Rush hour

Paid work sent me to the farthest reach of the Red Kite empire today and as luck would have it the Local Authority decided to spend its entire road rebuilding budget along the main A road I had to travel. Not only that they decided to shut the only main road across the mountain, close it at the only A road junction between the mountain and valley and then put four separate traffic light controlled road works along the only arterial route left. The journey took an hour longer than it should and the thought of the return leg in rush hour traffic was far from appealing. A bit of local knowledge came into play and while it meant traversing roads only just wide enough for Gerry, the views were spectacular and I had the 18 mile route all to myself.

I also remembered that along this long and lonely road was a massive standing stone and having always intended to return one day with a camera so today was that day.

The last time I was at Maen Llia this informative perspex effigy wasn't but for once it was in keeping with the area and told those that didn't know that the standing stone just across the way was around 4000 years old and its reason for being has been lost in time.

But it is still massively impressive, dominating the barren landscape and visible from the end of the valley silhouetted against the skyline.

Its festooned with lichens and evidently sheep like to walk around it admiring man's achievements.

Apparently Maen Llia wakes up on Midsummers eve (not long now) and walks down the slope for a refreshing drink from the mountain stream just out of sight.

It might not, but its shadow does reach all the way to the stream.

So after several minutes pondering our ancestors talent for moving large slabs of rock I boarded Gerry and we headed back to a different civilisation.