Bear’s Den/Trustees Site in Massachusetts

September 19, 2016

Bear’s Den

Location: New Salem, Massachusetts

Note: Among the initial benefits of hiking… the quiet… the calm… the fluttering of the leaves above, the splashing of streams below, are more miraculous treasures waiting to be discovered. Bear’s Den is one of the most astonishing example’s of this possibility in New England, and even the world. Located just off a quiet road of a small unassuming nature preserve in New Salem Massachusetts, Bear’s Den sits ready to reveal some of the most incredible things a forest can offer on either side of the Atlantic. To begin, tucked into a small gully just beneath the initial trail is an exquisite example of an ancient stone-dwelling. This structure has distinct dry-laid outer walls up to 7 feet high, with unique stones that are each deliberately placed and crafted in an amazing way. There is an entrance way leading to a single passage that opens on the interior to a leveled-off, stone-supported, bed space. When entering the chamber you feel like you’re in someone else’s home, like a Neolithic apartment for one. There is 4 ton ‘squared’ granite piece sitting high-up on the exterior side wall, across from the bed space that looks very much like a stylistic statement made by the builder. Through sheer size, this megalithic stone says: “Look where I can put this gigantic stone!” This certainly doesn’t look like Colonial work of timely practicality, which usually involves simple cobble and brick, and avoids megalithic size stones. Native Americans were not interested in moving megalithic stones either, or building stone dwellings in north-east America. In terms of historical context, it seems that this structure somehow would’ve been here before the natives arrived, and is not the first instance of ‘megalithic culture’ at the birth of antiquity. This coincides with the claims of native Peruvians, for example. who blatantly claimed that the megalithic structures, built high in the mountains, were there well-before their ancestors arrived. The combination of difficulty, along with the additional craftsmanship of this stone, gets our undivided attention, which is probably the point! To set in place, and perfectly level, a 4 ton granite block that sits 6 feet above the supporting smaller stones, is outstandingly bold to say the least, and incredibly difficult. It’s as if the builder wanted more of a challenge. People in New England that call structures like this a “colonial root cellar” are mentality and logically lacking. It’s the equivalent of calling Stonehenge “just a bunch of big rocks”, when we know it’s obviously so much more. And the intrigue at Bear’s Den just intensifies from here. From the stone-dwelling, follow the trail to the top of the knoll to the north. Free-sitting boulders at the top of the knoll are crafted, creating an entrance way and designated view of the waterfall on the other side. Two specifically elevated and leveled stone porches sit facing the waterfall at an intended height from about 25 yards away. What you are about to see is exquisite. The first glance of this picturesque waterfall from this elevated stone-porch reveals multiple features. The stream is split beautifully by a massive stone facade. The water that flows to the right of the main facade funnels through a specifically cut ‘spout’ down into an incredibly crafted leveled pool. This is where the scene begins to become surreal, mathematical, and incredible. Before continuing, take a look at the close-up image of the right side of the ‘funneled waterfall’ (2nd image below) and see if you notice anything unique about it. It’s impossible to miss…

The Emblem Stone: Along the inner line of the perfectly leveled pool receiving the water from the funnel, is a beautiful granite-cut emblem of an equilateral triangle, each side being about two feet long, but looking smaller from a distance. Equilateral triangles DO NOT OCCUR IN NATURE, so we immediately must begin to wonder, who could have done this, and why? If you look closer, there is also a line inside the triangle clearly connecting the midpoints of two sides. A line that connects the midpoints of two sides creates an angle of 60 degrees. It appears that this emblem is depicting a specific geometric relationship. (Shown on the right) All of a sudden, the waterfall too, is an anthropological site.

