A Day of Very Interesting Monuments – Some Older than Others!


Up this morning about 5:30 am – to find that neither of us had developed frostbite during the night!  And yes, it was definitely that cold!  The “storage heating” that supposedly would go on “during the night” of course didn’t – surprise! – so we have decided that enough already of the cold.  We will be staying here one more night, and then heading off in the morning to the big city of Newcastle Upon Tyne, England and a Hilton on the river which hopefully has heat or at least the ability to provide something that resembles it!  

 

We have found that in many adventures, there comes a spot that doesn’t quite live up to expectations – and this is definitely it!  The apartment itself is fine – albeit no hairdryer, so I’ve got wash and wear hair going on today, but even that is livable – providing we can be warm and comfortable – which we can’t … add that to the number of steps to the 4th floor, and enough is enough already.  I don’t even want to tackle a load of laundry to see how long that would take to even try to dry – there is a laundromat fairly close to the Hilton in Newcastle – and it has dryers that we can use!  Yippee!!  Bonus right there!  So, we spent today exploring, and will have homemade pizza right around the corner this evening, and then out the door tomorrow and heading to England in the morning.  Another long drive – about 4½ - 5 hours to get there, but once there, we’ll have an extra day at Hadrian’s Wall before our weekend in Hexham, which very close to the wall, and our very favorite place, Corbridge, where we have stayed frequently over the years!  Very exciting!  

 

Out this morning about 7:30 am and heading first to Kilmartin.  I had read about the famous Kilmartin Standing Stones – and had assumed (mistakenly, as it turns out!) that they were like the other “standing stones” that we had been seeing in Scotland.  Turns out these standing stones referred to a particularly rich hoard of carved grave markers done for families that lived in the area from around the 900’s through the 1600’s here in the area.  Some of them are absolutely stunning – lots of Celtic cross-like designs, and patterns, as well as stones carved with designs of knights on them.  Very surprising, actually.  The Kilmartin Museum has been closed since Covid for a complete overall, but intends (hopefully) to open this summer (whenever that may be…as no one seems to know) with their prehistoric displays, shops and café.  Of course we’re too early, but the new building looks to be quite impressive.  

 


Archway in front of Kilmartin Church

Kilmartin Church



Examples of Kilmartin Standing Stones






From Kilmartin, we started tracing some patterns of both standing stones and stone circles, starting at Temple Wood.  Into the middle of a huge sheep paddock – where supposedly there is very early evidence of an alignment at some solstice or other (R very dubious) and then down another lane to yet another stone circle, very different from the standing stones.  The stone circle was, quite literally, a circle made up of stones, with several taller stones sticking up in the middle.  We weren’t sure of the protocol – the stones were all piled up, and there was definitely a middle, but it looked like one would chance a broken limb at the very least, trying to make it to the center of the stone circle, so we thought that discretion would be the better part of valor, and just took photos from the outside of the circle, so couldn’t see what, if anything was at the inside of the circle. Interesting, nonetheless; albeit a bit confusing.  Supposedly, this area of Scotland contains the heaviest concentration of neolithic elements in the country, but, like so much of antiquity, there are so many unanswered questions – what was it for, what happened here, who built it, etc.  









Just don't try to walk on those stones!

 




Having a bite of breakfast back in Lachgilaphead

And a look round a really nice shop!

Signage needs a bit of upkeep...

16th Century castle on a hill


Interesting signage...


Dunadd Fort hill














There were several cairns that we visited, a 16th century ruined castle on top of a hill, the remains of Dunadd Fort and our last stop, at Kilmichael Glassary.  Dunadd Fort, dating from the Iron Age, means the “fort on the river” and the early medieval period.  It is believed to have been the capital of the ancient kingdom of Dal Riatain Argyll in the early centuries A.D.  Kilmichael Glassary contains a remarkable example of what is known as cup and ring carvings.  More than 150 carvings on several exposed rock faces are protected for view, estimated to have been carved around 3000 BC; they were amazing; so fun to see them!   Also, some of the circles around the central cup are elongated, rather like a key hole, which are different from what are usually found elsewhere.  

 

Having covered most, if not all, of the primary sites near Lochgilaphead, we headed back to the apartment, as R had some Caltech work to do this afternoon.  I was able to get a nap and then headed downstairs to get out into the actual sunshine for bit.  Now getting ready to head out for pizza!  

 

More later!

m

xxx

 

Pizza was wonderful!  But WAY too much to eat!

m

xxx

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