A couple of pics from the Cotswolds.

A.W.U.K.

A.W.U.K.

Joined
Sep 27, 2002
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I haven't been out and about much as my bad foot has had me limping a bit.
I did manage to get in a short walk in the Cotwolds the other day though!
The Cotswolds are a range of low hills, about 50 miles long, consisting of a honey-coloured oolitic limestone which is very good for building. They are part of the Jurassic Limestone Belt which stretches all across England from the South West to the Lincolnshire Wolds towards the North East. The highest point is Cleeve Hill near Winchcombe, which is a little over 1,000 feet above sea level. Belas Knap is on a ridge leading to Cleeve hill, about 2 miles from the top.

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View back down the hill to Winchcombe.

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The dry stone wall.

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Across the valley.

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The false entrance of Belas Knap long barrow, A neolithic burial mound, nearly 6,000 years old. It has been tidied up in modern times but the lower courses of the drystone retaining walls are original.
Spring is definitely here, I got rather warm climbing the hill!

Another Neolithic burial mound in the Cotswolds is "The Whispering Knights" at Rollright.
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The mound has been eroded or robbed away, leaving only the teetering stones of the burial chamber. The Whispering Knights are a short walk from the (Roman) road, where the slightly later stone circle stands:
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The circle is known as "The King's Men" and a solitary sentinel on the other side of the road is caled the King Stone.
http://www.rollrightstones.co.uk/index.php/stones/detail/introducing-the-rollright-stones/
 
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That's cool, great pics as always.

For some reason I never did make it out that way for any hikes.
 
Cool pictures. Many of my ancestors are from various parts of England and Scotland, and when I see pictures of the neolithic sites I wonder if someone far back in the family tree was involved with it.
 
One thing you folks have that we lost is the freedom to roam the countryside with access through private lands. Yes, we have huge public lands set aside for parks but you can't just take off across fields and woods just to wander or you end up trespassing and in a conflict. If or when I ever get over to the UK I want to have the time to wander some of those areas and stone work ruins that Tolkien and Lewis blended into their writing. The one picture reminds me of what the Barrow Downs would have looked like. I am sure it is full of troll and dwarf swords and treasure waiting for a hobbit thief.
 
SO that is where the name comes from! Thanks!!!
 
Great place you have there in England (not so far away from me... maybe I gonna go there at any time). Thank you for sharing this.

Kind regards
 
lambertiana said:
Cool pictures. Many of my ancestors are from various parts of England and Scotland, and when I see pictures of the neolithic sites I wonder if someone far back in the family tree was involved with it.
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Entirely possible. Resent genetic reasearch shows that only about 5% of our ancestral genetic material derives from the Anglo-Saxon invaders so most of our ancestors have lived here far longer than since the 5th or 6th centuries.
 
willseeyalater said:
One thing you folks have that we lost is the freedom to roam the countryside with access through private lands. Yes, we have huge public lands set aside for parks but you can't just take off across fields and woods just to wander or you end up trespassing and in a conflict. If or when I ever get over to the UK I want to have the time to wander some of those areas and stone work ruins that Tolkien and Lewis blended into their writing. The one picture reminds me of what the Barrow Downs would have looked like. I am sure it is full of troll and dwarf swords and treasure waiting for a hobbit thief.
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Public footpaths across private land are a great resource in a country which has limited resources of land open to the public it is true.
Lots of swords and other items have been recovered from barrows, though metal objects are only found in Bronze Age or later barrows. (Bronze Age barrows are round though they vary greatly in cross-sectional profile). The most famous barrow find of all was from Sutton Hoo, now thought to be the grave of King Raedwald of East Anglia.
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Nice pics. Not visited this area myself.

Lets hope the weather is as nice this (long) weekend ay?!

Have a good one.
 
Beautiful photos and great history lesson, thanks Andrew! I always look forward to your wanderings.
 
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