Simple Geometry: (Please look to the diagrams 1-5 above to see the proofing of these ratio’s and parallels): At this time a few simple geometric explanations are required which only take a moment. Due to the midpoints being connected within the triangle, the vertices of the smaller triangle become equal to the vertices of the larger outer triangle, at exactly 60 degrees. Further still, since the vertices of both triangles become equal, the sides of both the larger and smaller triangle therefor become parallel. When these relationships are proven, the smaller triangle is revealed to be exactly 1/4 ratio of the entire figure. This is absolutely astonishing. Logically we must accept a few things at this time. First, it should be understood that whoever etched this emblem did so in granite, and for a reason. We have to conclude that the designer absolutely intended for us to notice it. In fact, the only guarantee that it would be noticed, is to etch it in granite. Second, the specific geometry of the emblem is a message, a coded stone, informing us that the designer was obviously well aware of Sacred Geometry. Third, if someone from antiquity is leaving us a coded emblem with specific geometric relationships, it demands our utmost attention, and we should be adamant to observe any other relationships taking place, relevant to this emblem.

The Funneled Waterfall Parallel: It is logical to follow the lines of the parallels that have been established by this emblem to see if there is any further connections on the waterfall overall. If we continue the line of the left side of this coded emblem, we see that it connects DIRECTLY to another crafted feature. Continuing along this exact line is a crafted stone funnel where the water is harnessed specifically to a single focal point. This exact line is becoming a longer parallel. You can see the distinct whiteness of the water blasting out of the funnel. At this point something astonishing is beginning to emerge. The possibility that the ’emblem stone’ is a coded statement for relationships relevant to the entire waterfall is becoming possible. If this parallel line extends to a specific point on the larger structure, is it possible that this line will have a matching larger parallel on the other side of the waterfall, just like the lines of the emblem? Is it possible that another larger triangle can be established relative to this right-side portion of the scene? Let’s continue to try and find features that fit the ratios and angles. If we continue to implement the information the emblem conveys, from this top funnel point we can implement a 60 degree angle, and draw a line downward at this specific angle. We will then continue to draw that line down to a point where we can implement another 60 degree line at the base. If we do this, another perfect triangle emerges, depicting an outline of the ‘funneled-side-waterfall’ on the right-lower side, exactly as depicted in the right-lower side of the emblem stone. From here, if we want to see if there is a ratio-appropriate parallel to the ‘funnel-waterfall-triangle’ on the 3/4 side of the scene, we need to step back to where we can see the entire picture again.

The Top Central Boulder: Returning to the leveled stone porch, we must look for a central point where a larger parallel line can converge, in accordance with the pattern on the emblem. Remember that the emblem depicts a specific 1/4th ratio for the smaller triangle within, therefor, a higher point in the 3/4ths section on the right should specifically exist. Let’s continue to look for this intentional designation. If we examine the upper-left portion of the overall waterfall, we DO see something specific. Looking down from the center of the elevated porch, directly below is a set of distinct stones that serves as a central bridge that connects the land across the stream with the granite facade. If we follow this line we can see that it directs our eyes straight ahead to the exact high-point on the massive frontal/main granite piece, where there is a distinct crease cut into the rock (double click o image to the right to look closer). Directly above and behind that crease is a free-standing boulder, placed centrally (circled at the top. in yellow). It is certainly important to check these points of significance to ensure that they are not arbitrary. It appears that the aligned stoned bridge is directing us towards this specific boulder. If you cross this bridge, which is completely linear, and climb up to the cut crease, then make your way to the centrally placed boulder behind the facade, and turn around, there is something spectacular we are intended to see.

The Aligned Rear Altar: Here we see what looks to be a type of “water-altar” embedded behind the uppermost granite facade where the crease is. The cut line of this uppermost crease is even more distinct from the back side, revealing an exact cut that extends as an incision deep into the granite at a 45 degree angle. Looking back now from the center of the boulder, through the crease, back to the elevated porch, is a perfectly straight line, as well as a perfectly leveled line (Image marked below, left). The alignment, symmetry, AND elevation, are all absolutely exact. This rear section is obviously another type of ‘alter’ intended to be found by use of the information given to us by the emblem. Along the line of the ‘high point crease’ is a circularly cut whirlpool, with a back drop of smaller stones with little incisions that follow the 45 degree lining of the top most crease. These are blatantly angled cuts in solid granite. This is also the exact spot where the water divides into two sections, cascading down to the left and to the right onto the frontal facade (Image to the right). As the high point of division for the stream, it is further justification as an identified high point to the main frontal facade. All of this information serves to reveal the free standing boulder behind the uppermost crease as a central high point, intended for us to discover by the efforts of the designer of this waterfall. With this important piece of information, we can go back to the elevated porch on the frontal side of the waterfall, and utilize the ‘top boulder’ as our fixed point for the parallel line we are hoping to find, which will logically coincide as a parallel with the ‘funnel-waterfall-triangle’ line on the more minor lower left side of the overall facade, just at the top corner and the mid-line corner coincide on the emblem.

