Archaeology of North Wales – Mountain Leader CPD

Saturday 19th September

I arrived at Cefn Cae campsite in Rowen at 6.50, it only took 2 hours and 20 mins to get there. I had just enough time and light to get the tent up and my dinner cooked. I had a Look What We Found meal with rice cooked up in my Jetboil. The campsite cost £13 for the night and was a newly certificated Caravan and Camping Club site, it was very clean and well looked after. They operate an honesty system for buying quite an extensive range of supplies and I didn’t have to pay extra for a shower.

After dark, I read my book for a while. The stars were amazing and I could see the Milky Way.

Moon on Tay y Fan
Moon on Tal y Fan

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Dawn on Tal y Fan
Dawn on Tal y Fan

Sunday 20th September

I’ve never really managed to sleep properly in a tent but this wasn’t too bad. I was warm enough especially with my little blanket. It was cold in the night and there was a heavy dew when I gave up sleep about 5.30. I had a cup of tea and then 2 cups of coffee and my breakfast of granola and yoghurt. I got to see the red dawn on Tal y Fan which was wonderful.

I packed up and drove up to Caer Rhun Roman fort (Canovium). There’s not a right lot to see, don’t be misled by the photo on the website, but the church is nice although it wasn’t open.

Then I met up with the group in the lay-by down the road. Jane Kenney is a senior archaeologist from the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. The workshop is part of the CPD made available to members of the Mountain Training Association. The requirement is for 5 CPD points over 5 years and this is my second point since gaining the ML.

10 of us in the group. We got into 3 cars and drove up to a small car park some way above Rowen. We set off and the first thing to look at was the Roman road.

We then looked at long huts (rectangular), cairns with cists, hut circles, standing stones, a burnt mound and then a very good stone circle where we stopped for lunch. Jane was very good at getting us to look more closely at the structures and how to interpret them. She also didn’t try to give us all the answers as there is a lot that is not known and subjective but she clearly has a great breadth of knowledge. We then moved on past a reservoir and up to a slate quarry which is hidden away. Then it was time to head back passing 2 very prominent burial chambers, back onto the Roman road again and another stone circle just near the car park.

Fabulous, informative day with an expert. And a bargain to boot!

Last year’s walk.

We got back to lay-by around 5.15 and I got home at 7.45.

Burial chamber
Maen y bardd burial chamber
Church at Caerhun, sitting on the Roman fort
Church at Caerhun, sitting on the Roman fort
I think this is a green man
I think this is a green man
Big standing stone
Big standing stone
And another, not quite so huge
And another, not quite so huge
A cist
A cist
Very cheeky pony
Very cheeky pony
Stone circle
Stone circle
Another big standing stone
Another big standing stone
A peat house for storing peat
A peat house for storing peat
Burial chamber, marked on map as such
Burial chamber, marked on map as such
Burial chamber but not prominently marked on map
Maen y bardd burial chamber
Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

MAPandCOMPASS

Stanza Stones Trail 30th August 2015

I forgot to make myself coffee. My biggest mistake of the day!

Cath and B and I met up at Hebden Bridge station with our cars at 7.40. Cath drove us to Marsden and we set off at 9.00 at a brisk pace to ascend Pule Hill and see the first of the Stanza Stones. Our walk was a reccy for a walk Cath is leading for the Walk and Ride Festival so we needed to check the projected timings and keep up the pace.

We headed north to the Pennine Way and the A640. Across White Hill and then to the rubbish dump on the A672. Cath was very incensed by this and took a photo. I have reported it. On my 3 drives along Turvin Road there was some fly tipping and this has also been reported.

Across the M62 and then to Blackstone Edge where we stopped for our lunch. Across the A58 and into the White House for drinks. The half way point. I had a coffee which seemed fine, a very inky black espresso. About half an hour later I started feeling queasy and this continued until the next day.

We reached the next Stanza Stone and then it was on to Stoodley Pike. Had a bit of a rest there. Then the last leg back to Hebden and along the canal to the station. I’m quite impressed that I managed it whilst feeling hideous but there wasn’t really a choice.

Into my car and back to Marsden for Cath and B. Then back to my house where I was able to be sick.

Despite my ailments we had a great day, legs were fine. 2 days later I’m still right off coffee and being careful as to what I eat.

Very official looking sign but the only one we saw right at the end of the day
Very official looking sign but the only one we saw right at the end of the day
Cath on the way up Pule Hill
Cath on the way up Pule Hill
First Stanza Stone
First Stanza Stone
Blackstone Edge
Blackstone Edge
Second Stanza Stone
Second Stanza Stone
Water board detritus
Water board detritus
Warland reservoir
Warland reservoir

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The blooming heather
The blooming heather
B and Cath
B and Cath
Stoodley Pike, last stretch
Stoodley Pike, last stretch
Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

MAPandCOMPASS

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