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Location: In an English country cowpat
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,810
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Dundon Beacon
Dundon Beacon is an Iron Age hill fort a couple of miles away from me. I hadn't been up there for over 25 years, so one day last week when the sun was shining, I got on the bus with Merlin and off we went.
Firstly - a bit about the Beacon:
We took a public footpath across the fields to reach the Beacon, which included a very brief but wonderful sighting of a stoat which darted across our path and torpedoed into the hedge! Once we reached the main track up to the top, we decided to take a little woodland path to the left, and walked through the woods:
Towards the top we found a lovely shady glade made by two enormous horse-chestnut trees. Just beside them was a small natural spring, which I read later was a holy spring in the middle ages. Merlin certainly enjoyed a long drink. Dangling from the chestnut trees were a number of rope swings - now, you're never too old to enjoy a rope swing!!
Finally on top of the beacon and the landscape opened out before us into wild-flower meadows:
There were three types of wild orchid growing:
Greater Butterfly Orchid:
Marsh Orchid:
Canine Awkward Orchid:
Walking around the ramparts of the hill fort, which are original dating back to the Iron Age, we had lovely views:
In the south-east corner of the hill fort is the Beacon itself, originally a burial mound (excavated in 1813) but thought to have been enlarged in the middle ages to serve as a mound for lighting beacon fires. Growing in the centre is a large ash tree, perfect to lean up against while taking a rest.
It was while i was resting I noticed a nearby tree was peppered with holes, and from one hole I heard an insistent, non-stop piping. I watched through my little binoculars and was rewarded by the sight of a Great Spotted Woodpecker coming to feed its young.
Merlin also enjoyed relaxing on the mound:
On the way back down the hill we found another scarce wild flower, Yellow Rattle (an indicator of ancient pastureland):
Gorgeous place, great for dogs - very peaceful and quiet but....
beware of ticks! Also, at certain times of year there will be sheep grazing.
Further information:
http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/sacredsites/dundon.html
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7669
http://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/site/...beacon-p998233