The overall waterfall and the emblem are the same: If we extend the ‘funnel-waterfall-triangle’ lines, at the angle of 60 degrees indicated to us by the information within the ’emblem stone’, this line will run straight to the peak of the ‘top boulder’. It all comes together from here. The outer line connecting the ‘funnel-waterfall-triangle’ to the specific point of the ‘top central boulder’ is enough information to allow us to complete the picture. If we again use the 60 degree angle implied by the emblem stone, we can now draw the parallel line we were searching for, that coincides with the ’emblem-to-funnel’ line. We draw the line as a parallel from the ‘top boulder’ down, and the picture begins to emerge in full. The parallel lines are in specific ratio as well, so it becomes impossible to miss. If we match the 60 degree corner of the established ‘outer right-side line’ on the right-side extremity of the waterfall, we can define a 60 degree corner on the left-side extremity and run a base line from one end of the fall to the other. Here we see that THE RATIOS OF THE ORIGINAL CODED EMBLEM EMERGE AGAIN IN THE OVERALL WATERFALL (displayed below). We now see, by definition, that the 1/4 ratio portion of the overall triangle is the ‘funneled waterfall triangle’ with the ‘leveled pool’ on the minor right corner. It’s a perfect fit. What we have discovered is that the ’emblem stone’ is nothing less than an embedded, ratio-specific ‘keystone’ that opens up the possibility of comprehending the entire picture.

Mystical Beauty: There are so many question that come from discoveries like this. Who would have the ability and knowledge in antiquity to create an engineered, ratio-specific, waterfall from cut granite? This just doesn’t coincide with the evolutionary depiction of history, where humans are depicted as primordially primitive. Perhaps the builder was not entirely human? It’s not just the magnitude of understanding, its the ability to carry it out that’s really moving. The emblem shows us the mind of the engineer of this waterfall; That beautiful ideas can have a core principle, and be carried out into complexity by the consistency of defined ratios and principles. To do this in antiquity is earth shattering. It seems likely that the engineer of this masterpiece lived in, and also designed, the elegantly simple and beautiful stone-dwelling just over the hill. It makes sense. The stream flows from the waterfall, around the hill, straight to the dwelling, and beyond.

It is a captivating scene. For a moment, picture a pristine Era at the beginning of Time, when the water was clean and drinkable. This area was carved-out as a place of pure joy and regeneration, perhaps in the very first Era. It is at least one of the oldest functioning engineered sanctuaries in the world. It’s haunting; where trails run along the river above the waterfall and below, through the forest and back to the stone-dwellingl for a 2.5 mile loop.

The Equilateral Triangle: The equilateral triangle is a feature that actually shows up in many New England forests in several different ways. In my personal explorations for content for Stonestrider.com, I’ve seen large granite cuts, subtle small granite pieces on mount Watatic, Massachusetts, with holes somehow drilled smoothly into the exact center. and massive granite slabs in deep woods with 60 degree quartz stripes across the face (bottom images). On my way out of Bear’s Den on my most recent visit this September, just down stream from the waterfall, I discovered another cut equilateral triangle, this time laying right beside the boulder it was cut from (green stones on the lower left). This is Neolithic meme in New England of incredible and profound significance. The culture that appreciated this specific geometric shape engineered it into their lives, in their work, and in their hearts. The ancient Israelite immortalized the equilateral triangle in their designs of the Ark of The Covenant and later in the Temple, as instructed by Ashem (Yahweh,God). A functional living monument dedicated to this shape conveys a message across the Ages, which is that the builders were connected intimately with this divine principle. If you explore the forest and mountains of New England, as well as the Celtic high country, it is only a matter time before you discover this for yourself. Hope to see you out there.

