postman

I agonised over whether to post this site or not, but then I saw the Kirkstone in Cumbria and decided to after all. 915 metres up in the air, Tryfan is a tall sharp mountain. It really scared me twice, but I got up in the end. Adam and Eve are two natural standing stones on the 25ft sq summit platform. If your man(crazy) enough to jump from one to the other, then the freedom of the mountain is yours. There was no chance of chickening out because there’s just no way I’m going up there.. right on the edge with a very very big drop! In short, it’s a long but exciting climb, with added bonus of the initial stimulus for standing stones... honest!

I was adament that I would not be paying to see these stones, so I parked on the road near the footpath, hopped over a few stiles then over a couple of fields. Having been chased by angry bulls I was ready to give up. Just one more field and WOW... there they are! A stile leads into the field right next to the monument. It’s truly massive with a fantastic view of Snowdonia. Sneaking should be left to early mornings (Welsh farmers can get quite irrate – remember your Ninja training).

I parked the car where the map said the barrow was, but couldn’t immediately find it. Is it behind this small hill? No, it is this small hill. Covered in trees and bushes, almost everyone driving past will miss it. The stone is maybe 5-6 ft tall. The small road cuts through the mound, but there isn’t much traffic, so peace, if sought, can be found. Not easily photographed, but delightful to find. Give the stone a hug its been through a lot.

from Llamberis climb the road up the hill behind the town driving N.W.Park by the sign for footpath.follow path past small lake ,then past crossing paths and you can see the menhir below easily spotted even in summer .A great place to sit and watch the world turning.return to path and carry on for the battered but recognisable Hafodlas cairn circle.

Saw this on the map many times, so I was in the area and checked it out. Its not so megalithic, but it’s certainly mega. The Peaks’ answer to Monument Valley.

When youv’e parked in the big carpark ,instead of going straight into the woods turn right and follow the path to the Golden stone a fallen menhir ,that still marks the boundary of properties

Marton church is the oldest east-west aligned wood framed in use church in western Europe. The large mound it sits on is prehistoric, it’s roughly circular and seems reminiscent of the Hully Hill monument near Edinburgh, and maybe eight feet tall. In a prehistoric Cheshire book, I read a theory that from this platform the Winter Solstice sunrise rises in a notch in the hills, and the Bridestones burial chamber is there also.

Another hero of mine Aubrey Burl said this circle might be spurious (had to look that one up) but the presence of a prehistoric trackway and the barrow argue for its authenticity. The first time I came here I chickened out of a visit because the landowners were about. I don’t like asking for permission to see our own heritage. The second time I was luckier. No-one was about so I drove between the gatehouses and parked by the gate near the stones. Another quick Ninja scurry and there we have it. Further up the drive towards the mansion is a large loaf like menhir.

This cunning orifice is well hidden I passed it several times ,approaching from the north west ,going downhill notice High Wheeldon poking up over the ridge ,before you get to Dowel hall look to the right amongst the cliffs and there it is.The cave is deep ,deeper than I dared go without a torch ,caves are fab

a small lane comes off the A51 in Tilstone Fearnall and as the lane turns a corner a large barrow stands .Iv’e been down the A51 hundreds of times and didnot know it was here till i read a book on prehistoric Cheshire. Glad I did too the barrow is 7-9 ft tall and on its summit a plaque saying dont harm the monument stood,till my daughter tried to balance on it and it fell flat.

dropping stone cave is a real abode of the fairies i didnt see any but i knew they were there .Aubrey Burl in Carnac to Callanish mentions the mid Cheshire ridge as part of the prehistoric route from Yorkshire to N.Wales ,nowadays its called the sandstone trail ,easily the most beautiful part of Cheshire and its under this sandstone trail that youll find this cool cave ,the many chambers multi-coloured and as can be seen by the many burnt candles a cool hangout

Access was easy but i was unsure whether i was trespassing ,there was barbed wire all around it although a small lane led straight into it.in the south-east corner was what seemed like the outline of a building and some strange tunnel ,just big enough to crawl through ,my gut feeling was it was not iron age ,maybe medieval.The hill forts entrance is quite big and the ditch and bank at least 8ft tall ,the view is wonderful the whole of Delamere forest and in the distance the cooling towers of Merseyside(ugh again)

There are quite a few hillforts round here , but there’s not much left of this one , just one long ditch cut in half by a hedge ,nice view though even better if you go on top of the hill by the (ugh) pylons

park in the obvious carpark ,up the path to the cliff edge keeping the cliff to your right go up hill .looking across Cheshire towards Wales this superbly sited hillfort is right on the cliffedge (,ain’t no one coming in that way ).the entrance ,and ditch and banks are still well defined ,though not the biggest of hillforts i’ll be back again and again,but then the patron saint of travellers is called Christopher and the fort is on Bickerton hill ,this is definately my place.

to the north-west of maiden castle is mad alans hole ,a cave with 1st and 2nd floor though you must be fit to climb up from bottom floor ,a partially collapsed entrance stifles photography

The roads are confusing but follow the os map and youll be OK ,park by the phonebox and on the other side of the road is a footpath proceed and turnleft off the path uphill, go past ironmans stone and into the trees the chamber is well hidden ,but the capstone is huge and obvious propped up on one orthostat.no view is possible because of dense vegatation,flippin CADW just dont seem to care sometimes

i stumbled upon this cave whilst hunting for dowel cave ,the small gate came off in my hands ... (honestly!)so i risked a little visit despite warnings on the gate ,inside was a sign pointing on into the cave towards staffordshire moorlands ,perhaps it links up with Dowel cave and a massive underworld as both seem to go on for ever .by the time i got home i had forgotten its name and the nearest i could remember was eskin cave but now i can see it was etches cave (close but no cigar)SORRY

On the long drive down ,i laughed as pink floyd sang “mile after mile ,stone after stone ,you turn to speak but your alone"and indeed i was .started of at Maen Cetti with wind and rain ,but it had died down by the time i got here .park by the house on the corner and follow footpath through trees and uphill,in top right corner of field go through right hand gate and this pair of stones are at the top of the hill.The larger stone is prostrate but about 150 paces across the field is the stander

In the churchyard at Llangernyw is Wales oldest tree, a magnificent Yew about 4-5000 yrs old. A certificate signed by David Bellamy is in the chuches porch. Under the tree was a notice informing us of two standing stones possibly early Saxon on the other side of the church but not far round the corner are two more very different stones, big unworked and most perplexing. Does anyone know more about them? I for one would like to know more.

Located near the road, beside a footpath, the stone is about 6ft tall. It’s lichen covered, but like quite a few in north Wales, the view is somewhat marred by pylons, but still a beautiful area.

Park up the road, retrace your route back down to straight edged new forest. Located on west hand side at the top of the hill near the cow pen, the stones only just protrude above ground except one which is fairly big.

after reading previous fieldnotes i was surprised to find a good parking place ,try harder the stone and the view are worth it

A beautiful peaceful morning ,only bleating lambs , singing birds and running water broke the silence .Park by the many arched bridge and follow the footpath west ,below the rail track over three gates and under the track,turn right over fence and wow what a stone ,over 8 ft tall and covered in quartz seams .A powerful place despite the railway track which is invisible but loud when trains pass

My little boy and me very naughtily sneaked across 3 feilds to see this stone, we ninja scurried and got abit muddy but what an impressive menhir ,despite the obnoxious braces