don’t be fooled! I have also noticed but have yet to attempt to get to another nearby feature under the boundaries of two field walls on the skyline downhill from the Saddleworth Hotel when seen from the A62 going towards Delph. This area may have more to offer..