Clearwell Caves | overground
As we know, Merlin has often filmed in the caves at Clearwell Caves (in the Forest of Dean) over the past few seasons, starting with the miners working under Camelot in episode 201 The Curse of Cornelius Sigan. But that's all been underground… We've since found that they've also used some of the surrounding area as a filming location. So this post is an exploration of Clearwell Caves overground.
This all started with the charcoal burner's hut that Merlin and Lancelot visit during episode 402 The Darkest Hour, and Merlin uses as Emrys's home in episode 403 The Wicked Day. I couldn't pin down any clues as to location from watching the episode, so I cheated and tweeted to ask the awesome director Alice Troughton if she could point us in the right direction. She kindly replied as you see below, that it was just above Clearwell Caves.
Alice also indicated that the art department had done rather a lot of work on the location before filming. Which is one reason why it took me a couple of visits and a fair bit of tramping around to work it all out. I very belatedly realised that the Clearwell Caves people have obviously done lots of work since then as well! But the indefatigable pakafe identified the hut from episode 412 The Sword in the Stone in the area, and that gave me renewed hope! I tried once again. They proved to be the same place! And all the tramping about paid off in the end, as I managed to pin down another couple of locations as well. Hurrah!
Most of the following images can be clicked to open a larger version in a new window. So with no further ado, let's start with Merlin and Arthur approaching the hut…
The Standing Stone
In episode 403 The Wicked Day, Merlin and Arthur ride down a slope towards the charcoal burner's hut. Merlin knows from the previous episode that it's unoccupied, so he's using it as the place where Arthur can find old!Merlin or Emrys. They ride past a standing stone - which I discovered actually exists! Mind you, it doesn't look as if it's of great antiquity.
Here's a screen capture…
Here's my photo…
And here's an overlay! Yay!
And you can see my first problem this time round: if you're there in a different season, things can look very different. Also, while these scenes were filmed not much more than a year ago, there's been a lot of plant growth this spring!
This was filmed to appear as if the hut was at the bottom of the slope, and they were approaching it directly. However, the two locations are quite separate. Details of where to find them all can be found at the end of the post.
The Charcoal Burner's Hut
These screen captures are all from episode 403, though of course the same location was used in episode 402 The Darkest Hour.
Here's Arthur riding up to the hut…
Here's my photo of the actual hut…
As you can see, the hut now has a shiny new roof! Also, it appears that the window to the left of the door has been filled in - and indeed the wall generally has been rebuilt. The Clearwell Caves people have been busy! As has Mother Nature: the plants have grown so fast that the ruined stone wall on the left (in the middle of the shot) has been totally obscured.
Right now, the field generally is knee-deep in what I assume are buttercups… Just gorgeous!
This is a photo of the stone wall on the left. I gently encouraged the plants to lean over a little, so you could see that squarish gap that's so plain in the screen cap. Unfortunately the photo doesn't show it as clearly as I'd hoped, but it was plain as day in person.
A closer shot of the hut. The new stonework is obvious! Presumably the mortar will weather over time, and not appear as stark. It all looks very ship-shape and weather-tight now!
And another one of the hut… I'm sure there was a reason I marked this to include in the post, but I confess it escapes me now!
OK, so Merlin heads off to the trees on the right of the hut, in order to pee in privacy. I mean, in order to transform into Emrys.
As I discovered, this is all arranged in reality as it is in fiction. With one significant change made since filming! More of that anon, but for now let me just say that it was impossible to get a shot that lined up properly with this screen cap. However, I took one looking back across the field to show the ruins that you can see in the background behind Merlin. Though they are now significantly hidden by plants. If you peer at it, however, you can also make out the tree on this side of the ruins that leans rather dramatically to the left.
And here's Merlin, weaving his spell while kneeling before a mossy and picturesque fallen tree.
And here's the tree itself!
Though it looks so obvious, and it is in fact located where you'd expect it to be, this darned thing was very tricky to find! As you can see, especially in the second photo, they have now built a fence running along in line with the back wall of the hut, cutting across the front of Merlin's tree. The fence doesn't look squeaky-new, so I hadn't even thought about looking beyond it. But there the tree was.
This means that it's difficult to get to. It's now part of an area that is just being left to grow wild. So I had to make my way through undergrowth, and clamber over fallen branches, and so on. I have the nettle stings and bramble scratches to show for it! But of course I was absolutely stoked to have found it.
