Moustoir tumulus

Trip No.203  Entry No.375  Date Added: 11th May 2020
Site Type: Chambered Tomb Country: France (Bretagne:Morbihan (56))
Visited: Yes on 12th Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: This massive great mound, 90 metres in length, 40 metres wide and 8 metres high, can be found just to the south of the hamlet of Moustoir, a few kilometres to the north of Carnac. The mound is aligned roughly Northeast to Southwest, and has a small menhir on the top at the eastern end, and a larger one at the bottom of the western end.

The menhir on the top of the tumulus is about 2.1 metres high and quite slender, and of a sort of circular section. The menhir at the western end is 3.3 metres high, quite thin and a nice pointed triangular shape.

Towards the western end of the mound is an entrance in the southern side, which after a short passage opens up into a 5 metre by 2.5 metre chamber, with a large capstone and some reinforced concrete. The walls are a mix of large slabs and drystone walling. You need a good torch to see your way around.

There is more to this tumulus, as on the top of the mound near the eastern menhir can be seen a reinforced steel cover to something, indicating that there may be another chamber inside, for which I could find no entry. As for the majority of the monuments around here, this is all terribly overgrown, and difficult to properly make out what is here.

Mousse Dolmen 1

Trip No.205  Entry No.110  Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen Country: France (Languedoc:Hérault (34))
Visited: Couldn't find on 15th Sep 2005

Log Text: Taking the track further beyond the Grand dolmen de Lauriol, and after eight or nine hundred metres the first dolmen de Mousse is supposedly to be found, just to the left of the track. However, much of the land round here has been recently fenced off and I could find nothing obvious amongst the prickly scrub and undergrowth. Two hundred metres further, to the right and 40 metres from the track is a second then third dolmen. I had no chance of finding these, although I did find the dry limestone chasm known as the Combe des Mortes, named as such because of the numbers of dolmens here ! Almost anything in this broken limestone landscape could have been a dolmen at some time in the past, but it is extremely difficult to find a way about here other than the trackway because of the vicious scrub growing over everything. After an hour or so vain searching about I decided I could spend no more time here finding nothing, and decided to return to the van and move on.

Moulin-de-Louat 2 statue-menhir

Trip No.205  Entry No.131  Date Added: 10th Nov 2020
Site Type: Sculptured Stone Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 16th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Just nearby, for company, is another nice stone, of about the same size, but a greyish black rock. I am unsure whether this is an ancient menhir or just a modern addition. It's a nice stone though, and probably keeps our man company.

Moulin-de-Louat 1 statue-menhir

Trip No.205  Entry No.130  Date Added: 10th Nov 2020
Site Type: Sculptured Stone Country: France (Midi:Tarn (81))
Visited: Yes on 16th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: This wonderful chap is stood looking out of his garden shed towards the stream, at the entry to the hamlet of Moulin-de-Louat, just over half a kilometre from Moulin-Mage. I gave up trying to get the van along the roads to the hamlet, and walked from Moulin-Mage.

The stone is about 1.5 metres tall, and made from a very pink coloured rock. This chap has all the decorations and more that a statue-menhir should have, as it has both male and female attributes. The markings are very clear, and can easily be made out. The face has eyes, nose and tattous, with what also looks like hair to the sides. He has arms with fingers, an axe and bow, a belt with chevrons and buckle (which goes all the way round the back) and legs with toes. However, it also has breasts, probably added later, and the "hair" is probably the necklaces of the female. Round the back, not only is there the belt, but the long hat and shoulder things can be seen. This is really superb.

Just nearby, for company, is another nice stone, of about the same size, but a greyish black rock. I am unsure whether this is an ancient menhir or just a modern addition. It's a nice stone though, and probably keeps our man company.

Moulin du Motte

Trip No.203  Entry No.27  Date Added: 1st Apr 2020
Site Type: Chambered Cairn Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Loire-Atlantique)
Visited: Yes on 14th May 2005. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3

Log Text: Nearby to the east of the tumulus des Mousseaux are the remains of two more burial mounds of which remains can be seen in various gardens in the vicinity. The large tumulus du Moulin du Motte is these days hardly visible behind a large garden wall and some new holiday homes but a bit further to the west down the lane some large stones can be clearly seen in a garden. These are the remains of the Trois Squelettes tombs three chambers which were once covered by a single large mound.

