pebblesfromheaven

10-9-03.

Whatever possessed anyone to build a road right through these stones?!
If this was further south I would have suggested the R*mans, after all they like straight lines and were a bit mad.

You could touch these stones from an open car window. I bet some people do. Just remember to slow down first. There is space to park at the recycling depot about 50m away. Watch for cars!

One stone has been broken and repaired.

Disabled access: Aye right.

.o0O0o.

10-9-03

After the French tourbus left, there were only two other cars here – not too bad for this site, but it was nearly sunset.

A lovely place, purposefully peaceful. The trees make the sunlight stripy. Although the site has obviously been prepared to be enjoyed by as many visitors as possible, the atmosphere is still wonderful. Spend as much time as possible here.

Disabled access: There are two large gates to allow easy access but when I visited they were padlocked. The remaining access is a swing-gate into a small fenced area created by the locked gates, which would allow a wheelchair inside, it’s tight but it looks like an experienced driver could squeeze through the space. Once inside the site, a path has not been cleared so the ground is quite uneven, but firm. At the far end, there is a kissing gate out to the road.

.o0O0o.

11th September 2003

What a bloody crap circle.

To start with, some other people arrived at the same time, which always annoys me. There is a nice tree-lined avenue to the circle, framing it nicely as if designed that way. Oh, hold on, it was. Someone has redesigned this site into what it should look like if it was in a TV garden project. There is a total municipal feel to the place caused by the careful placing of blue-grey foreign gravel in a very regular way around what “they” see to be the limits of the area. As a result, the stones appear bored and lifeless. The internal cairns seem like an uncomfortable, tidied version of their original state. As a redeeming feature there appeared to be a genuine cup-mark on one of the internal cairn curbstones.

The site is on relatively low ground, not sure what’s there on a clear day but there were no views tonight.

I left quickly after double-checking the info board for Charlie Dimmock’s photo.

What not to do with a prehistoric site.

However, on the plus side, disabled access: Excellent! No gate, there is a ramp from the road down to a smooth grassy field, and a distance of about 100m to the circle.

.o0O0o.

11th September 2003

As I approached, the thing that struck me most was the stones individual beauty – this wasn’t a group chosen for shape and size alone.

The first welcoming stone looks like it’s made out of dark pink sugar.
Then there’s the focal point: the mackerel-striped recumbent, the dark grey one beside with the white quartz lines, then a granular pink round boulder, the smooth pale uprights…
The size felt irrelevant, a collection of pebbles a thousandth of this size would be just as beautiful to me. Even now I am left with a persistent memory of the colours left by the stones and the landscape, something I usually only get after spending a day at the beach.

Over the back towards the black Mither Tap, I could hear the sound of rhythmic drumming (I think it was a pile-driver); this and the dark skies should have made the place threatening but I’m sorry it was just too beautiful.

Disabled access: The carpark has a gate to the path but this can be avoided by going around by the road. It’s a fair distance uphill to the site. I would say it’s 400m but it’s tarmac. I think it may be possible to get a car right up the hill lane, but not sure about the permission for this. Unfortunately when you get to the top, the remaining piece of the track is very rocky and there is a small kissing gate into the circle itself.

.o0O0o.

5-7-03. Visited in misty rain, almost disappeared down the numerous badger holes, and the bracken was waist-high!
.o0O0o.

29-6-03.
Coming in from the south, you can’t miss the house – and I spotted the top of the stone peeping over the hedge.
Easy access, right on the road.
.o0O0o.

26-6-03
The slopes here have been flattened slightly. The result is a relaxed, curvy outlook, which feels almost submissive with the area wide open to the skies.

.o0O0o.

26-6-03
This had an industrial feel to me, as if people had been taking advantage of it.
The wildlife in the area surrounding this henge seemed to consist of seagulls and plastic bags blown here from the nearby landfill site.
Recently a crop circle appeared in the next field: now I like crop circles but this seemed to be laughing at the henge; well the last laugh is at the wheatfield, it is one which is earmarked for quarrying. A sad place.

.o0O0o.

21-6-03
Entering the wooded area, I immediately saw the banks, steep and dark, under the trees. It was impossible to see the henge as a whole, hence difficult to get a scale.
This henge had a sleepy, foreboding nature, and felt a little creepy to me.

.o0O0o.

26-6-03
I visited this area three days previously but was looking in the wrong direction; I only found the northern henge. Armed with a map and compass and personal guide, I found the others this time ;-)
.o0O0o.

17-6-03
Spotted a farm called Lundin: thinks to myself ah I wonder if it’s any coincidence (having been to Lundin Links a little while ago). Hmm knew I should have investigated..... next time – I shall be back
.o0O0o.

17-6-03. Was visiting Aberfeldy with work and wasn’t organised enough beforehand to plan anything (give me a laptop grrr). This was the only site noted around here in my otherwise bald roadmap. Note to self : must buy OS!
Luckily by previous experiences I at least remembered to search out any cups ;-)
Had a lovely little break here even though it’s right next to the road. Then off south.

.o0O0o.

Been back a few times but I remembered this time to look out for the Cups. StanBeckinsall’s wonderful book told me the Rock Art was to be found at the base of the hill: There were a few largish rocks here, about half of them had some sort of cup marks, and although visible on the day the photos didn’t come out very well!!
.o0O0o.

New discoveries are still possible!

Saturday, 3rd May 2003. Decided to go to one of my favorite places Holy Island for a bit of a wander. I took a route around the island, away from the tourists and had the fantastic beaches almost to myself. I was walking towards this Big White Triangle Thing (some kind of landmark for shipping) as usual looking at my feet at the wonderful pebbles thereabouts. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it, literally. A big chunk of sandstone rock art. I mean, it couldn’t be, not here, right? I decided to move it up the beach, away from the tide, onto the dunes and hid it where I could find it again. I didn’t feel right taking it, but I couldn’t leave it where it was. I made a note of the largest stone nearby as a landmark.

That night, I emailed RockArtUK for an opinion. Jan & Gus got all excited and the next day I decided to go back for it – only one problem: by the time I’d made the decision, the tides were against me! That night I kept waking up worrying about it!! And Monday, although it was a bank holiday, I was working. There was no option – I phoned for the afternoon off and went back on Monday 5-5-2003 to retrieve it. I planned where to park the car, but this was still a mile from the spot. I did it anyway, lugged this massive stone back. The stone I had memorised was nowhere to be seen – the sand had shifted and must have buried it. I’m glad I moved the stone when I did!

I decided to keep it quiet for a while, because I wasn’t convinced it was really carved; there are lots of holed stones naturally occuring on the island but this was different.

I emailed Stan Beckinsall for advise. As luck had it, he was in the area and could he come to see it in person? Er – yeah!

The verdict – not sandstone, possibly metamorphic due to the high density. Probably not local, possibly washed from Scotland, Micro-cups.

I am keeping the stone for now, but intend to report it.

.o0O0o.