fauny fergus

Having taken three attempts at finding the somewhat overgrown path it was literally jaw-dropping to turn a corner and see Hoon Mount looming. It is huge: perhaps 30m in diameter and 5m or so in height. Certainly larger than Swarkestone and maybe a similar size to Round Hill (I’ve never been as close to the latter as I now have to this). The visibility of the mound on satellite maps underlines the size of the structure. There is some damage to the SW edge – I’m undecided if it’s from sheep or dickheads with detectors.

I sat on the summit and had swallows dance around me on a blustery July day. There is definitely a more pleasant air to this place than many others in South Derbyshire.

Viewed from Wyaston Road these are largely inaccessible and not at all as captivating as the large barrow near Osmaston Fields Farm nor Tinkers’ Hill. I would make a rough estimate of a height of 3-4 feet and diameter of 15-20 feet for the larger of the two and 3 feet and 10-15 feet for the smaller.

These seem greatly diminished and, I would guess, have been (are being?) ploughed into the ground.