The last of todays barrow bagging and even though the weather reports says it’ll rain it didn’t and the sun was out. In the woods I think called Coed Cwm are these three barrows. Only one is really obvious and nearly three metres high, the other two, one was lost amongst closely planted trees and the other was either of two mounds I spotted one right next to the path the other a bit further back. When your fighting through the trees with brambles and bracken and the ground is wet and mulchy it’s really hard to remember it’s actually the 21st century and the barrows occupant has been dead for almost four thousand years
postman
Directly east of Gop cairn, these two barrows have good views of mountains and the sea. One is about a metre high and the other slightly bigger at nearly two metres, about twenty metres apart. Pretty close to the road and next to a footpath.
Easily spotted next to the road against the hedge and houses of Bertengam. About one metre high.
Just twenty yards from the uppermost barrow, and completly covered in mud and horse doodoo, great views over to the mountains. About three metres high, I wonder where mounds one and three are?
The largest of the three barrows and presumably its prime position on the very top of the hill makes it the oldest and most important.
Fantastic views all round I can see the Wirral and over my shoulder is Snowdonia. Must be forty metres across and nearly four metres high.
Again, this barrow is right next to the road and part of a trio with the other two on the top of the hill. Forty metres across and nearly two metres high.
Slightly north of Groesfford round barrow and also by the road . A footpath is right next to it. thirty to thirty five metres across and almost one metre high.
About thirty metres across and one metre high, found next to the lane opposite a farm house and a few hundred yards from Offa’s dyke.
Looking at the map the stone at first appears quite close to the road, no further than my house to my mums just a 10 minute stroll, however, Pen y Gadair Fawr stands between the carpark and the menhir and its 800metres high. The carpark is at 450m so only another 350 to go. A river must be crossed as well, but a handy bridge is nearby although it then forces you into Mynydd ddu forest criss crossed with good drivable paths, I took the direct route up a barely navigable sometime path through the deep and dark forest, in the end i’d had enough of the forest and came out on the north not far from the summit of Pen y Gadair Fawr. After passing the peak on its southern side I headed down the other side of the mountain 350m below I could just make out the stone by the trees, it seemed really far away and it was then I thought of giving up, but it was downhill all the way so I carried on.
Upon reaching the stone it all becomes worth it, 7-8 feet tall, aligned totally east-west, and is sited in a place of extreme beauty. The stone is thinner on one edge making it a very huggable shape and if you look at it too long it can look like a large woman with her hand on one hip, another hug was in order, one thing lead to another and it was suddenly time to go.
This stone is just about the furthest trek Iv’e ever endured for any single site, and I can’t really recomend it had the stone been a tiddler or the view been crap I would have sobbed the whole way back, as it was the trek just built it up for me and the arrival at the journeys purpose was almost euphoric. Viva la Brecon Beacons
We parked by the junction on the B4409 in Tregarth/Bethesda and walked along the road untill a gap in the wall on our left led up some steps at the top a tiny path leads diectly to the earthworks. The one long bank is mostly on the northern end curving south at the east. About 100 yards long and 3-4 ft tall an indistinct entrance may still exist at the end of the bank in the west. A small semi stone lined break in the wall perplexes. The overall feeling of the place is overgrown and forgotten .
Heading into Snowdonia the weather steadily got worse, flooded roads, wind and rain coming in sideways, but a day off work is a day off work and we were here now so on with the waterproofs. The big rock with the hillfort sits right next to the road and parking place, the easy way up is through the entrance on the north west corner.
The weather was rediculous so we didnt hang about, one circuit around the fort and a quick inspection of the medieval tower and we were out of there. On the way in we had just missed the entrance and didn’t pick it up till we were leaving, just outside of the fort there is a very worn zig zag road/path leading to and from the entrance. On a clear day a perfect place to be with Snowdon and its near neighbours so very close.
