The Gladsax bonus site! After the trials and tribulations of finding the main Gladsax site we happened upon the handy information board back at Rosadala farm. Helpfully written in English (I love Sweden, why can't all countries be as accessible for megalith hunters!) it indicated that another ganggrift lay about 500 metres nortwest, and had an astonoshing 223 cupmarks on it!
Excited by the thought of another site in such close proximity we set off along a dusty path visible across a field to the north, and handily highlighted by a couple of small flags. Not having any idea of what to expect we scanned the horizon in the blazing sunshine, before spotting something up on a ridge ahead. Shortly the path came to a wire fence which we cautiously approached (electric fences being very popular in these parts!) but helpfully this one has a couple of insulated handles which let you detatch the bungy-rope like wire and allow access to the field.
Up on a low ridge was the unmistakable remains of something meglithic, just to the other side of another dividing fence (this one accessed by a proper gate however). Inside its field Gladsax Norre Vang was within another small fenced enclosure, probably to protect it from use a rubbing post for the inquistive herd of cows which thronged near it. After our encounter with the killer cows at Gardlosa earlier in the week Ellen decided discretion was the better part of valour and so remained in the nearby field while I had a poke about the stones.
A couple of huge capstones covered the tumbledown remains of the passage, which seemed to have been built upon a low mound, with a surrounding kerb of smaller stones, around which about half still remained. Although it lacked the impressive quartzite boulder of its near neighbour, it did have a heavily cupmarked flat capstone. This was the stone with the advertised 223 cupmarks, although many were now eroded and difficult to make out. I started to count them but was aware of the attentions of my bovine onlookers who seemed to be straining to see what I found so interesting about the site, so eventually I admitted defeat and after trying to take some photos without getting a load of cows in shot I decamped back to the next field with Ellen to write up the fieldnotes.
Gladsax Norre Vang seems to share a similar construction to its neighbour, and I imagine would probably date from around the same time, although I haven't been able to find out any further information on the site, from its slightly raised position it is also possible to see the white gleam of the Gladsax Ganggrift capstone boulder 500 metres away, so perhaps this whole area was once dotted with funary monuments. Whatever the case was this was an unexpected joy, the two sites set in beautiful farmland on a glorious summers day, and if you ever get the chance to Gladsax then do, and don't neglect to make the short walk to this site as well because it's definitely worth it!
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Posted by Ravenfeather
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