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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Best new site visited 2016 |
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CARL 511 posts |
Dec 20, 2016, 16:11
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Ok folks, I guess it's that time of the year again. What are the best 'new sites' you have visited this year? For me: 1. Finlaggan on the Isle of Islay - A very, very atmospheric (and historic) location. No doubt it had the same sense of atmosphere in prehistoric times. 2. Giant's Graves on the Isle of Arran - a hard walk up the hill to get to it but excellent views and well worth the effort. Another site with a great sense of location. 3. Kingston Russel stone circle. Not a great site in itself but having failed to find it on my first visit it felt so good to have succeeded at my second attempt! Wishing all readers of the TMA a great Christmas and very happy New Year! :)
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juamei 2013 posts |
Dec 20, 2016, 16:29
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On a bit of a prolonged hiatus with (another) new baby this year plus a new job meant I doubt I've seen more than 50 sites up close and most of those were on 3 or 4 long walks. I've three highlights though (the last one is a bit more than a site), 1. Girdle Stanes & Loupin Stanes - I stopped in here on my way back down south from Edinburgh. Just wow. The scenary & the circles. 2. Bryn Celli Ddu. Amazing site, though felt a little reconstructed and too busy. I'd go back in a shot though. 3. The landscape, cairns and caves south of Buxton in the peaks. I spent a lot of time when I lived there on the eastern moors, but this landscape and some massive mounds. Lovely.
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juamei 2013 posts |
Dec 20, 2016, 16:40
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Also... I love Kingston Russell and that whole ridge. It played a large part in opening my eyes to the Joy of modern antiqiarianing.
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tjj 3606 posts |
Edited Dec 20, 2016, 19:58
Dec 20, 2016, 18:37
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1) Farranmacbride, Donegal http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5527/farranmacbride.html Found almost by accident after spending the day at Glencholmcille in Donegal. Where the ancient past meets early Christianity - the whole place felt other worldly and spiritual. 2) Beltany Stone Circle, Donegal - up there with Castlerigg minus the people. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2529/beltany.html Forgive me for saying magical but it was. 3) Knockmany Passage Grave, Co. Tyrone, N.I. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/5560/knockmany.html My first close up encounter with Irish rock art courtesy of Mark Bailey the then Director of Armagh Observatory - an unexpected privilege. Thanks for providing the thought-train to take me back there. Best wishes of the season to you and yours.
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Howburn Digger 986 posts |
Dec 20, 2016, 20:36
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This is an old Arran site. Well an old bunch of Arran sites. But some recent deforestation has renewed my interest this year. Clear felling across the Leac Gharbh hillside at North Sannox has exposed some of the remains of the tumbled cairns which were rumbled around by earth movers during the original conifer planting. Well worth a wander over to see the big exposed chamber on the on the slopes of Leac Gharbh overlooking the mouth of the North Sannox Burn. Keep going uphill for a few more cairns and take a stretch on up to the stoney old hillfort on the hillside beyond. When you are at the hillfort if you take a direct line straight down (South) towards the North Sannox Burn, about halfway down you will stumble across a massive chambered cairn (about 25 feet by 35 feet). It sits in clear pasture. There were two chambers open to the elements in July this year. https://binged.it/2icwF2G It wasn't noticed until the late 1990's. I found a massive boulder with three clear cupmarks (in a triangular configuration) close by a few years back. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/91679/sannox.html New stuff turning up in plain sight round about here. Back in July 2017 - cannae wait.
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thelonious 330 posts |
Edited Dec 21, 2016, 09:21
Dec 21, 2016, 09:16
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Maybe not the best sites but the three I was happiest at. Chatton - Visited lots of fantastic rock art in Northumberland this year. Chattonpark Hill and nearby Kettley Crag were just wonderful. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3075/chatton.html Commondale - Didn't even know about this one until I was on the hill. What a great site. A fine place to while away an afternoon. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/255/commondale.html Struidh - Our little adventure for this year. Good fun trying to find it. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/17873/struidh.html Happy Christmas everyone :)
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ironstone 62 posts |
Dec 21, 2016, 09:24
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Gosh, there's a tough one; this was my best year ever in terms of the number and range of sites but if I had to pick just 3 they would be:- 1:- Uneval on North Uist (a) for the effort required to reach it and (b) for the stupendous views. 2:- The Burn Moor complex in Eskdale, White Moss, Brat's Hill and Low Longrigg circles making up a group that sits in a wde-open moorland setting dominated by Scafell Pike away to the east. 3:- Lundin Farm, Perthshire, such a magical little four-poster on its mound grouped around that tree. Oh to have a similar year in 2017..... a good one to all of you.
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thesweetcheat 6214 posts |
Dec 21, 2016, 12:37
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thelonious wrote: Commondale - Didn't even know about this one until I was on the hill. What a great site. A fine place to while away an afternoon. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/255/commondale.html Oh, this has been on my list since the very start, but never been. Great stuff. I'm struggling to get down to a list of 3, more thought needed.
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goffik 3926 posts |
Dec 21, 2016, 12:42
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I think I've only visited 2 new sites this year! Probably 3 sites in total, including the old favourite, Avebury. Flowerdown Barrows - impressive site in an unlikely setting! By which I mean it's butted up against a residential area. Or rather they're butted up against the barrow. ;) But a lovely site worth several revisits! With the added bonus of just about the only standing stone I know of in Hampshire. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3265/flowerdown_barrows.html The Longstone of Mottistone - Somewhere I've meant to visit so many times but have *just* missed out on! A great surprise to me. It was LOADS bigger than I expected. A magnificent sight in a great location, at the top of quite a hill. Feels like a bit of a pilgrimage. Would definitely make the effort to visit again and again. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/292/longstone_of_mottistone.html Happy Christmas! :) G x
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thesweetcheat 6214 posts |
Dec 30, 2016, 12:49
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I've added up all the sites I've visited this year (with cairn groups, standing stone pairs, etc counted as one), it makes 191 sites. 148 of these were sites I haven't visited previously, including 18 new stone circles and 15 new chambered cairns. So picking three is hard! Best three walks were: (1) Y Mynydd Du in the snow in February; (2) Nantlle Ridge with Postman in April; (3) Big Moor with G/F in November. Best three new sites: 1. Barbrook II stone circle, Derbyshire (November) 2. Bryn yr Hen Bobl chambered tomb, Ynys Mon (July) 3. Tre'r Ceiri hillfort, Gwynedd (May) But that misses Dolebury, Tan y Muriau, Carn Fadrun, Coetan Cefn Amlwch, Garn Boduan, Yr Eifl, Bachwen, Moel Goedog, The Hurlers, Craddock Moor, Trewortha, Bryn yr Hen Bobl, Barclodiad y Gawres, Balbirnie, Lundin Links, Dalginross, Wester Cowden, Twenty Schilling Wood, Ferntower, Monzie, Braes of Fowlis, Gibbet Moor, Stanage cairn, Wet Withens, Barbrook I and III, Caer Caradoc, Gwern Einion, Craig y Dinas and Little Avebury, to name just a few. I'm constantly amazed by how much great stuff there is still to see, it never ends.
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