This is no normal portal tomb, this is a site with its own microcosmic ritual landscape, which is only slightly spoiled by the proximity of a pine plantation.
The best approach is via Cromlech Lodge (a well signposted hotel) and through the pine plantation - the path is quite clear and zig-zags through the woods. Then all of a sudden it's there! Bang! Right before you. And it's beautiful ... and remember you first see its worst side, with a field wall built up against it.
A small west to east valley(ette) climbs up in front of you, with the tomb lying right in the centre. Standing at the tomb and speaking a little loudly produces quite an incredible echo .. perfect for a ritual location. On the south side of the mini valley are some large slabs, which are very similar to the heather encrusted capstone of the tomb, so one can presume that either the tomb was built from eratics left in the valley or that the builders brought a surplus of material to the site. One of these has a vertical face and acts as a sounding board, possibly contributing to some of the echos - was its placement deliberate?
To the rear of the tomb is a large rock outcrop and I would guess that there was never a cairn around this monument. The huge (and I mean huge) capstone rest on a perfect portal tomb structure: two well matched portal stones, with a full height doorstone set well back, raise the capstone above the height of the three stones that form the chamber. The back stone looks as if it may be two stones, but closer inspection reveals that this is due to an eroded weak line in the piece of rock. A similar feature runs around the capstone half way up its 1.5m thickness.
As you can tell, this site really had an affect on me and I can say with great conviction that I will be back.
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_All Sites Visited On 16th March 2003 « Previous Site Next Site »
| Philip Powell from ATHY |  |
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_A Random Selection of Nearby Monuments
 Ballymore Lower (Co. Donegal) |  Lennan (Co. Monaghan) |  Cloughananca (Co. Antrim) |
 Mount Venus (Co. Dublin) |  Errarooey Beg (Co. Donegal) |  Leac na Scail (Co. Kilkenny) |