Bear's Den/Trustees Site in Massachusetts

Hiking in New England

Megaliths

Nephilim

Triangles in Megaliths

jpvstonestrider

New England

Stonestrider.com

Location: County Donegal/Ireland Note 1: There are only so many places in the wide world that offer an approachable scene of mountains along with gorgeous coastline in the same incredible hikes. Some examples include exotic places like Santa Barbara/California, Monaco/France, or Whakatane/New Zealand. These epic places all carry that rare majesty of mountain-range combined with coastal experience. These areas, at minimum, are straight-up wonderlands. It pulls on our imaginations and taps our curiosity to even glimpse images of these places. There is yet another place though, no less profound, further up the northern hemisphere, that is so worthy of your attention. For the lucky trailblazers who have stood at the peak of Mount Errigal in County Donegal, Ireland, and turned their gaze North (Image/Below), it becomes scintillatingly clear that this is one of the most incredible mountainous/coastal regions on Earth. This is Donegal, Ireland. If you haven't found your way there yet, then this is your chance to get a glimpse of this ancient place. Sometimes just a glimpse is all it takes to get you there, like falling in love at a glance. This is the overall goal of Stonestrider.com; not just to show you how beautiful a given place might be, but to give you enough visual substance to put you over the top, and get you to make the decision to get there... in real-time.

Donegal is a collection of every possible aspect of ancient Irish culture; from the Celtic tradition espousing tales of Giants and great kings, to the related Medieval Period and its dynamic history. In approaching Donegal, the boarder regions to the South and East will be looked at as well. Ireland is an interwoven tapestry of related Counties, and it becomes necessary to describe the beautiful sites that exist en-route to this beautiful northwest corner of the Emerald Isle, as well as Donegal proper. The history here is pretty much on-par with Game of Thrones. There are epic accounts of Viking-raids all over northern Ireland, mingled with Medieval relations between the great Houses that occupied the ancient castles of the region. Donegal Castle has many engaging stories throughout its haunting and epic history. (below/left). There are hundreds of other gorgeous castles dotting the landscape, contrasting the skyline atop cliffs; along crystalline lakes, and dark Atlantic coast.

There are Dolmens in the heights and forests; Dolmens which are aged 4000 to 6000 years. Stone Circles exist mystically in the fields of each county as well, and are no less significant. Donegal is a veritable soup of historical substance. There is a historical richness and mystical sustenance that locations like Santa Barbara and Whakatane' just can't provide. An adventure in Donegal is rich with tangible in-depth substance, true wonder, and every type of magical potential. O.k. Lets begin, to wander in... The Region: Before entering the dimension that is Donegal, the logistic mystery that surrounds the area should definitely be addressed. Even describing the cartagraphical affiliations of the area creates a bit of a tongue-twister; colors can be used to describe the political designation of Donegal. Donegal is in the physical region of northern Ireland, and more specifically northwestern Ireland, and remains part of the nation of Ireland, which generally continues geographically South from Donegal. Donegal, however, is not in "the nation" of Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K. The north-eastern part of the island is the U.K. Be aware of this national distinction if you travel anywhere due-north of Dublin, the proud people of this specified region most certainly are. Note 2: The history of the northerly destinations of Ireland should definitely be looked at for a moment before thinking of traveling through. Deadly conflict has taken place around the area of Belfast due to the occupation of British forces. This controversial occupation extends far back in Time, even before Colonial times, into the Medieval period. Interaction between the British, Scottish, and Norse cultures, are interwoven into the overall ancient history of the region, with the British prevailing into this Modern period. Towns like Newcastle in the Mourne Mountain Range have a proud tradition of being part of the U.K, with hundreds of British flags often displayed in the old-town center, nestled into its beautiful coastal/mountain scene. (Image/Left)

