Taken 13th August 2004: The most westerly of the three stones, with the kerb visible behind it.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Taken 12th August 2004: Two photos of the discredited cup marks on the rocky outcrop near Cillchriosd standing stone.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: The stone viewed from the road (if my memory serves me).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: Cillchriosd standing stone with Louise (5ft 6) alongside.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: The fallen stone, which is the furthest to the north in the row.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: The southern most and middle and of the three remaining erect stones, viewed from the east (left to right).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: The most northern of the three remaining erect stones, here viewed from the east.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: The three remaining erect stones viewed from the east (with the rocky outcrop behind them).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: The row viewed from the north (approximately speaking).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 12th August 2004: The row viewed from the rocky outcrop just to the west. Louise is standing next to the first erect stone on the left.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th August 2004: After the heavy rain we’d been having a little temporary lake had appeared around the foot of the stone.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th August 2005: Looking approximately north east, with the A849 in the distance.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th August 2004: Looking east(ish).
Note how flooded the field was. This was bad weather for visiting stones.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th August 2004: Nice fury lichen!
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th August 2004: Looking approximately north towards Loch Caol.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 11th August 2004: On an appallingly wet day, here’s a photo of Fionnphort taken from the car.
This is what summer on Mull can be like. Based on Nick’s photos, we should have visited during the winter.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: Looking approximately north east at the northern arc of the circle.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: Viewed from the south west.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: Looking north east, with Lochbuie Circle visible to the left of the outlier.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: Peering through the rain. Here is the stone with the other outlier and stone circle just about visible in the background.
Louise is obligingly wearing a red coat and standing next to the other outlier. The strange white blob in the sky isn’t a UFO... it’s rain.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: The stone viewed from the south east in miserable wet weather.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: I call this composition"Tree & Rock”.
Actually there are a couple of ‘rocks’ in the shot. It gives an indication of how the trees are engulfing the cairn.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: Viewed from the north (that’s very approximate).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: The stone viewed from the south east.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 10th August 2004: Lochbuie Standing Stone viewed from the north west (I think) with William standing alongside it. Note how water-logged the ground around the stone is.
Will’s strange attire is the result of his bungling parents forgetting his rain gear (he’s wearing my fleece).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th August 2004: Loch Sguabain and Caisteal Eoghainn A’ Chinn Bhig viewed from the A849.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th Auhust 2004: A close-up of the crannog, taken from the A849.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th August 2004: A gratuitous photo of my stone hunting ‘buddy’ William alongside the stone at Gruline, viewed from (something like) the north.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th August 2004: Viewed from the west (I think).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th August 2004: Gruline from a distance. This photo was easy to take (no bull!).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 8th August 2004: The tip of the stone with Loch Tuath behind it.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 8th August 2004: Polished by livestock, here’s the pronounced edge of the stone.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 8th August 2004: With Loch Tuath behind it, here is Kilninian viewed from the north east (approximately speaking).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 8th August 2004: Looking along the row.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 8th August 2004: Louise and William at Dervaig B (Louise is 5ft 6 inches tall).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 8th August 2004: Not a gratuitous ‘family snap’ but members of my family giving an excellent indication of scale. Here are all three stones viewed from the south west with the cemetery visible in the background.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 8th August 2004: The largest of the remaining stones in the Dervaig C row, here viewed from the south.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th July 2005: Looking directly down the gallery from the eastern end.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th July 2005: Viewed (approximately) from the north east.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 9th July 2005: Viewed approximately speaking from the south east.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 6th August 2004: Fang Circle from the north. Louise (in red) is standing in the circle. To the left of the frame is the sheep-pen which has some of the stones incorporated into its wall.
This image is a panorama created from two photographs using Autostitch (www.autostitch.net). As such some distortion is likely, and the image may give a slightly misleading impression of the site. This is the case with all panoramas.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 6th August 2004: What I interpreted as the most southerly stone of the circle, now incorporated into a wall.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 6th August 2004: The two ‘wall free’ stones.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
This map is intended to make it a bit easier for anyone who wants to visit Bedd yr Afanc. I’d recommend you do this walk in good dry weather, using my map in conjunction with an Ordnance Survey map (or Multimap printout).
Key
Blue = Stream
Thick black = B Road
Grey = Unclassified road or track
Thin black = Stock fence
Thin red = Route to Bedd yr Afanc from road
Green blob = Parking space
Pink blob = Bedd yr Afanc
Orange blobs = Buildings
The green dot in the village of Brynberian is the safest place to park (by my reckoning SN10403504). There’s a small building set off the road just to the north of the bridge, which looked to me like a telephone exchange. In front of this is space to park without blocking the gate.
From here you have to walk up the B4329 for about 700 metres, first heading east, and then north east. This is the worst part of the walk, and also the most dangerous because of the traffic.
What you’re looking for is a footpath on your right, with a wooden footpath sign (partially obscured by the trees during summer). I’ve stuck a photo of this sign as an inset on the map (bottom right).
Follow the footpath approximately south east. At first it’s made up of two concrete strips (marked on the map at this point in grey), because it serves as someone’s driveway. After a bit you’ll come to a point where a path heads off to your right (you’ll know you’re in the right place if opposite the path is a gate made of corrugated iron).
This path is also a track, but unmade and very overgrown. If you see horse hoof prints, you’re probably in the right place. Also look out for the rusty farm machinery on your right (custodians of the countryside my arse!).
Eventually you’ll come to a rusty old gate (see inset photo bottom left) with an unusual latch (SN1113935165 according to my GPS). On the other side of this is the Common Land. Go through the gate and follow the fence that is now on your right-hand side.
With the fence on your right, keep going. Eventually you find yourself on the edge of the marshland. The fence turns sharply south west (at SN1115734719 according to the trusty GPS). Keep following it, keeping it to your right.
After a while the fence veers off to the north (this is at SN1092634692). At this point stop! You’re about to leave the comfort of fence hugging.
Out in the bog, approximately in line with the fence you have been travelling down is Bedd yr Afanc. If you’re lucky you’ll be able to see it from this point, but don’t be surprised if you end up saying, “I think I can see it, but I’m not sure”.
There is a slight path heading into the open marshland, and it goes in approximately the right direction. This path is relatively dry, so start by following it, looking ahead and slightly to the right. Hopefully you will reach a point where you can see Bedd yr Afanc. If you have a GPS you’re heading for SN1080434608.
Ta da!
(Small isn’t it).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 15th August 2004: The foot of the stone (I think this is on the east side).
The top frame shows erosion around the foot of the stone, and the bottom frame shows what way be a packing stone.
NB. This stone is not yet widely recognised as prehistoric.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 15th August 2004: The stone viewed from the south west.
NB. This stone is not yet widely recognised as prehistoric.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 15th August 2004: The stone viewed from the east (or thereabouts) with evidence of precipitation.
NB. This stone is not yet widely recognised as prehistoric.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 15th August 2004: Just before the rain set in, here’s the stone looking approximately east, down the pass towards Little Langdale.
NB. This stone is not yet widely recognised as prehistoric.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 6th August 2004: One of the fallen stones, with what appears to be the remains of a stone socket underneath it.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 6th August 2004: Two of the stones with the A859 visible in the background.
Image credit: Simon Marshall