Standing Stones at Glen Innes

Friday, 20 June 2014

 

Stone Circle

Attempt to remove Excalibur

Working out direction of sunrise using stone compass

Direction of Winter Solstice sunrise

Still a long way to the top

No fog this morning, which made a welcome change, but very cloudy.  We set out for Glen Innes, driving along the New England Highway.  It wasn’t long before we started to climb, and climb, and climb!  Watching the fuel consumption numbers rapidly increase was far more exciting than watching a microwave.  The scenery was typical highlands type trees and scrub – and plenty of hills.  We drove around the outskirts of Armidale and continued to climb through Guyra, still climbing until the final hill before Glen Innes.  Then, it was a rapid descent in low gear until we reached the plateau where the Scots must have settled many years ago.

Glen Innes is known as the Celtic Centre of Australia and has its very own standing stones circle.  According to the advertising, these are the first standing stones erected for 3,000 years and the only ones in the Southern Hemisphere.  We even discovered there is a ceremony at sunrise tomorrow to celebrate the Winter Soltice and a bonfire at sunset.  After wandering among the large granite stones, we returned to the main street for a spot of window shopping and a few supplies.

We are staying at the Fossickers Caravan Park, which is quite small and close to the town centre.  The sites are large and a bit of grass would be welcome, but the amenities are good and very clean.