Meanwhile! This screen cap is from further out in the field.
Here's my attempt at an equivalent photo. Because of the new greenery on the tree and around it, it's hard to see the details, but you can at least see the trunk. Actually, this gives you an idea that I wasn't exaggerating about the knee-deep buttercups!
Here's a screen cap from when Arthur comes out to try to find Merlin… You can see the great mossy back of the tree beyond which Merlin has been doing his thing.
Again, this maybe doesn't show as much detail as desirable, but it's all a bit obscured now, by the fence and the plants, not to mention the tree's own foliage. You can see the bent mossy tree trunk that Merlin knelt before just in the lower left corner of the shot.
Phew! So that was all pretty exciting. We'll come back to the hut later, but we have a slight detour in the meantime…
Merlin and Alator part ways
As I mentioned, my earlier explorations bore unexpected fruit when I watched the deleted scenes for episode 407 The Secret Sharer. The deleted scene number 74 featured Merlin and Alator walking down a path between bracken, and then going their separate ways along a wider path. I recognised it as being above Clearwell Caves, so went to seek the photographic evidence!
Here's a screen cap of Merlin and Alator coming down the sloping path…
Here's my rather less interesting photo taken on a rather dull day…
And here's an overlay! I mostly lined up the forked tree. Again, the changing seasons make it difficult to neatly align other things!
They say their farewells and each head in different directions.
Here's my photo…
And an overlay… Didn't quite get this one lined up, but the trees on the right are an exact match.
Cool, eh?!
Arthur changes his clothes
And now the moment you've all been waiting for: dear simple Arthur changes his clothes so as not to be so conspicuous. With much gratitude to pakafe for tracking this one down. ♥
Here's a screen cap as Merlin and Arthur peer through foliage to see the hut. I know we don't see much for now, but it's the stone walls that make it clear.
Merlin waits, crouched down by the wall.
Let me just ponder that one for a moment…
Mmm…
All right, I'm back on deck now! Here's a photo of the wall in question.
And an overlay.
Meanwhile, Arthur is struggling to put on some rather snug clothes.
Here's my photo.
And an overlay.
And my last screen cap for this post!
My photo.
And an overlay. Again, I didn't get this lined up properly, but you can see the bent tree in the background of the photo and the screen cap for comparison purposes.
And that's that! The Merlin crew have made such good use of the area that I'm beginning to wonder if more examples will crop up during my rewatch!
Directions
This is all very easy to find, though not necessarily easy to reach!
- Go to the Clearwell Caves car park, and start off on the footpath down to the caves. Almost immediately, there's a grassed track leading off to the left. Turn down there. It's vehicle-sized, but a bit overgrown. You'll find that people walk along here for their daily constitutionals.
- After a shortish distance you'll find a steel gate on the right, with tracks leading to it. This gate takes you to the fenced field in which you'll find the hut. In fact, as you look across the gate, you'll see the hut directly in front of you in the distant corner of the field. If you go in, be respectful of what's there, and also be very careful. The ground isn't even, and the undergrowth hides all kind of stones, holes, and oddments.
- If you keep walking along the main track, you'll soon see the trees that frame the shot of Merlin and Alator going their separate ways.
- If you walk along the main track for the length of the field, you'll see the hut just to your right, with a stone wall replacing the fence.
- Once the hut is on your right, then you're just about at the spot where Merlin and Alator's path comes down from the left.
- Turn left and walk up that path. It curves up to the left and then to the right. After a little while it joins another track just near the standing stone.
- The only other thing to see is the tree where Merlin hid to work his magic. Only do this if you're game! And be very careful. The ground is very uneven, and full of traps for the unwary. Plus there are nettles. {sniff} {whimpers}
- Follow the main track just past the hut and the field. There is a wilder area now on your right. There is a narrow path leading down through it. Follow the path. But as soon as you see the fence take a turn from the straight edge of the field in across part of the wilderness, then you've spotted the place you're aiming for. The tree is in that corner area. You'll need to strike in across the wilds. I think it's easiest to come at it from above or below; i.e. following the fence line. But either way, this is not for the faint of heart or the less agile. Having said that, I made it, so perhaps you can, too!
Enjoy! And don't forget to visit the caves and the cafe while you're there!