Owing to my incompetant employers I couldn’t get the actual Winter solstice off so the 20th will have to do, mighty glad too it was the most perfect of all my winter solstices. I again parked on the small bridge and started my walk up the hill, under a starry sky with Venus quite high above the eastern horizon, then I saw a shooting star and I knew I was in for a treat. Further up the path I had to shoo a flock of sheep out of the way, then a herd of cows and bulls then a single white horse they all seemed to have come just to watch me arrive. With it not being the actual solstice I had the place to myself, it felt as though the sun would never come but then it took me by surprise and the magic began. Its always good to watch a sunrise but up here with these stones it was nothing less than astounding , the alignment was there, the sun was there, and little old me having a great time. Seeing as it was such a nice day I decided to go up the nearest hill to get a good view of the whole place, it was fantastic, I didn’t go to the top just far enough to blow me away. If your up here, why not go the whole hog and get up that hill you wont be disappointed.
What a fantastic place .
I parked on the main road through Church Stretton and took the footpath that goes almost straight up. It was real steep sometimes but the view across to the Long Myndd more than compensates for any pain. It was very cold and windy but was otherwise sunny, I ended up staying longer than I intended missing out on Barbury ring. I’d driven past a dozen times so made the effort to come here and was really glad that I did.
The rocks on the eastern side reminded me of a mini Quirang on the isle of skye, this hillfort is one of the best, awesome views all around .
To the east of and above Llyn Brenig at the northern edge of Clocaenog forest. Park next to a wind turbine and walk 250m down a track the barrow is just visible through the trees.
Despite the almost overwhelming forest the barrow is still about 8ft tall and it felt good to find it in such good condition, a small scoop has been taken out of the top, and the entire site is covered in several inches of spongy moss. The trees even sheltered me from the rain letting me take some photos and sit for a while. Because of the trees I can’t tell whether it ever had a good view, but it sits on the edge of an eastward sloping hill so would have presumably been visible on the horizon from far off.
Just north of Ballochroy village look for when the road is right next to the sea and there is a small turnung up to the farm buildings and the stones. The first time I came here I forgot my camera so I just had to come seeing as I was passing anyway. There are two farm buildings nearby but on both visits there isnt anyone round so we parked up and entered the field through the gate. the sheep here were of a different kind, usually you go in the field and they run off alerting the farmer that something is wrong, but these sheep were huge and unafraid they came right up to us so I flashed them (with my camera) and they backed off. These stones are great big bigger and biggest with a cist that is unusually large and all in a row, if your in the area these are a must
I’m not sure if this is the same place the site describes it as a stone row but there is only one stone and the grid ref is a bit off. I climbed the nearby hill hoping to see the stone . I looked right at it but still failed to see it . I asked at Skeroblin west farmhouse and a lady pointed the way. we parked at a ruined house and started across the field tip toeing on clumps of grass this was the muddiest field Iv’e ever seen the ground was mostly water and bubbled as I went .Eventually I got to the stone, unfortunately it was the least impressive stone on the peninsular, the only reason I tracked it down was ‘cause we couldnt get to Paul McCartneys stone due to padlocks (bloody scouses, sorry) time to head home.
Not a great deal to add to my misc post only that you can’t miss the stone it’s tall broad and thin by a very nice house that gives the stone its name, boy I could live here.