Travelers should know that there is no toll, or wall, separating the northeastern region from the rest of Ireland. The beautiful Irish landscape rolls through the entire Island unhindered, and you can pass from county to county freely, regardless of these modern distinctions. Note 3: A seekers approach to Donegal can definitely start with the Megaliths, among many other beautiful things from era's past. The ancient monuments of Ireland, its Dolmens, Cairns, Standing Stones, Stone Temples, and Castles, are extremely important for trail-finders. Their initial quality of lending the deepest spiritual significance to the landscape is only the beginning of their impact; they also give hikers something significant to strive for, a goal beyond the typical tourist attractions i.e: places where the locals stare distantly from beyond the parking-lots. Often times, if you set your sights on a sacred site, those beautiful and impossible stones in the illusive distance, wonderful and unpredictable things will appear and happen along the way. An example of this is found on the wonderful trail high above Glenveagh Castle, in Glenveagh National Park. There is a totally unmarked Wedge Tomb in the most dramatic of places, right next to the elevated trail. Finding these relics is not only a natural rush, but it also supports the idea that someone lived in this specific area as far back as the Neolithic Period, and if you explore further, it is likely that you will find more magical anthropological statements, adding to the wonder and mystery of the scene. This Wedge Tomb had that special symmetry that so many Megaliths do (Image/Below)...

it is placed in the absolute center of the gully, and above an incredibly beautiful Glenveagh Lake. The view just 20 yards away from the Wedge Tomb, is truly spectacular with the Castle in the Frame. It is no wonder that an ancient group/culture found this spot to be a place worth living in, and claimed it with territorial stone statements. Incredible.

Other times, you can often be hiking and just around the next bend an incredible historic site will just appear practically out of nowhere, as Monea Castle did for me while hiking a roadside in Enniskillen on my way to Donegal.

Walking towards a countryside castle like Monea is like wandering into a dream; often without another person for miles, with only the quiet stillness to picture the beautiful life-style that had taken place here hundreds of years ago. (Image/Above) Not far from this very same scene, continuing north on the A35 to enter Donegal from the South, you will discover the approach for Drumskinny Stone Circle. There is countryside for 15 miles in every direction when you arrive. The stillness is shocking. This is the epitome of Stones Circles in Ireland. Drumskinny is in a classic radial form, along with a linear extension of smaller stones, which are certainly worthy of a study beyond the scope of this article. Perhaps there is a celestial connection? Each stone is beautifully unique, like people, and yet the unify into one shape. These places of ancient ceremony have a vibe similar to that of visiting a relative over the landmark age of 100, that is: without words there is an amazing depth to the moment, however still and nearly silent the scene may be.

These are the places where the Celts had dwelt for centuries; generations of everyday farmers, householders, and small-business-owners are their descendants. They have survived countless struggles to remain connected to their homesteads. After visiting this beautiful place at the southern edge of Donegal, you will be ready to move North to a region where two Dolmens have stood since the beginning of History. Both the Gortnavern Dolmen, and the Kilclooney Dolmen, are located in County Donegal, and are fantastic options for a multifaceted adventures with a climactic focus. The Gortnavern Dolmen Excursion: The overall approach to reaching the Gortnavern Dolmen is just as significant as actually finding it. Major roads in Donegal are solitary and singular, while contrastingly, smaller roads often have no names, and lead to the farthest corners of enclosed hedges and fields that seem to go on forever. 'Moneymore Road' is a good example of the lessor road experience, located at the southern base of Mount Errigal. This little street gives a reclusive valley perspective of the entire enchanting area. An abandoned stone church sits in the shadow of the Mount Errigal beyond, a truly epic vision.

The best and most beautiful approach to the Gortnavern Dolmen, is to pass by Mount Errigal, near Moneymore, and continue through Glenveagh National Park (Image/Below) along the incredible R251.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime-drive. From the Hamlet of Mullaghduff the entire R251 scene can be viewed. (Image/Below)

In hamlet of Mullaghduff there are beautiful free-standing boulders in gorgeous places (Image/Below), and incredible lowland waterfalls that are totally untouched, all in their original state.

