Taken 8th December 2002: The three stones on the south west side of the circle, viewed from the south west. The stone in the foreground had a pretty red lichen on it. You can also see the depressions around the stones caused by livestock.
Taken 8th December 2002: This is the big stone at the north end of the circle, viewed from the south, with Louise reluctantly posing for scale. This is the stone that everyone ended up sheltering behind because the wind was so cold.
Taken 8th December 2002: The south side of the circle again, this time looking north west. The hill in the distance may be Mynydd Cemais, but I’m not 100% certain. Visibility was very poor.
Taken 8th December 2002: These are the same three stones as shot in the group photo, but this time from the west. You can clearly see the stile that leads to Croen yr Ych. In the high resolution version of this photo you can just make out the stone circle itself behind the stile.
Taken 8th December 2002: Lou, Chris, William and Pete looking cold on the south west side of the circle.
Taken 8th December 2002: This is the strange wedge shaped stone on the south west side of the circle (nearest to Cerrig Caerau). In the middle distance you can see Chris approaching the stile (the figure on the left).
The black blob in the far distance (to the right of Chris) is Pete, Lou and William sheltering from the wind at Cerrig Caerau. This gives a good idea how close the two circles are.
Taken 8th December 2002: These stones lie on the nort west side of the circle.
Taken 8th December 2002: This is a photo of me and Alfie (in the baby carrier) on the south east side of the circle. The stone I’m standing next to is pretty typical in terms of size for this site.
Taken 8th December 2002: This is the circle viewed from the south west, as seen approaching from the direction of Cerrig Caerau. The person standing on the right of the circle is Chris.
Taken 24th November 2002: This stone lies just to the east of the eastern standing stone, but on the other side of the fence. I’m not sure whether it represents a fallen stone, but it struck me as the right kind of size and proportions. If anyone else has visited the site I’d be interested to know what they think.
Taken 24th November 2002: This is the westerly of the two standing stones by the road-side. It’s very thin, and has a beautiful angle to it. This photo is taken looking north east across the estuary and the mountains (Diffwys and the Rhinogs I think).
Taken 24th November 2002: This is the eastern stone, looking eastwards towards the forestry.
The roads run right past these stones, and probably follows the same route that was used by the people who erected them. Now it’s a small tarmaced lane with lots and lots (and lots) of gates crossing it.
Taken 24th November 2002: This is the stone nearest the forestry, looking north towards Abermaw (Barmouth). You can just about see Cardigan Bay sweeping off to the west, and the beginnings of the Llyn Peninsular.
Taken 24th November 2002: This is one of the two remaining megaliths nearest the forestry (it’s the one to the east). The photo is taken looking approximately north east, over the Mawddach Estuary. I think that the peaks you can see in the distance are Diffwys and the Rhinogs, but I’m not certain.
Taken July 1995: We were camping right next to Calanais, and decided to visit this site as it was easily within walking distance. The remains of the cairn aren’t especially spectacular in comparison with their neighbours, but I’d recommend the walk if only for the views and the chance to orientate yourself with the countryside.
This shot is taken looking inland (approximately north) towards the village of Breasclete.
Taken July 1995: I’m pretty certain that this photo is taken looking north west towards Calanais.
Yep, I’ve just checked that with the high resolution version of the photo, and you can make out Calanais just below the horizon, left of centre. I’m afraid at this resolution (as posted) you can’t see much though. It’s just above the dark green patch of trees (with a light coloured farm house below them) to the right of the middle stone.
Taken July 1995: This shot was (probably) taken looking south. It’s seven years ago that we were there, so I’m not really sure about the details of the visit. Time to go back again I think!
Taken July 1995: I think I took this photo as we approached the site, so I would have been facing south. That’s just a guess, because my memory of this visit is very foggy.
Taken Autumn 1997: This was my first visit to Hirnant. With Toby acting as my guide I also paid my first visits to Dolgamfa Circle and Aber Camddwr on the same day. It rained really hard for most of the afternoon, so this is the only half decent photo I managed to take.
Taken August 1987 (possibly 10th): This is one of Mum’s photos, taken on a day trip to Kilmartin when we were on holiday. I reckon this is the first stone circle I visited.
In the photo me (aged 15) and my brother Pete (aged 13) are sat in the cist, and Dad (as yet undated) is standing behind us.
Taken August 1987 (possibly 10th): This is a self portait of me inside the chamber, aged 15. You’ll have to excuse the white socks... it was fashionable at the time... honest!
Taken August 1987 (possibly 10th): This is a photo of the cairn was taken on my old Olympus Trip in one of my first forays into black and white photography.
Taken Summer 1983: This is one of my early photos, taken on an old style Olympus Trip. Dad and Mum are on the left, with my brother Pete on the right looking a bit dandy (sorry to inflict this on you mate!).
I was 11 at the time this photo was taken, and Capel Garmon was the second prehistoric site that I’d visited. The significance was lost on me at the time.
Taken Summer 1983: This is one of my Mum’s photos, taken on a childhood holiday where we stayed in a cottage near Harlech. I’m the boy on the right with the brown hair, my brother Pete is sat on the capstone, and Dad is on the left with his sexy walking socks on.
I reckon this was the second prehistoric site that I visited. I was 11 years old at the time, so a bit of a late starter.