This stone was a bit special, we followed a land rover down a rough farm track and spoke to its owner at his house. He was most accomodating letting us leave our car there, explained how to get there and even showed us a photo of himself and his mate at the stone so we know what to look for. the map and his photo had no trees on them but they were certainly there now. we headed off, turning left through a gate up hill and into the forest. a path led all the way to a north-south fence which we then climbed and wandered around for a bit untill we recalled his words “there is a clearing for the stone in the trees” we turned back reclimbed the fence and headed for the only clearing we could see turning the corner into the clearing we both clenched our fists and shouted “yes” for there it stood. The clearing was large and only there for the stone which was nice. Tall and triangular, quartzy, moss and lichen covered I loved this stone . On the way back we luaghed and sang “I would drive 500 miles, just to see a stone in a plantation” to the proclaimers tune, we were cold and wet but very happy this is the one i’ll remember most
You can park the car about 200m away but you must then trespass, over a gate up hill over an electric fence then its just 60m away. Like a dunce I looked at the sign that warned of electric fence then tested it, ouch, my arm ached for about 10 miutes . The stone has great views over Campbeltown and from the high street there one can look up at the hill and see the stone not many towns can do that i’ll bet. Unfortunately Ive only just read Rhiannons post so failed to note the cupmarks. We saw six stones in south kintyre and this was the tallest.
From Craigs standing stone head east following the wall and this stone come into view, the field almost won the award from me of Scotlands muddiest field but was later trounced by Skeroblin . A good stone with one hunched shoulder, strangely hidden from its neighbour. the stone is placed between two large rock outcrops .
This tall stone took more finding than I anticipated in the end my wife hayley saw it first. Tied down with wire as if to curb its wandering and guarded by a very big horse . Right next to two creepy and deserted houses. Its neighbour Glencraigs is just 200m away but is hidden by a slight rise in the land. Good views of the hills and the sea, wellies preferred.
I’d just come straight from Cairnholy and sped here before it got too dark, but even in the dark it would still ooze perfection . I sat for too long almost forgetting my wife and dog in the car .(easily done) the sky was awesome, plenty of stones to sit and watch the sky looking pretty. If you like stone circles (and iv’e an inkling you do ) then you’ll have to come here .
We parked at the corner of the field and walked down the road to the stile, and were mildly surprised to see two sheep messing about on one of the stones, but after reading other notes here it seems they’re allways up to no good. Not been here for a few years so was pleased to see the grass was much shorter, I like this stone circle, big stones, big ring, just a shame there are’nt more stones, presumably it would have been more like long meg and her neighbours. A good place to start before heading west .
I saw this on a map and told myself one day i’ll come back and take a closer look, today was that day. Hopefully you’ll have an os map to navigate the maze of small lanes, just follow the road untill it enters the forest, park here there’s plenty of room. Take the path north for ten minutes then look out for big stone off to the left under the trees. The stone or ‘Carreg’ is a really good sized stone covered almost totally with mosses, resting on a slight bed of cairn , you can just see under the stone at a few points. There isn’t much cairn material but the size of the stone makes up for it . Even the forest is light and breazy but obscures the view which would have been considerable.
Not easy to get to. I parked at a crossroads N.W of the stone, walked passed a few farms, and then turned left through a gate or four, allways heading for the highest ground . When on top of the hill the stone and cairns are big and obvious. A tall angular stone strangely free of moss and lichen with fantastic views of the valleys below and the hills behind. On top of the nearby mountain tops are plenty of cairns,I could have stayed here a while, but I’d somewhere else to be, it took 23 minutes to get back to the car.
In this little village is a strange little church, on the whole it seems like any other church but part of it is built over and incorperating an allee couverte. Other instances of this can be seen in Geurnsey, Spain, and Portugal, so their pretty rare.
Entry to the tomb is closed off by a big red gate but the key can be attaind from the local post office, as it was a sunday it was closed so we made do with looking through the bars and looking in the church.Inside the church you can see a statue of St. Michel slaying a dragon, and the upper surface of a capstone.
Within the tomb are 7 statues said to be found buried inside it when it was first explored centuries ago and now occupying space on a shelf, the statues are also said to be the seven sleepers of Ephesus.
One legend says the allee couverte dates from the beginning of the world.
Aubrey Burl called this place Pergal but as I saw the sign pointing down a footpath it said Pergat, I shrugged and walked the lane, Burl said it was 200m to the stones but it was barely 100m, he also said it was a lovely place and thankfully in this if anything he was underselling it.