Moulin Chevalier Dolmen

Trip No.203  Entry No.20  Date Added: 1st Apr 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Pays de la Loire:Loire-Atlantique)
Visited: Yes on 14th May 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: I am not quite sure what to make of this. It is either a fairly undisturbed dolmen still well contained within its mound or else it is a bit of a wreck ! The mound is about 8 metres by 4 metres and is found down a little track left at the edge of a field but there are no signposts. There is possibly a second mound close by.

Mougau Bihan

Trip No.203  Entry No.542  Date Added: 2nd Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Bretagne:Finistère (29))
Visited: Yes on 23rd Jun 2005. My rating: Condition 5 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: This is an absolutely splendid allée couverte, which has been dated to 3000BC, found a couple of kilometres to the south of the village of Commana, and signposted from there. It has a little car park and picnic area, as well as a nice and spacious grassy area around it.

The main chamber is 14 metres in length and oriented approximately north to south, with its entrance at the northern end. The southern end has an extra small chamber, the "cella", the two parts being divided by a splendid "chevet" stone. The roof is made of five large capstones, four on the main chamber, and one on the cella. The internal width and height are about 1.5 metres.

But the best thing about this monument is all the ornamental engravings on the internal faces of the stones. About half of the side slabs have engravings on them which are fairly clear to make out. Most of these engravings are what are called "palettes", some stones having several of these of various designs next to each other. One of the stones has two pairs of the double hemispheres on it - these have been largely interpreted as pairs of breasts. The closing stone between the two chambers has a palette and also a wonderful polished axe, contained within its "crosse", but this is one of the least clear engravings, being much more weatherworn than some which have been better protected.

Mougau Bihan translates from the Breton language to "Fairies Cave".

Morrel das Fadas replica

Trip No.205  Entry No.105  Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Modern Stone Circle etc Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 15th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 3 Access 5

Log Text: A small representation of the dolmen des Fades has been built near the roundabout outside the campsite at Pepieux. Excellent.

Morrel das Fadas

Trip No.200  Entry No.62  Date Added: 18th Jun 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 13th Aug 2000. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: Day out from Toulouse to explore Minerve ancient village, Rock tunnels, Morrel das Fadas, St Eugene. On a little hill covered in pines to the south of the D52 road to the northeast of Carcassonne is found the remains of this teriffic allée couverte, the hill of the fairies, said to be the largest in southern France.

Morrel das Fadas

Trip No.205  Entry No.104  Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 14th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: Although within the commune of Pépieux, this tremendous dolmen is actually nearer and easier to find from the village of Siran, from where you take the D.12 road east for a kilometre or so, and the mound is on the right, on top of a large natural pine covered hill amongst the vines. It is all rather obvious, and has a little parking area and signpost.

By far the biggest dolmen structure in the south of France, I cannot say how much of the hillock it is built on is natural, and how much is its tumulus, but nevertheless, it is a big structure. The chamber itself is 24 metres in length and up to 4 metres wide, aligned towards the southeast at 145°. This chamber is divided into three sections by lovely partitioned portal stones. The back section is rectangular, 4.5 metres long and 4 metres wide. The marvellous central section is 6.5 metres long, with massive side slab walls 2,5 metres high, which carry the single remaining large capstone (about 5m by 3.5m) well above head height.

Unfortunately the portal stones each side of this central chamber are broken, but enough remains to get a good feel for what was once here, as one of the stones of the southeastern portal is almost complete. The 13 metres of entranceway is made with alternating slabs and dry stone walling, and narrows down to about 2 metres wide at the entrance. This really is a fantastic place to visit, but difficult to photograph because of its size and all the surrounding trees.

Morrel das Fadas

Trip No.205  Entry No.106  Date Added: 9th Nov 2020
Site Type: Passage Grave Country: France (Languedoc:Aude (11))
Visited: Yes on 15th Sep 2005. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 5 Access 4

Log Text: Visited again to get some pictures in the bright morning sun, although the sun doesn’t make it through the trees.

Moorgate menhir

Date Added: 18th Sep 2010
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: England (Cornwall)
Visited: Yes on 3rd Apr 2005

Log Text: None

Moor Divock Round Cairn D

Date Added: 13th Feb 2023
Site Type: Cairn Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2022. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: Nearby to the north of Moor Divock 5 is another raised mound which initially looks to be another cairn, which the sheep like to sit on. When I do get to have a closer look, there seems to be possibly a cairn, but with no further info I am not 100% convinced this is anything other than a natural lump in the ground.

