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After 25 miles cycle ride (ok so we walked up the hill to Uffington) and still 15 miles from Avebury, what a great place to get a puncture and discover your wheel nuts are rusted solid, rendering puncture repair kit and spare tube useless. An hour of shearing slices of steel off the nuts with a useless spanner sat in the blazing sun within the confines of Uffington Castle, I momentarily lost interest in things Ancient. Returned following day in car, far more sensible and yes this is an awesome place. I don't know why but I had always assumed the horse was on a South facing slope . Weird.
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Better known as a local picnic site with good views over Goodwood, the downs and Chichester. The iron-age hillfort dominates the hill profile but there is an internal Neolithic Causewayed enclosure and pits which were excavated in the 20's.
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Ok I'll bow to the majority and admit this is probably called the Hampton Down Stone Circle..who is this Burl chap anyway, what does he know about Stones Circles. But I think my notes below were added before any reference to Hampton Down on this web site. (No mention of Hampton Down on the O.S)
I found this site having given up looking for the Grey Mare & Her Colts (I was on the wrong Abbotsbury Road). If you stop on the Portesham Hill Road where TMA recommends you stop for The Hell Stone, on the opposite side of the road, take the path through the farm, heading west. The stones are at the top of the hill over to your left, just over a gate marked by an Ancient Monument sign. The circle itself is no more than 6yrds across but spectacular setting. Fine views over the valley to the Hell Stone to the east and St. Catherines Hill to the west. I think the path carries on and crosses the Abbotsbury-Martinsdown Road across which the Grey Mare resides with her Colts.
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It's kind of a Valley with Stones in. Unambiguous or what. Got lost looking for the Grey Mare but found some long barrows at the northern easterly end of the Black Down enclosure. Fine view down the valley.
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Walking North from the B3081 (easy parking) along Ackling Dyke to Oakley Down Barrow cemetery, the line of the Cursus is just distinguishable across the fields to the east. At Oakley Down there's a huge saucer barrow and many fine bowl barrows with Wor Barrow visible on the westerly skyline. Didn't have time to head South along the dyke to where it crosses the cursus so must return soon. The shadow of the cursus is however visible as crop marks looking south across to Gussage Hill.
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Working in Swansea, I took the team out to Arthurs Stone to show them what real entertainment was. The parked camper hid the stone so we headed for the triangulation point before we saw it and then headed across the bog. OK so they sank a bit. It didn't warrant all that moaning. Anyway this was a great site. It's one big stone. The views are stunning and the sun was about an hour off setting between the two hills to west. Couldn't convince team to stay and watch. The lure of pubs and expenses was too strong. I'll have to come back another night
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Majestic against the setting sun over the Gower hills, we got to this stone having missed it when we previously visited Arthurs Stone (Maen Cetty). Samson's Jack is on farm land just over a hedge/gate which we chose not to cross as we were being 'buzzed' by a local farmer in his van, he was probably friendly but we didn't get a chance to say hello.
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In the midst of Hampshire and West Sussex's South Downs Iron Age fest, there are plenty of bronze age barrows but very few of the earlier elongated variety. Compton is South of Petersfield off the B2146 heading towards Emsworth/Chichester. From Compton follow the signs for the Mardens. When the road bends sharply to the right and climbs a hill the barrow is behind a hedge at the brow. It's all very clinically kempt to the point where the family were convinced the farmer had built it recently. Situated at the foot of Telegraph hill and just to the west of many other walks in and around the downs which will take you past innumerable bronze age barrows and earthworks.
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Situated high above Pontardawe, visited this site in lunch time from Swansea Enterprise Park (beats a sandwich and a coffee). Views are spectacular, the cairn is situated just over the brow of the hill.. The road up zig-zags but the u-bends have plenty of space to have a couple of goes at getting round. The central cist/chamber is only couple of yards square and there appears to be another collapsed chamber although it could just be some re-arranged dry-stone wall rubble. Sadly had to get back to work. Another to re-visit.
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From St. Nicholas at the lights follow the signs for Dyffryn Gardens and about a half a mile down that road park under the powerlines. The site is sign-posted from the pull-in. The cap stone IS one huge mother and yet again has me scrabbling to understand the unfeasible mechanics and all from around 4000 BC. In it's completeness it reminded me of some of the dolmens on Jersey. It's all the more saddening when you see what places like Devils Den, Lanyon Quoit and Spinsters rock etc would have been like pre-agricultural clearance. There was plenty of debris around the surrounding fields but didn't really have time to explore.