The sun was out, flowers carpeted the floor, a stream runs by and the birds were singing as loudly as my children were playing.It was ideal.
There are three stones in a row, one head height one fallen and one monster reaching for the sky,apparently the third tallest in Brittany, if your in the area please make the effort to find this place you’ll be glad you did
I was half way between Carnedd Rhys Goch and Tomen y Gwyddel when a farmer turned up in his Land Rover (Groooan). He started off with the obligatory “hey what you doin the path is over there” but when I told him what I was doing he soon warmed up and even gave me a lift on the back of the 4wd cowboy style (which was fun) over to the cairn . Apparently someone from some such place came just a week ago ? He laughed when I told him I was into stones and ancient places, and proceeded to lament the modern farmers lot (Diddums)
The cairn was like he said” not much to look at” half a metre tall partly grass covered and over shadowed by a small plantation.
The funny thing about the place were the half dozen or so standing stones built into or next to the fences .
Most perplexing.
There is only one way to get here as the road ends at the bottom of the valley. Through the small village of Pandy and look out for a carpark on the right. Walk up the small lane that bends to the left and keep going till it turns into a footpath. the cairn can be seen from a distance due to the pillar of stones on it. There are at least four big stones on it’s circumfrence . 75 yards to the N.W is a small standing stone, both stone and cairn are said to be associated with the poet Rhys Goch.
Wellies needed !
Visible from the road, go down the hill through the gate into the woods then slowly pick your way through the trees. Two cairns right on the edge of the loch . Couldnt get too close because of the water and we were running out of time. Oh where does the time go?
This Burial chamber was the one that sparked off the whole trip up here, Greywethers pictures only served to tantalise though god bless him for that, I needed to see it up close.
Between two houses on different sides of the road there is a cattle grid, park here and jump the fence to the east. Try and pick out the path to the river where the bridge still awaits your patient feet. From far off the cairn looks to have a side entrance but it turned out to be just a dark bit . The chamber is accessed through the roof it has only one capstone, but in the chamber is another smaller chamber which probably has a technical term which now escapes me. I loved this one, the weather was good the views were great, but was it worth the 9 million mile pilgramage........You betcha!
Right next to the small road at Skelpick, the biggest cairn is very impressive, still retaining a chamber and the forecourt is still in good nick too. The same can’t be said for the northern one though the chamber is all gone except for one orthostat and the area where it should be has been used as a rubbish dump. The southern cairn is still cool though, with good views up and down the the river Naver .
One of the nicest places you could ever be.
There is a site specific carpark just 20 yards up the road, over the stile the ground is a bit boggy but theres a wooden walkway leading to the information board and chamber.
Such a lovely place in the early morning sunshine lichen hanging off the nearby trees and the place giving off a really lush vibe, the chambers are well defined and the cairn is still quite substantial.
If your ever up here definately give it a visit
The first chambered cairn of the day, at about 7am ish the sun had yet to reach over the hill to the east. Visible from the road if you know where to look, and only a 5 minute walk so well worth a visit. Great views up and down the Strath of Kildonan. There was more to see in the imediate vacinity including more chambered cairns and at least 3 souterrains but time was not on our side.
A lovely little dolmen in a lovely place with yes youve guessed it lovely views. I thought it time to witness the sunrise from here and coincidentally it was two days from the equinox so I payed special attention. On the horizon the mountain known as moelfre uchaf sticks out most, and it was here that the sun rose from, Coincidence ? maybe, but the even more persuasive alignments at cerrig pryfaid stone circle was ready to dispel any doubts. This could be the reason why Tal y fan has so many monuments.
The fallen stone is still fallen, I wondered whether to re-erect it but I didn’t have any strong women with me so I left it. On this my third visit, the area has taken on a new guise, I had often wondered why they didn’t use bigger stones there’s plenty of them around.
