The view from inside ....

... the wedge tomb. One of the many exciting things we saw today. This is the Altar wedge tomb, the view the original occupant might have seen had they not been dead. Wedge tombs date from around 2000BC and so called because they increase in height and width from the rear of the chamber to the entrance making a sort of wedge shape. This rather fine specimen, on a cliff gazing out across the sea, has three stones on each side and two roof stones in situ. It has been excavated and inside the cremated remains of human bones were found as were sea shells and fish bones. The Christians brought in different kinds of burials but it's interesting to know that this ancient monument was used as an altar/mass stone when catholics were forbidden from worshipping in their own churches.

The day was good and we headed out to Schull to find a present for Annabel who's birthday it is tomorrow. We had a mooch around the village which was packed- full of yachting types, plus cyclists, shoppers and tourists. We ate lunch with the huge TV blasting out the latest Olypmic goings-on - very tense as this was Annelise Murphy trying to get a sailing medal - sadly she was pipped at the post. After peach ice creams we then headed out along the coast in the search of elusive holy wells and castles. We ended going down tiny fuchsia hedged roads - very hairy if you meet someone coming in the other direction. We stopped to ask directions form a very pleasant chap and his wife who were making tie dye table cloths for his upcoming 70th birthday bash. We followed their directions down a tiny montbretia and thistle strewn track - the path was disappearing, the cattle were amassing and the castle got no closer. We admired from afar. A nice day.