ocifant

Am I an enthusiast? From Juamei’s entries, and the fact I’m here, I guess I must be.

I had problems finding this, despite Juamei’s directions. I had a couple of false starts, stopping when I saw Footpath signs in Milton Road. The trick is to keep going, over the speed bumps which do nothing to deter the local boy-racers, past a Cost Cutters supermarket, across a couple of mini roundabouts. Milton Road eventually comes to a T junction (mini roundabout, so you can swing back round easily), the required footpath is on the right, as Juamei says, as you approach this final junction. The entrance to the site is some 30yds along the footpath, on the right.

The site itself could be wonderful. Dragonflies and butterflies buzzed and fluttered during my visit, but sadly, despite being designated a Nature Reserve, it is quite dilapidated. Rubbish is strewn around, I heard a gang of kids making a ‘camp’ of an old fridge and car bonnet off in the bushes somewhere. Firepits are strewn around the area, and the memorial block is now only a tribute to the freedom of expression and artistic talents (or lack thereof) of the local youth population.

A historic site, deserving of more attention.

An interesting site, with a road that drives straight through the heart of the fort. There are no views as, in so many cases, the hillfort is now covered in thick tree growth.

There is an information board near to an 18thC folly, called Grimsbury Castle, and a footpath across the road leads to one of the gates of the fort, where the fortifications and ditch can be clearly seen. Whilst I was there, a muntjac deer scurried past, totally at home in the environment.

Four barrows are visible to the west of the A34, and two more are visible to the east, the barrows lay in a rough n/s alignment.

There’s a layby right by the barrows on the northbound carriageway, for the use of visitors to the De Haviland Memorial, which is nearby.

Approaching from the north, we spotted the barrows and were looking for a suitable parking place when we spotted it. A huge crop circle on the hill in the adjoining field (see photo). So the stories are true. It is a centre for this kind of activity.

Once parked in the layby, I spent a bit of time looking at the barrows, which seem to leap from the surrounding fields, before moving down to look at the circle. In the hedge at the edge of the field was a fallen treetrunk, hosting an enormous fungus growth, looking for all the world like an alien spaceship.

A spooky visit.

This seems to be a hangout for the local youths, as three or four carloads passed us as we were leaving.

I didn’t climb the hill, but did take some nice photos of wild flowers for Mikki.

There’s a sign screwed to a tree nearby that suggests the huge capstone is only supported by two of the uprights, but I saw at least three in contact during my visit.

The pathway to the dolmen was incredibly overgrown, but the area immediately around the dolmen was clear.

This stone (or its site) is just down the road from the cottage we’d hired for the week. On the final day of our holiday we determined to find it. The only stone of any size in the area is in the grounds of a new house, currently up for sale. There are a couple of other large stones in the garden, but the one furthest from the road looks most genuine.

This stone is easily visible from the N25 heading into Rosscarbery from the east, although it actually took us several days before we found it, spending most of our week either west or north of Rosscarbery.

This is apparently a fine wedge tomb, and access can be gained via the farm at V976332. I didn’t have time to enquire on my visit, having been talked into giving a local a lift into Skull.

A wonderful row. I’m not sure if it wasn’t even more wonderful in the past, as there is a recumbent stone in the row (covered with odd scratches which may just be plough scars) and a low stone at the high end which potentially could have been a fifth, taller stone in the row at some point.