But having just watched the Equinox sun rise from behind the biggest sharpest mountain on the horizon and found it beyond coincidence, I just had to go to this here stone circle and see if that same mountain is visible from there too. The circle has two outliers which may have confused some visitors, but standing behind one stone and looking through the circle to the horizon the mountain (moelfre Uchaf) is in a perfect line. The other outlier bisects the circle centre at an angle of about 120 degrees the mid winter sunrise line .I couldn’t believe no one had mentioned it before. I’m off to the lakes for winter sol, but I’m beginning to wish I could be in two places at once.
If it stood up straight and tucked its shirt in it might be 7ft tall, but its got a severe lean. (like that stone near Carsington water). I thought once that it might fall over one day, but after seeing the equinox sun rise over Moelfre uchaf and noting that the stone leans towards it I wonder if it might be intentional. The centre stone at Boscawen un also purposely leans so it wouldn’t be a first.
Burl calls this a playing card shape but I don’t see it myself, it looks like a half buried stone axe to me. Thin on one side and really broad on the other it’s a very striking stone . Visible from the path/lane to the Poets stone with the peak of Tal y Fan behind it.
There’s a steep side and a gentle sloping side, like a twerp I went up the longway . The defences on the western side are the best preserved, with no really obvious entrances, but another great view. Situated amongst a maze of small lanes halfway between Snowdonia and the Clwydian range .( all of which Iv’e been to ).
The hillfort could be part of an Equinox alignment along with Moelfre Uchaf and Cerrig Pryffaid stone circle, though with a thousand years inbetween the construction of the two sites it seems probable that its fortuitous.
Situated in a truly beautiful place, after a long drive down a single lane road which goes higher and higher up into the corner of the valley, we left the car and walked through the field and over the small river and there it was by a gate in a field boundary, tall and broad but thin longwise. As we photographed the stone a lady farmer on a quad bike came over and told us we were on private property. We apologised and said we’d just come to see the stone, but then she proceeded to tell us it wasn’t ancient it was just some old farmers stone, but a minute later it was just a stone that had come down the mountain and just happened to land upright in the ground. She didn’t want people coming on her land. She seemed almost horrified that the stone was marked on the map where anyone could see it then she told us she would be talking to the mapping commision people to get it taken off the maps.
Probably not worth the journey up the small road, when if you ask for permission it’s not granted .
Best approached from the S.W but me and Day Vole came from the S.E and got soaked from the knees down. Not the tallest of stones, but it was very white and was noticeable from quite a distance from the south so was maybe a marker stone through the mountains. Probably not really worth the trip unless your hardcore and in the vacinity due to long walk out through squelchy marshy ground.
We parked on the grass near two gates on the lane up to the hill . It was a long walk up but well worth it the views are awsome. Unlike the other forts round here (theres about 6)it isn’t on the highest ground but is on a hilltop surrounded by mountains .Entrances are on the west and east , west goes down onto the vale ,east goes up into the mountains.
There are three sets of ramparts, up here away from agriculture the defences are well preserved.
Two thousand years ago, on the valley floor these fortified mountains must have been far more than intimidating, I wonder if the palisades were painted, for that final scary touch
no-one could move a muscle round here without being seen from somewhere.
My son Eric and me were given the opportunity to go to N.Wales again and jumped at the chance, as it was a nice day we headed for the Berwyn mountains and Carnedd Wen.
We parked on the B4391 and walked through a recently felled wood through 3 gates then turned right up the hill. It took a little time to find the round cairn mostly ‘cause I didn’t realise
it was right on top of the hill. The cairn is very strange, it appears to have a wall round it, at times 5-6 feet thick with entrances at the north and south, the south entrance has what looks like wind shelters built at the end of the wall. I pondered long to determine that this was really what I was looking for, it was in the right place and after rereading my misc post can safely say it was it, a strange cairn indeed, was the retaining wall a recent addition? or an original feature?, the blocks of stone on the bottom of the outside of the wall were really big. And so close to the outcrop/earthfast boulder with fantastic views of the mountains both near and far.
