Modem Antiquarian

This afternoon we followed in the footsteps of Julian Cope. No, we didn't form a post-punk band or forge a career in alternative rock music, nor did we tell the world to shut it's mouth. Instead we headed off to see some megalithic sites which he had visited and documented.

The first and more spectacular of these was Cairnpapple Hill. It's a site with a burial cairn situated within a henge which dates back 500 years or so. The cairn is still intact and you can go inside it. Unfortunately we got there afterr they closed it up and the entrance to the cairn was blocked by steel doors.

More spectacular than the cairn though is its setting. Although th ehill isn't hugely high the flatness of the Forth Valley means that you can see the entire width of the Central belt of Scotland on a clear day from a hill on the Isle of Arran off the west coast to the Isle of May and the Bass Rock off the east. It was a fairly breathtaking view, although it was apoiled slightly by the large communications mast erected on the hill.

After that we headed to Newbridge to see the Hully Hill Stone Circle, which bizarrely I'd never noticed before despite it being located right next to the Newbridge Roundabout (Accross the road from the PetrolStation if anyone in the lothians is interested.

It was quite a good afternoon all in all.

Oh, and I've back-blipped for yesterday now too.