Chapter 3 of a personal history of Pembrokeshire

Back again, this week I'm clear across the county at Crymych, where last weekend I watched my grandson, who plays touch rugby for Tenby under 7s, defeat Crymych under 7s. It was a good game enjoyed by all. My grandson, Charlie is looking forward to next year when he'll be learning how to tackle. Why I mentioned this was because as we were driving home, we passed the Preseli Mountains, and of course I thought about the legend of Stonehenge in which Merlin the Magician is reputed to have flown the stones 240 miles from The Preselis to Stonehenge, where, in about 2,000 BC, the first stone circle was set up, but abandoned before completion. The bluestones weigh up to 4 tons each and about 80 stones were used, this is a nice story but I'm not sure I'm a believer. There are two main theories for the Bluestones appearing at Stonehenge and the first speculates that the stones were dragged by roller and sledge from the inland mountains to the headwaters of Milford Haven. There they were loaded onto rafts, barges or boats and sailed along the south coast of Wales, then up the Rivers Avon and Frome to a point near present-day Frome in Somerset. From this point, so the theory goes, the stones were hauled overland, again, to a place near Warminster in Wiltshire, approximately 6 miles away. From there, it's back into the pool for a slow float down the River Wylye to Salisbury, then up the Salisbury Avon to West Amesbury, leaving only a short 2 mile drag from West Amesbury to the Stonehenge site. The second is rather more mundane, in that it is suggested that the Bluestones were deposited in Wiltshire by glacial action, during the ice age. Whatever theory you favour is up to you, but why not come and see the Preseli Mountains for yourself and stay in one of FBM Holidays, http://ping.fm/7ZvCQ, carefully selected properties and not only walk the mountains, but explore the burial chambers, Dolmens and standing stones. See you next week. DS