Rock art day!

What  a day! We left home at 9am, (0.5C ) and headed off to the wilds of Ballydehob to meet Robert and Finola, rock art experts. We were in their hands for the day and have visited 6 rock art sites in impossibly remote places; tramped through muddy fields; climbed through gaps to look at ring forts; been forced to abandon a search for standing stones due to an entire pack of baying fox hounds passing not far ahead of us; driven through fords; ducked under electric fences; indulged in a spot of trespass and finally eaten a large lunch in Schull.

The rock art sites were incredible  - all remote yet in their own natural amphitheatres with glimpse of significant mountains/features in the landscape. Some of the rock art was simple cup marks and rings and some were more elaborate. The blip is of the newly discovered site - it is in pristine condition as it has been covered by a layer of turf until recently. A chap was just walking on his land and notice something intriguing and ripped aside the turf.  Concentric rings, cup marks, lines - all clearly seen including the chisel marks. This art is somewhere between 4 and 5000 years old!!  What was it for? What does it mean?   Sadly the light was grey and dull but I shall be back on a clear day when things might be sharper.

Friends coming to supper now- fortunately I made a large chilli yesterday so not too much panic.

Robert & Finola's site