Another burial site on Carningli?

This is a boulder I have often walked past before, on the south side of the mountain and not far from Carningli Lodge.  It's easy to find because it's on the slope beneath a prominent holly tree.   I was walking past it again yesterday when I noticed that it has a slight ridge made of smaller stones running round it.  The ridge is about 3m across.  It's most obvious on the downslope side, and of course it's invisible at the height of summer when the bracken is high.  There is a substantial cavity beneath the boulder, and although it appears to be in its "natural" position it might have been levered up and then partly supported on smaller stones.  Could it have held the cremated remains of one or more local inhabitants?  It reminds me of some of the other "sub-megalithic" burial chambers in Pembrokeshire -- and of the simple burial sites in the Garn Wen "cemetery" above Goodwick.  These are sometimes called "earthfast" chambered tombs -- very different from the hugely impressive  Pentre Ifan or Carreg Samson near Mathry which are dated to the Neolithic.  These are classic megalithic sites.

As I understand it, these "lazy" tombs (made with a minimum of effort and ceremonial) date from some time after the "high point" of Neolithic tomb building, when traditions were changing.  So could this feature date from the Neolithic / Bronze age transition, and could it be associated with the relics of round houses and other features found both on this side of Carningli and on the Newport side?

Captured on film.....

There I was, sitting in the sun on top of the mountain, chomping on my breakfast sandwich and looking down on a world that was just waking up, and all of a sudden along comes this hulking great military transport plane (a Hercules?) flying very low, and following the Gwaun Valley.  Is there nowhere peaceful left in this world?

On hearing the first cuckoo

Yes, the cuckoo was there when I went up the mountain this morning, and enjoyed breakfast on the summit.  It was a perfect spring morning -- just a gentle breeze, and hazy sunshine.  High tide in the estuary too.  A seagull chased the male hen harrier across the southern flank of the mountain -- very aggressive it was.  A pair of rather agitated ravens -- they must have a nest not far away.  Skylarks up above, as ever.

Strange that one sets such store by the first hearing of the cuckoo in spring.  Are we taught to think that this is really the first sign of spring?  Or is it something instinctive?  Status is involved too -- one always feels a glow of pride, when talking to others, if one has heard the first cuckoo before they have.  On the other hand  one feels a tinge of disappointment when somebody says:  "Oh,  I heard the cuckoo three days ago!"

Strange to have such romantic feelings about a bird that is a parasite and a seriously nasty piece of work.....

Mistress Martha's Tenth Anniversary

Probably I'm the only one to have noticed it, but this year is the tenth anniversary of the publication of the first Angel Mountain book, with the cover as above.  That cover should now be worth a fortune, with the subtitle "A Pembrokeshire Tale".  At that time (in 2001) I had no idea that the single book would turn into a Saga -- and later editions had different subtitles on them.

So ten years ago, in March, I was still hard at work writing the first episode in the exciting life story of Mistress Martha.  The time has just flown by!  And now, seven volumes and about a million words later,  I still haven't finished with Martha.  Seven is such an awkward number, don't you think?  Eight has a much nicer ring to it.

Another magical day.......

 Tangled oak tree on the south flank of the mountain, not far from Carningli Lodge.  Note the big nest -- buzzard? raven?

Another magical day on the mountain, doing a guided walk for a walking group of about 24.  Good time had by all, and we managed to enjoy our picnic near the summit in bright sunshine, with swirls of sea mist rolling over the crags and down the south flank.  Very atmospheric, it was.........

A walk on Dinas Mountain

Had a wonderful walk yesterday on Dinas Mountain, scrambling among the tors of Carn Enoch, Garn Fawr etc.  Bright sunshine, just a balmy breeze, and blue sky overhead;  sea mist drifting in off the coast and covering the lowland strip.  There were masses of skylarks singing their hearts out, and as I sat near Carn Enock a male hen harrier went winging past, heading purposefully towards Cwm Gwaun.  It was all quite beautiful.....

People don't go up onto Dinas Mountain enough.  It's very easily accessible by road -- and in some way it's wilder and more serene than Carningli.......

