These are the actual directions we used to find Cromlech Bodowyr on the Isle of Anglesey on our fifth and final day in Wales:

"West on A4080 through Brynsiencyn. After steep bend to left, take the first right. Continue to crossroads and go through. 1/2 mile to where the grass grows in the road. Just past some kennels is a lay by with a metal gate."

The truly amazing thing is that we found it.



Both of us were laughing the whole time once we got onto the island and veered off onto the small roads. At least we had a map, and it was a small island so eventually we'd find the ocean and be able to follow it around back to the bridge if we got totally lost. Plus, I have a rocking sense of direction and very rarely lose North on my internal compass.

( Nothing to worry about, right? )

A man was metal detecting in his friend's farm field in July when he discovered a huge pile of buried treasure. No. Kidding.

It's Anglo-Saxon, probably from the 7th century. When the area (Staffordshire) was part of the Kingdom of Mercia. There are so far at least 1,345 different items!

DUDE. I know this is seriously nerdy of me, but I'm practically dancing in my seat. Initial reactions are that although this is a buried hoard instead of a funereal burial, it could be as important a find as the Sutton Hoo burial ship. Or the discovery of the Book of Kells. It is such a rich find that they suspect it belonged to the king. It could have been spoils from a single great battle, or the treasure built up over a lifetime by a particularly successful war leader.

*bounce*

Go look at all the pictures!

***EDIT*** BETTER PICTURES!!! via the awesomesauce Saundra Mitchell. RAWK. ***EDIT***

Some of the collection's highlights:

SWORD HILT FITTINGS: At least 84 pommel caps and 71 sword hilt collars have been identified so far. They would have adorned a sword or seax (short sword or knife). Their elaborate and expensive decoration - many are made of gold and inlaid with garnets - suggests the weapons were once the property of the highest echelons of nobility.

HELMETS: Experts are piecing together what they believe are parts from several splendidly decorated helmets, including what appears to be a cheek-piece with a frieze of running animals. It has a relatively low gold content and has been specially alloyed, probably to make it more functional and able to withstand blows. There are also fragments of silver edging and reeded strips that may have been helmet fittings and an animal figurine that was possibly the crest of a helmet.

BIBLICAL INSCRIPTIONS: A strip of gold bearing a biblical inscription in Latin is one of the most significant and controversial finds. One expert believes that the style of lettering indicates it is from the seventh or early eighth centuries, while another dates it to the eighth or ninth centuries. The warlike inscription, mis-spelt in places, is thought to be from the Book of Numbers, Chapter 10 verse 35. The translation reads: 'Rise up, o Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and those who hate thee be driven from thy face.'

FOLDED CROSSES: The largest of two or three crosses in the hoard may have been an altar or processional cross. It has been folded, possibly to make it fit into a small space prior to burial. The apparent lack of respect shown to this Christian symbol may point to the hoard being buried by pagans.

For now, I'm skipping the two days where our minds, bodies, and souls were devoured by the British Wedding.

Bright and early Friday morning, post wedding, Natalie's dad drove us to Oxford were we picked up our rental car and hie-hoed for Wales!

This car:


We fit three people and all our baggage in it. I navigated while Natalie drove and Adam lent much needed moral support. Up the "highway" toward Birmingham (we passed Stratford-on-Avon and briefly considered stopping, but didn't in favor of getting where we were going), then west for Wales! Most of the way the scenery was very similar to Missouri and eastern Kansas. Cows, trees, hills. Of course, then we got closer to the Snowdonia mountains and the road narrowed. Surrounded on both sides by stone walls and cliffs we zipped and snaked through the foothills, clutching the sides of the car and cringing when semis roared past with inches to spare!

Finanlly, after about 3.5 hours, we reached our bed and breakfast on the outskirts of Betws-y-Coed, a town that greatly reminded me of a Colorado resort town. Here is the view from the front porch of the house where we stayed:


That evening, we wandered the town, grabbed some dinner at a pub that had no local brews (alas!), talked and hung out and found Adam a room in town... then went home to crash.

( This way for burial mounds, castles and A LOT of pictures! )