My First Fieldtrip 

My First Fieldtrip was a visit to Arbor Low and Gardoms Edge. I have never visited the Peak District or any neolithic monument before, and so i didn't quite know what to expect. My original expectations were that both Arbor Low and Gardoms Edge would be two sites that would have been transformed into tourist attractions, with all the tourist facilities (E.g. toilets, admission booth and information desk). I thought both sites would be protected monuments that are being preserved. I also thought that both sites would have lots of people visiting during the summer and not as much during winter.

We first arrived at Arbor Low. This site was not what I was expecting. There were no tourist facilities. It appeared that we had arrived at a farm. Arbow Low is actually situated amongst farmland is owned by the farmer that owns all the land. A short walk through some of the farmers fields and a banking that seems to go round in a circle can be seen but the stones themselves cannot. There also appears to be another small hill that is in a separate location to the stone circle. This hill is called Gib Hill and is a burial mound. We first walked round and went into the stone circle from the back. My first impression was that the actual site area bigger than I thought it would be. I also understood that structure and orderng of the banking surrounding the stone circle does not show to be defensive.  

We then visited Gardoms edge where we parked in one of the only free car parks in the peak district. Again I expected a secure and protected site where vistors were not able to approach the edge but observe it from a distance. However this site also allowed vistors to approach the stones and move around near them. There were signs of civilisation but they were not noticable until pointed out. There are also markings made into the stones, were the hermit that is is believed to have lived there, has made the carvings as people have asked him to pray for them. Later I learned that the passage was used to transport goods across the moors and that often bandits would steal the goods. This could be why people may have asked the hermit to pray for them and give him money to do so. There also appeared to be markings in the rocks where a workshop was believed to have been created.  

Overall I learned a lot about the different sites. I understood just how different it was to see the sites in their landscapes in comparison to simply looking at pictures on the internet. By being at the landscape a greater understanding is produced of the monument. You can almost place yourself in the landscape.