Literary Walks -- summer season

Here again are the dates and details for 2011.  Note that some of the walks are picnic walks (food not provided!) which start earlier and run over the lunchtime period:

LITERARY WALKS PROGRAMME 2011

Easter Sunday, 24th April 2011, 2-5 pm. Literary Walk on Angel Mountain (Carningli) led by local author Brian John. Start and finish: car-parking area on Dolrannog Road, near Newport, grid ref:  SN 070 373.  A 2 mile easy ramble -- ring 01239-820470 for further details.  Adults £4, children £2. Proceeds to charity.

Monday 2nd May 2011, 10am - 2 pm   Literary Picnic on Angel Mountain (Carningli) led by local author Brian John. Start and finish: car-parking area on Dolrannog Road, near Newport, grid ref:  SN 070 373.  A 2 mile easy ramble -- ring 01239-820470 for further details.  Adults £4, children £2.  (Bring packed lunch)  Proceeds to charity.

Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May 2011, 2 - 5 pm;  Literary Walk on Angel Mountain (Carningli) led by local author Brian John.  Start and finish: car-parking area on Dolrannog Road, near Newport, grid ref:  SN 070 373.  A 2 mile easy ramble -- ring 01239-820470 for further details.  Adults £4, children £2. Proceeds to charity.

Sunday 7th August 2011, 10am - 1 pm.   Literary Picnic on Angel Mountain (Carningli) led by local author Brian John. Start and finish: car-parking area on Dolrannog Road, near Newport, grid ref:  SN 070 373.  A 2 mile easy ramble -- ring 01239-820470 for further details.  Adults £4, children £2.  (Bring packed lunch.)   Proceeds to charity.

Sunday 21st August 2011, 10am - 1 pm.   Literary Picnic on Angel Mountain (Carningli) led by local author Brian John.  Start and finish: car-parking area on Dolrannog Road, near Newport, grid ref:  SN 070 373.  A 2 mile easy ramble -- ring 01239-820470 for further details.  Adults £4, children £2.  (Bring packed lunch.)  Proceeds to charity.

Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August 2011, 2-5 pm;  Literary Walk on Angel Mountain (Carningli) led by local author Brian John.  Start and finish: car-parking area on Dolrannog Road, near Newport, grid ref:  SN 070 373.  A 2 mile easy ramble -- ring 01239-820470 for further details.  Adults £4, children £2. Proceeds to charity.

Sunday 11th September 2011, 2-5 pm.  Literary Walk on Angel Mountain (Carningli) led by local author Brian John. Start and finish: car-parking area on Dolrannog Road, near Newport, grid ref:  SN 070 373.  A 2 mile easy ramble -- ring 01239-820470 for further details.  Adults £4, children £2.  Proceeds to charity.

Further info:

Each year since 2003 author Brian John has led a series of easy 'literary walks' on Angel Mountain, involving  easy rambles through "Martha Morgan Country".  These have proved very popular, and in 2011 Brian will once again lead walks for those who would like to (a)  talk to the author about the novels of the Angel Mountain Saga, and (b) discover some of the key sites referred to in the stories.

Most walks start at 2 pm and finish by 5 pm, unless indicated otherwise in the list.  Participants visit the site of Plas Ingli, Ffynnon Brynach, the approximate location of Martha's cave, and the summit of Carningli.  There is normally plenty of time for questions and discussions, and Brian also points out other features of interest on the mountain, including  traces of the old Carningli volcano, traces of Bronze Age settlements, remnants of the Carningli Iron Age hillfort, and other items relating to natural history and the landscape.

Participants are advised to wear stout footwear and warm clothing, and to be prepared for a gentle climb to the rocky summit.  This should not be a problem for people of average fitness.

Starting point:  the car parking area at the foot of the "green track" which leads to the Carningli summit.  Grid reference:  SN 070 373

Directions:  take the Cilgwyn Road out of Newport.  After one mile, fork right onto the Dolrannog Road (no through road).  Cross the cattle grid and continue for c 400 yards.  The grassy car parking area is on your left, overlooking Brithdir and the "cwm" of Cilgwyn.

Charge:  £4 per person.  Children of school age £2.  All proceeds to charity.

Inclement weather:  The walks may be cancelled if the weather is miserable.  In case of doubt ring on the morning of the walk to 01239-820470.