Visited 24th November 2002: This little stone sits a few metres to the north east of Carreg y Big, but I can’t find any record of it. The stone is obvious and it looks earth fast, so I’m not sure why it hasn’t been recorded (at least as a possible standing stone or boundary stone).
I’ll have to come up with a name for this stone. It reminds me of the little stone called Castell Coch near Buwch a’r Llo in Ceredigion.
Visited 24th November 2002: Looking east, here are the two stones. On the right is Carreg y Big, and on the left is a much smaller stone which I can’t find any record of.
In the background are the southerly of the two Llynau Cregennen (on the left) and the lower slopes of Cadair Idris (on he right).
Visited 24th November 2002: Looking east, with the southerly of the two Llynau Cregennen just poking into shot on the left and the lower slopes of Cadair Idris on he right.
For scale (and because I think they’re great) here are William and Louise, both looking a bit cold. To the left of William, and partly off shot is the small mysterious stone.
Visited 24th November 2002: Lou and William walking up from the car to Carreg y Big, with Cadair Idris behind them.
Visited 24th November 2002: Taken from the lay-by where we parked, you can just see Carreg y Big and it’s mysterious small neighbour in the middle of the shot, with the little hill behind them.
The bilingual sign by the lay-by says “Parking for Fishermen Only”. The National Trust still haven’t quite got round to banning all blood sports on their land! We parked in protest (plus there weren’t any fishermen/women around).
Taken 24th November 2002: Cadair Idris must have been important to the people that erected Waen Bant, and the many others littering the area. The mountain is beautiful and potent, dominating the landscape in a slightly sinister way. By the time we got to the area where Waen Bant stands the winter sun was disappearing, and the mountains were threatening to cast their shadow over us.
Taken 24th November 2002: I couldn’t resist trying to line up the top of the stone with Cadair Idris, and as you can see it’s a pretty poor match.
Taken 24th November 2002: This is Waen Bant viewed from the south (approximately) with the mountains on the other side of the Mawddach estuary behind it. I think that the peaks you can see in this shot are Diffwys and the Rhinogs, but I’m not certain.
Taken 24th July 2002: This is a shot showing the inside of the reconstructed Bronze Age round house, with William (aged 3 if you’re wondering about scale) doing some ‘cooking’.
Taken 24th July 2002: This is the apex of the roof inside the Bronze Age round house. There’s a similar shot of the same bit of roof, before the reed and turf was added, on the Flag Fen Web site:
eastmidlands.info/flagfen/iron_age_roundhouse.htm
Taken 24th July 2002: This is one of the reconstructed Bronze Age round houses at Flag Fen. It’s based on findings from an excavation at Fengate in 1976.
Taken 24th July 2002: This is the best shot I managed to get of the timbers that are on display at Flag Fen. The room that houses them is very dimly lit, and sprinklers run every few minutes to keep the timbers wet.
These timber are the remains of a wooden platform which dates back to circa 1300 BCE and is thought to have been used for ritual purposes. The platform was in use for about 400 years.
Taken August 1997: This is ‘House 4’ which is part of the new village. It has a cubby hole set into it’s back wall and what appears to be a recessed dresser.
There’s a sparrow perching on the tall stone to the left (not an authentic Neolithic sparrow though).
Taken August 1997: On the left of this shot is ‘House 9’ and to the right is ‘House 10’, both part of the old village (peeking out from underneath the ‘new’ village).
As with the older houses there is a square hearth in the middle of House 9 (filled with darker sand). The beds (in the foreground and on the opposite side of the house) are set into the walls, which differs from the design of the newer houses where the beds project out into the room.
Taken August 1997: This is the imaginatively named ‘House 1’ with the Bay of Skaill in the background.
The ‘dresser’ is pretty obvious in this shot, but you can also make out three small stone tanks around it, thought to be used for preparing fish bait. Directly in front of the dresser is a stone seat, and the square area in the centre of the house (with dark sand in it) is the hearth.
Taken August 1997: Looking north, with Louise poised to leap into the tomb.
Taken August 1997: The stone from the west, looking towards the ridge called Dwarfie Hamars.
Taken August 1995:Looking south east down the barrow from the ‘tail’ end. I’ve visited Wayland’s Smithy many times, but I’m sad to say that it’s been a while now since I last went there.
Taken August 1995: The King Stone complete with it’s Ministry of Works sign. If it’s there for long enough, will the sign itself become a scheduled monument (with a sign of its own)?
Taken August 1995: This shot is taken looking north east, with Louise posing in front of the Knights looking very summery. It all looks rather arid.
Taken August 1995: It was a scorcher of a summer! This shot of the Knights is taken looking south west towards Over Norton (I think).
Taken August 1995: Looking directly down the Ridgeway towards Uffington Castle from where the road meets the Ridgeway, between the hillfort and Waylands Smithy (SU285856).
Taken August 1995: This is a view of Uffington Castle from the road that meets the Ridgeway between the hillfort and Waylands Smithy (SU285856). The Ridgeway can be seen on the right of the shot, with what remains of a hedgerow on either side of it.
Taken August 1995: These stones are on the south west side of the circle, with the field that the Whispering Knights stand in behind them.
Taken August 1995: It looks like the area surrounding the Hoar Stone has been cleared up quite a bit since we visited.
Taken 24th July 2002: Timbers from Sea Henge in storage at Flag Fen (TL225989).