Moor Divock carved stone

Date Added: 23rd Nov 2022
Site Type: Rock Art Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2022

Log Text: Having got the portal details of this I had a good look in a couple of places where I found two cairn/shooting butt structures in a sort of wall. The best I found was a stone with several holes in it, which I didn't think were anything other than natural or perhaps quarrying marks. But I probably didn't find the listed stone.

Moor Divock 6, 7 and 8

Date Added: 24th Nov 2022
Site Type: Cairn Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Couldn't find on 20th Sep 2022

Log Text: Now much later than my explorations, I am looking at an old antiquarian article, "The Prehistoric Remains on Moordivock, near Ullswater. — By M. WAISTELL TAYLOR". I see that in approximately where the shake hole and gulley was, there are marked cairn circles MD6, MD7 and MD8. These are nowhere near where they were recorded on the megalithic portal, which I had been to look for at the end of my visit, right up near Heughscar Hill. Cairn MD6 is recorded as a ring of seven stones, 25 feet in diameter. Cairn MD7 is recorded as a double ring of five stones each, just 14 feet in diameter. Cairn MD8 is recorded as a ring of seven stones, just 9 feet in diameter.

Moor Divock 5

Date Added: 23rd Nov 2022
Site Type: Cairn Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: I walked further along the main trackway, before taking a small path out towards the obvious cairn of Moor Divock 5. It is an obvious large round cairn with three large stones in a sort of row sticking out across the top and many others laying around, presumably once making up a ring around a hollow in the centre of the cairn. Nearby to the north is another raised mound which initially looks to be another cairn, which the sheep like to sit on. When I do get to have a closer look, there seems to be possibly a cairn, but I am not 100% convinced this is anything other than a natural lump in the ground.

Moor Divock 4 to 5 Stone Avenue

Date Added: 23rd Nov 2022
Site Type: Stone Row / Alignment Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Couldn't find on 20th Sep 2022

Log Text: Having walked back to the main trackway, I headed along it in a northwesterly direction, before taking a small path out towards the obvious cairn of MD5. As a result, I didn't see anything of the MD4-5 avenue, as I didn't know it was here to look for, and wouldn't have been in the right place by fate.

Moor Divock 4

Date Added: 22nd Nov 2022
Site Type: Stone Circle Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2022. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: From the MD2 stones, there is a path out to the clearly seen standing stones of Moor Divock 4, marked as Cairn Circle on the OS map. This consists of a round cairn of stones, surmounted by a ring of about 10 large stones standing proudly on top. It’s a lovely little thing, and from it can be quite clearly seen several other cairns on this moorland plateau. I sit here for a while just looking at the world around me and start to wonder. If this is Moor Divock 4, the previous stones were MD2, then what happened to MD3? I have good phone signal up here and so fire up the megalithic portal, only to find that MD3 is shown as beyond MD5. The pictures for it are mostly of MD4, so that can't be right.

Moor Divock 3

Date Added: 22nd Nov 2022
Site Type: Cairn Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2022. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: From MD4 I head back to the main trackway, where my attention is drawn to a couple of large stones laying just off the trackway to the right. I wonder if this was once a cairn with a few kerbstones. I look at the portal again, and see a cup marked stone somewhere around here, and wonder if it is that? No, its not that, which is marked further to the north. Thinking back now home, three weeks later and having got the old plan in front of me, I wonder if this is the remains of MD3. Unlike me, I did not take or keep any pictures of this, probably convinced that there was nothing of any ancient importance at this place! Doh!

Moor Divock 2

Date Added: 22nd Nov 2022
Site Type: Standing Stones Country: England (Cumbria)
Visited: Yes on 20th Sep 2022. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 3 Access 3

Log Text: From the Cop Stone, I head off along the trackway until I see the stones of the little cairn circle Moor Divock 4 off in the distance, so then head off along a smaller path towards that. There are a couple of large stones standing proud of the ground which I go to look at, and it seems they are clearly stood up and standing in their positions with a few smaller stones also. Clearly not natural. I later find this to be Moor Divock 2.