In the footsteps of the builders of Stonehenge Pt 2

A little later than planned. Work demands rather took over last week .....

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny so we started with a quick run up  Foel Cwmcerwyn, the highest point in the Presilli Hills ( and indeed in Pembrokeshire). OK quick run was a bit of an exaggeration but we were down in time to return to the Tafarn Sinc for a drink at lunchtime. Starting again from Rosebush this is a long but not too steep climb up. There were some fabulous views over the countryside but it was too hazy to photograph well.

Time then for part 2 of the plan - standing stones and stone circles. The area is dotted with them and we packed in as many as we could given that we had to head back home in the late afternoon.

First on the agenda was Maenclochog. The stone was in the centre of a freshly sown field so we couldn't get too close. Amazing how good a picture you can get though whilst balancing on a bank above a ditch and peering through a barbed wire fence!

Next, just a mile or two away was the stone at Temple Druid. Easy enough to see when you know where to look but hard to see from the car. We had to get out and wander about a bit to find it








This one was more of a challenge. Again some clambering up banks was required and we couldn't get any closer. It isn't actually visible from the road so quite a bit of bank clambering had to be done until we finally spotted it....

This pair were out on the moorland and required a bit of a hike to reach. They are distantly visible from the road but we wanted to get closer. Unfortunately this also meant  negotiating some unforeseen hazardous such as streams, bogs and gorse! Worth it though.

Next stop was a stone circle   - Gors Fawr. 16 bluestones ( like Stonehenge) in an oval ring. This was probably the best time to visit it before the gorse grows up for the summer.

Close by are two outrigger stones  which would seem to be part of the whole complex.

Next on the list was marked as  "a burial chamber".

 Carn Besi is close to the main road but that is as far as easy accessibility goes. Another clamber up a steep bank with plenty of brambles to avoid. More barbed wire at the top  so we settled for another creative distance shot.  Some lovely views of the Presilli Hills behind it though so definitely worth a stop.

We were getting rather tired now and thought we'd head into Newport for something to eat  - unfortunately the season hasn't started yet so we were spectacularly unsuccessful.

However we did come across Carreg Coetan Arthur so it wasn't a complete waste of time. This is a Cadw site and the remains of a chambered tomb ( dolmen style) probably dating from 3000BCE.



Now we really had had enough and decided to head for Camarthen for some food before heading back along the M4.  Despite all these good intentions though we passed the sign for Pentre Ifan - should we stop? It was late and we were tired and hungry and had already decided that we would be returning to the area for a longer stay so we thought we'd give it a miss. Then changed our minds!