Ireland - 3rd entry
Knowth
While Newgrange is the main site people want to visit in the Boyne Valley area, Knowth is the second one and just as interesting, though different... It consists of one huge site and several smaller ones such as the one in this picture, plus some more... let's call them *features*... :)
The Sun Stones
White Quartzite as the dictionary tells me... in Irish (and I don't remember the words *sigh*), translated, it's called *Sun-Stone*. Those stones were either placed as a path around the major big site OR they were its wall - one doesn't know. Knowth's stones were put up as a path, while Newgrange's were re-built into its wall, so you can see both solutions nowadays...
The big site of Knowth
From afar... comparing with those two visitors you can see how large it is!
Boyne River
... which flows through the Boyne Valley... and is connected to the Goddess Boann... whose home Newgrange is... :)
The triple spiral of Newgrange
The most famous ornament of all those sites... and also the symbol of the Brú na Boinne Centre which is the entrance to visiting these two sites. It's one of my favourite ornaments.
The entrance to Newgrange
Here you can see the entrance stone which I find really amazing and beautiful... as well as the entrance itself AND the *window* above which lets the sun come in on the days of and around the Winter Solstice. The memories of last year when we were there!!!! *aw*
An ornamented stone of Newgrange
It's difficult to photograph those as the ornaments are actually best seen when the stone's wet. Speaking from experience. LOL. This one is somewhere at the back of Newgrange.
Newgrange and the Sky...
No, it wasn't about to rain like mad, we had nice weather when we were there. The sky just decided to put up a dramatic show for this photo. :D
Newgrange from afar
... again so you can see how big it is. The *things* on the right are *huge* standing stones and the tiny little spot between them and Newgrange is a human (? well, you never know, do you? LOL).
Nowadays when we're in Ireland, staying in a cottage somewhere we're never really out of civilization, but let's just say making holidays this way is a bit on the less touristic side. Now... if you visit a place like Newgrange you sort of have to mentally prepare yourself to get into the *flood of tourists*, good and bad.
So... while I LOVE these sites, I visit them over and over again, on the other hand you have no chance to spend some quality time there. You visit them and you've about 40 minutes to stay at each site - includes a guided tour where you're in a group. You're always given a tiny bit of time to explore for yourself, but yeah... it's not the same.
That's why I treasure visiting lesser known sites such as Loughcrew, Drombeg, Carrowmore, Knocknarea, etc.
And on Tara many tourists get bored as for them there's *not enough to see* and even if they stroll a bit further you can still escape them by just... walking even further away. LOL
We went to Knowth and Newgrange in the Boyne Valley together with my penpal Evelyn who's Irish and who I met up with. Yey! :D
And we were lucky not to be in too bad tourist groups. Sometimes some are really awful but there most people were nice and actually interested which is always a plus. We also had very good guides.
It was strange standing inside Newgrange again - it brought back memories of having been there for the Winter Solstice last year. THE memories. You remember mum had won us 2 places to spend the morning inside Newgrange to welcome the Sun? I just couldn't help and grinned like a looney while we were inside Newgrange now again. LOL
Later that evening we also visited Tara - and spent some real quality time there. :) Quality time for pagans and witches that is. :)
I can highly recommend going there in the very late afternoon or evening.
Maybe not on Samhain. I'm not sure what's going on there in the late hours. ;)
Here's a link to a FAB webpage:
http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/
Telling about Newgrange, Knowth and all the other Irish sites!
Questions? Ask. :)