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The path/road leads away from the Watermill/Heritage Centre car park and ford. It says it's Private for access to B&B but some locals said just to say you're going to the camp site at the end which is a Forestry Commission/Scout site. The cairn is in a field to the right of the top car park surrounded by trees. It's kind of a naked Belas Knapp. Took some low level photos but thought better of emulating Julians aerial shot from the tree. Reasonable food and ale from the Gower Inn just up the road on the way back to Swansea
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Headed off into the Beacons on first night working in Swansea. Almost got fooled by millenium stones in show caves on way. By the time we got to the stones it was lashing it down and quite misty. John couldn't risk the slippy rocks with his bad knee and Nicky wimped out with floppy shoes. Charles got to the stones and was very impressed, they don't have these sort of places in Taiwan. Ben enjoyed it too but then it was his birthday, he was up for anything. Good meal in the 'Ancient Briton' but no real ale on ,probably because of creeping threat of F&M and lack of visitors. V. Friendly though considering we're townies. Those stones are quite small aren't they. Maen Mawr though has a certain majesty and the setting is awsome. Had a bit of a feel of Castlerigg from a setting point of view.
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Well would you Adam and Eve it (v. poor), we're in spitting distance of Avebury and we've got the stones all to our selves. Easy access and and well worth stopping off post Avebury.
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This is a marvellous site, didn't have long enough to work out the overall layout and 'what was what' but definately got a village feel. The passage way and domed 'room' were awsome. Some nesting birds cacked Deb who momentarilty thought they were bats. Two possible routes are given, one long one short, both are easily accessible compared to most (ie no hill or bracken).
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A bleak day in Cornwall, was revived as the clouds cleared momentarily as we walked to the stones. The site is well sign-posted from the Minnions and only a short walk. It was getting late and still windy and bleak, more importantly, beer and food were needed so didn't stay long.
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Joe Strummer's inspiration for the 101' ers ? Did he ever squat here ? Well sign-posted and certainly worth the short walk. We all scrambled through, inspired by an earlier visit to the seal sanctuary, Laura did her impression of a stranded seal with 'Guy-Fawking' of the legs and needed dragging through. Served her right though the muddy puddle was not avoided.
Should have done more homework, couldn't find the scribed stone, the bracken was too thick and the possible stones too numerous.
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Driving north from Penzance the quoite became visible on the skyline to the left after a number of bends we parked and had to ask an American for directions. It was over the fence on the right hand side of the road about 30 yards away. Took the postcard photos and on to Men-an-Tol
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Having opted for the A30/obscure style route, the bracken was overgrown, it was about 600yds (fork left for the stones). Family not impressed, though I don't know why, at least it wasn't up another bloody hill ! I suppose sodden feet and lacerated ankles might have had something to with it.
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Passing on our return from Cornwall to Hampshire with memories of wet and bleak trecks to various sites this was a sunny site and happy place. Most importantly for anyone with flagging family dragging along behind, this is one of those that fall into the category of easy to find; park; and it's behind the first fence over one style. Family friendly neolithics !
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Stunnings views from Chapel Hill, and great sandwiches from the village, cheap baggettes, someone should tell them what they are charging in the city !
There was a couple having a right barney up top who negotiated around the summit, avoiding us and each other with arms crossed and pouty stares out to sea. Hope they made it up. We have happy memories they'll probably never go anyhere near Abbotsbury or Dorset again (she wanted to go home regardless of how they'd paid for the Hotel - earwigging's great)
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Live in Pompey so only get to sites in passing. Consequently we tend to travel far for days out and picnics so we just happen to pass ancient sites. Kids are totally megalithed-out wife doesn't mind so long as walk is short and site contains some stones. Long walks to barrows don't go down well.
Have 'done' lot of sites in Cornwall, Dorset, Wilts including obviously Stonehenge & Avebury environs. Favourite site is probably Devils Den for its solitude but loved Castlerigg for its spectacular setting and always love stopping off at the Rollrights...and Stanton Drew....not forgetting Belas Knap....oh and Nine Ladies of Winterbourne Abbas.....and the Hell Stone
Also spent some time working in Swansea so did the Vale of Glam. /Brecon sites. Tinkinswood, Parc Le Breos etc
Heard Julian on Johnnie Walker launching the book yonks ago whilst stuck in the queue on the A3 at Hindhead doing the commuting thing and haven't looked back. Still ticking the sites off
I'd like to be excarnated and remains placed in a chamber/tomb in someway (preferably after death), so any offers of experimental archaeology projects welcomed.
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