Solstice 2008

Well rather than throwing ourselves into the madness, mud and rain of Stonehenge or Avebury Patsy and I headed West to catch the first ray's of sun on the Isle of Anglesey. Bryn Celli Ddu roughly translates to 'mound in a dark grove' - (That's probably completely wrong so don't use me as an internet source of wisdom.) The sun very nearly struggled above the horizon but seemed to give up the ghost and slipped back behind it's blanket of clouds rather than join us to celebrate the longest day. For all you fact feinds Bryn Celli Ddu apparently started as a late Neolithic henge or ritual enclosure, with a stone circle surrounded by a bank and internal ditch. A later passage grave was built inside the ditch; the north-east entrance to the burial chamber is retained by a kerb of stones, which with the dry-stone walling of the outer passage, creates an elaborate forecourt. The narrow passage (a torch may be useful) is 8.2m (27ft) long and 0.9m (3ft) wide with a low shelf along its north (right) side. This leads to a higher, polygonal burial chamber, 2.4m (8ft) wide, covered by two capstones. In the chamber is a tall, rounded, free-standing pillar, whose purpose is unknown.

Oh! Might I just add a huge thanks to Ceri, Ian and Jess for their amazing hospitality and an 'out of the blue, unexpected tasty breakfast'... (We are forever in your debt!) xxxx