I was really glad we took the time to find this cairn, it was very different.
One of the last hills in the Clwydian range going north, only Prestatyn then it’s the Irish sea. It was a nice day and after an afternoon on Ffrith beach we found ourselves driving past this hillfort (coincidence ?) so I just had to go up didn’t I. It was quite a long walk, there is no direct way up, the western side is almost sheer cliffs and the path on the eastern side follows the hill south before going up. The hill fort is like the hill, long and thin 200m long by 50m wide, on the eastern edge there are maybe 3 ditches and banks, it’s hard to say because of very dense gorse and bracken , the worst thing about this hillfort are on top at one end is a mast and small building and at the other end is well actually the other end is gone eaten away by a massive quarry . On the plus side there is a cave (no time to find it though) and amazing views 360 degrees all round.
A definate A list site this one. A very convenient carpark is sited right next to the beach. We parked amongst the other motorhomes and I left the rest of the family making sandcastles, a short walk down the path next to the beach takes you directly to the Allee Coudee. When I got there I found a guide waiting for any one who visits he had a torch so I let him tag along, he didn’t speak much English and my French ain’t great, all I could get out of him was whilst lighting the rock art and pointing was “Goddess” and similar one word explanations. His name was (and still is I presume) Christophe. After a couple of minutes I managed to explain my name is Christopher too, but not that I thought he had a really cool job.
The passage bends to the left half way down
which is what differentiates an Allee Couverte from an Allee Coudee. It has carvings on nearly half the stones (hence the guide/guardian) and with a tall cupmarked menhir at the entrance, this is a real gem of aplace
After a fairly long walk through the woods past some freindly horses in a field, we come to a stone rectangle, after seeing so many stone circles back home this rectangle was a real oddity that I just had to inspect in fine detail.
The stones are fairly low 1 to 2 feet at most, except two on one of the long sides which look like an entrance, if a little constricted .Apparently restored quite recently. Only yards away is the Giant of Manio, a real whopper
long and large the moustoir tumulus sits by the roadside, masquarading as just another carnac monument but is more interesting than most, for several reasons. The mound is surmounted by a 6-7ft tall menhir with another similar sized stone just yards away at it’s side, and yet another across the field beyond. one chamber and two cists are to be found, the entrance at the side nearest the road goes to the chamber and the cists are accessed from on top of the tumulus. It was mid summer 2003 when we visited and the place was almost overgrown but definately worth a visit especially after all those mind numbing rows of menhirs
More than ten rows stretching for more than a kilomtere about 982 menhirs many re-erected by Zacharie Le Rouzic, only interupted by a couple of houses one of which is a shop selling yummy ice cream and a ruined windmill, which you can climb the stairs inside to get a good overview of the rows.
I first saw pictures of these rows when I was a child in a book of ancient wonders, and wanted to see them as much as any pyramid, they are indeed wonders .
On our motohoming odyssey we saw more than twenty sites but this was the most spectacular. The car park was nigh on full because of a summer fayre or something (games, stalls, etc)
Yep there was lots of local people there but because they live with this Loire type dolmen they can almost ignore it and get on with the party. It was a beautiful summers afternoon the light shone through the leaves in that wonderful way that it does and all was perfect.
The entrance is amazing, the lintel is perfectly horizontal and low enough to make you stoop or bow to enter but then the capstones soar way above you. No finds of any kind were found here no burials or anything which just deepens the mystery surrounding this place. The entrance faces the mid-winter solstice
We were staying at a camp site nearby after a day on Mont St Michel
and arrived at the stone about 7.30pm. Only one family of Germans interupted our inspection of the menhir.,though there was enough stone for everyone, menhir isn’t enough word for this one, back home I call 6ft a tall one, this is a stone spacerocket ready to take off at any moment. Quite simply the biggest stone Iv’e ever seen . At the stones foot is a little boulder shined black from centuries of bums.
Awsome !!!