The dolmen near our campsite – La Loge Aux LoupsWe were absolutely delighted to learn that not only was our lakeside campsite in Brittany beautiful, tranquil and very cheap (see last blog) but also it was very close to a dolmen! I was very excited about this, especially as Mr B told me that the name roughly translated to “Wolves’ Lair”. It wasn’t until we approached the secluded spot that I discovered the Mr B didn’t really know what a dolmen was – other of course than being prehistoric stones. I know that I’d mentioned the dolmen at Stonewylde in several places throughout the books, but somehow he’d missed the point of what a dolmen actually is. This made me realise that perhaps many Stonewylde readers also didn’t appreciate the finer points of prehistoric architecture, which could well be my fault as I’m certainly not an authority on the subject and perhaps hadn’t really described things as well as I could.
So here’s the Wikipedia definition:
A dolmen (also known as cromlech, anta, Hünengrab, Hunebed, Goindol, quoit, and portal dolmen) is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of three or more upright stones supporting a large flat horizontal capstone (table). Most date from the early Neolithic period (4000 to 3000 BC). Dolmens were usually covered with earth or smaller stones to form a barrow, though in many cases that covering has weathered away, where can i purchase phentermine 37.5 mg leaving only the stone “skeleton” of the burial mound intact. “Dolmen” originates from the expression taol maen, which means “stone table” in Breton.The Loge aux Loups was beautiful. It was reached by a winding path through woodland, and set in a grove of oak trees. It felt very special and magical there, and during our stay we visited it several times, only once coming across other people there. As ever, the mind boggled as to how people had ever constructed such an edifice. The photo with me in it shows just how massive the capstone is. I collected many fallen acorns and hope to grow my own little Breton oak tree in memory of that very ancient and sacred place and a wonderful holiday.
We saw other dolmen during our stay, and I realise now that not only are there many of them in Brittany, but all over the world. Including Stonewylde! Here’s a little bit from “Magus of Stonewylde” with the first mention of the dolmen that Clip likes to use for his shamanic journeys:
Up ahead, built almost on the summit of the hill, was a strange stone structure. Two massive upright stones formed an entrance, capped by a great horizontal stone creating a roof. Sylvie paused and stared. It looked prehistoric. Then she noticed a thin trickle of smoke above the stone shelter, and a movement inside caught her eye …
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amazing kit!
Lovely piccies! Where we lived in the Netherlands there were many hunebedden – and it was one of our favourite weekend ‘things to do’ to visit as many of them as possible.