At last I managed to get out and see some sites. The weather forecast for Donegal was (relatively) good and I had a list of excellent stuff to see. The early items on the list were rock art, including the incredible stone at Duncarbit and the monster panel at Mevagh. I also popped in to Mevagh church yard to try and find the panel there.

The rock art didn't end at the planned rock art panels. At two other sites I went two I also came across cup marks on the roofstones of two tombs. A bonus site was the remains of the monastery founded near to the supposed location of St. Comcille's birth. The actual place that is said to be his birthplace is actually a megalithic kist, and this one of the sites that had masses of cup marks on its displaced capstone.

The two panels at Mevagh were a pleasure to see. The one in the churchyard was a lovely surprise, because this looks as if it was reused as a gravestone at some time. The main Mevagh panel, although quite worn and overgrown, is amazing. There are so many motifs on so many faces of the outcrop.

It was great to get out, especially as this trip took me to site 2000. I drove over 1000km to see these sites: the roads between the sites kept taking me back through Letterkenny! The 'mileometer' on my car passed 50,000km as I approached site 2000. A day of big numbers and great sites. One of the best I've had for a long time.

It has been a very long time since I've been off looking at stone circles. My books have been about areas without them (or many of them at least), so it was great to take the time to go out and see something special ... and that I did!

The first stop was at the Bonane Heritage Trail - a four euro attraction that is nearly good. The stone circle is a fantastic example and so is the nearby ringfort. It is a shame that the trail doesn't take in the nearby wedge tombs. One of these can be seen across a large stream, and it looks fantastic. The bullaun stone on the trail simply isn't a bullaun stone - it's a straw to clutch at! That said, places like this need to exist. They're a great way to get people to see something they might not otherwise go to. However, while I was in the car park at least three cars drove up, saw the 4 euro fee and drove off.

After this I went to a nearby stone circle, which is possibly the finest I've been to. It's very, very difficult to get to and wondefully peaceful as a consequence. It is a multiple stone circle with an inner circle and a boulder burial.

A quick walk around a heritage trail in Milleens followed before I started to head back home. On the way I stopped by a lovely little four-poster stone circle.

Great sites. Great weather. You can't buy daus like this!