This stone circle, excavated by Aubrey Burl, is now heavily overgrown. There is still a surrounding fence and a kissing gate to enter the site inside the litte wood, but inside the fence there are no traces of someone, who looks after the site in terms of cutting the grass and saplings.
So I guess that in a few years, this site will be completely vanished and overgrown, which is a pity, because what I was able to trace was quite nice and the spot in the little wood adds to the atmosphere.
I was quite taken by Berrybrae. Although somewhat ruinous, I find these circles often have more 'feel' than their restored cousins-not that I'm averse to restoration.
The remaining flanker to this site is absolutely huge-almost as big as the recumbent. The other flanker has shattered, and the pieces are still in situ-it would still appear to have been smaller than the other flanker, although maybe as high. Two other circle stones are still standing, along with the stumps of at least two more. Some judicious chainsaw work is also required-it would open up the views no end, but also two very large trees are threatening the recumbent either by their roots, or from being blown down - and the wind does blow in this part of the world!
Access is as described, and easy as long as the field isn't in crop or heaving with cows. Its less than 100 yards into the field so there's no excuse for not visiting. Perhaps we can tread down the nettles together?
Foiled again, Moth! Moth has been trying to get here for years but has been consistently beaten back by cattle. Today, within sniffing distance there it was – this time we were held back by barley. There was no way we dared wade through that verdant crop against the tramlines. Very disappointed.
What makes the site interesting are the results of the Burl excavation which showed that, half a millennium or more after the circle was built, some stones were damaged and the ring cairn was destroyed in a redesign of the monument.
Access Parking at the nearby crossroads. Through the field gate and then the gate to the copse.