Megalithical
Trip Start
Aug 23, 1996
1
353
561
Trip End
Ongoing
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Sligo, Ireland
Saturday, August 18, 2007
1) A Passport
2) Clean Underwear
3) An Umbrella
We have tried a gortex jacket, but an umbrella wins hands down
A while ago, when we were at the Roman Villa in Bignor, we were discussing/boasting about Roman sites we had been to, when a lady piped up for us to stop being fuckwits and to get a life. Why see something that's 2000 years old when you can have stuff that's at least 3500 years old. With this statement, we did a little investigation, booked some tickets for a plane and a car, this one was a copy of the car they give to the stars on Top Gear to do a hot lap, and what shitter it is, and then we were off.
Carrowkeel Passage Tombs
After driving 200 K's in the rain, we turned up a little road. It felt like we were in Wales. Maybe it was the sheep. Don't really know, but it felt Welshy !!! We parked the car, and started the walk with our umbrellas the K to the site. Once there, dotted on the hillside were three stone cairns that were around 4000 to 5000 years old. We climbed in one and it was like being in a smaller version of West Kennet Longbarrow. It was nice to be out of the wind and rain !!! The next one we were unable to climb in, and the last looked just like a heap of stones. As we walked back, we passed numerous sheep that were giving us the evil eye. Maybe they sensed that I was a New South Welshman and were getting slightly horny, but I can't speak sheep so I was unable to explain the difference between a Welshman and a New South Welshman, so I ran as fast as I could back to the car.
Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
We didn't have far to drive, and then we were there. We paid our entrance fee, and this gave us access to the second largest Megalithic site in Europe. There are dolmans everywhere and also a huge old burial cairn which has now lost its roof. It was kind of like a hollowed out Silbury hill, so it was good to see inside one, and they had re-built a dolmen. Don't know how correct it was, but it was a nice touch. We exited and walked around the 2.5 K area. All around were dolmens, big and small. There were also a couple of stone circles to run around in, so we did. After we finished, we asked a guy where the next site was, and his answer was, see that mountain.
Knocknarea Cairn
Once parked, we started the climb. It wasn't to far, but it did look like it was pretty steep up near the top, but who cares. We have climbed far worse over the years. Up at the top, there is meant to be a grave which houses an old mythical queen. She had to be mythical as I had never heard of her, but then again, I am not 4500 to 5000 years old. Once we had finished the climb, I didn't know what we were looking for, also the place was covered in a pea souper, so we couldn't see a thing. Then it cleared slightly, and on top of the mountain was a cairn, no it was a little mountain of stones. My jaw dropped at the size of the thing !!! Even though the signs state don't do this/that, up I went. Lucy joined me and then we had one of those Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but without the actors, aliens or army !!! I would have loved to have taken some good photos of the view, but there was to much fog, so we climbed down from the cairn and then down the mountain.
Deer Park Court Cairn
Finding the place was a mare. We drove past the entrance a few times. I think it's the fact that I can't read Gaelic !!! We walked through the forest, and we came to a clearing and there it was, a 3000 year old structure that had imploded in on itself. It was nice to walk around the stones, and it was pretty easy to imagine what it had looked like.
Overall, it had been a great day. I think the lady from Bignor was right. Fuck the Romans, the Megas are the way to go !!!
Comments
Piccies
Beautiful photos as usual David. Nice one. :)
s
Did you photo any Dolmen or fog?
I checked out the photo of 'David Going Down' but it was not what I expected.
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