This waterfall (Image/Below), just off the road, doesn't even have a path or an approach; you simply have to wade through the hedges to get close. I believe that this is a megalithic altar from antiquity, and fully engineered. Look at the fixtures of the interlocked stones; they are clearly "cut-to-fit" and rounded to create a beautiful and massively harnessed release point for the flowing water. Incredible. The entire landscape is enchanted; it truly is.

So bring your hiking gear/tall-boots, and be ready to trudge away in order to get close to something beautiful in Donegal. Continuing on, the Gortnavern Dolmen (Image/Below) is only 4 miles from the center of Kerrykeel.

Along the road to Kerrykeel there are local vegetable stands ( 2nd Image/Below/Left) and craft shops. Stop by and converse with these local people! The Irish of Donegal are a people who have lived on the distant northwestern edge of Europe's continental crossroads for what is now thousands upon thousands of years; take a moment for these unique and amazing souls. Even the small things the Irish country-folk have to do and say, may strike you as rare subtle wisdom, especially when compared to the placative and manic normalities of American and European Post-Modern life. The Gortnavern Dolmen is tucked beautifully into an elevated set of hills, south of the darkly soiled 'Mount Ranny.' (You must follow a country road with a small sign for the Dolmen, and then a left onto another country road, above a farm/ i.e: exact instructions to get to the Dolmen are in the "Gortnavern" article of Stonestrider.com, in the 'Ireland' section) This is a 4000 to 6000 year old Portal-Tomb with a massive Capstone which faces the gorgeous Gortnatraw Mountain.(Image/Above) It is a rugged hilltop tapestry; a tangible infinity of farms and hedges amazingly complimented by the intentional angles of these ancient stones; stones that I believe were built to tantalize our perspective.

Perhaps 700 generations have passed since the construction of this monument. Dolmens, at this modern point in history, are more rare than any section of amazon forest; at greater risk of extinction than the Orca; and are as rare as a blue diamond. If you see a Dolmen you are truly touching something priceless.

( Again, for the more detailed instructions on how to get to the Gorntavern Dolmen please see the "Gortnavern" section in the 'Ireland' category of Stonestrider.com, or: https://stonestrider.com/2016/11/07/gortnavern/ Now let's wander in an entirely different direction. The Kilclooney Dolmen Excursion: Mount Errigal could be considered the epicenter of County Donegal. It helps to describe the many features of Donegal in reference to its beautiful white peak. The countryside to the East, which heads toward the Gortnavern Dolmen, is an inland scene of enchanted mountains and rolling valleys. The countryside to the South, which leads toward the Kilclooney Dolmen, is a different experience entirely, a coastal scene of cliffs, crescent beaches, rocky caverns, and an amazingly iconographic waterfall. From Errigal head South along the N56 to the R261. The R261 will take you to the Kilclooney Dolmen Centre, where you can take the short hike to the Dolmen. Not far from the Centre, at the farm house just up the road on R261, is an almost hidden, practically forgotten set of stones that was once a beautiful Wedge Tomb. It is unmarked by the side of the road, and clearly, once upon a time, a capstone was balanced above the supporting stones. Amazing. It is just an indicator that there are sacred things, seen, and unseen, all around you here. The entire landscape is a type of natural "temple", a once synergized region accentuated by stone fixtures that we are still trying to understand in these late Modern times.

Before you start hiking here, wear 'tall boots'! Having the right boots is the difference between a challenging experience, or something challengingly wonderful. As is the case with so many indigenous ancient sites, there is not a 'standard path' to the Megalith, you simply have to see the Dolmen about 150 yards behind the farmhouse and make your way towards it. For those who understand how wonderful this experience is, the non-commercial experience, the chance to laugh increases and releases with each and every Irish-as-hell step. These are truly special moments in a literally sacred Irish countryside. The terrain here is mossy, with brackish water mixed into tall-brush, and sandy dunes. Your 'tall boots' will make an easy walk through the terrain, right up to the ancient stone-lining which runs directly to the Dolmen and Wedge Tomb; they sit atop a small knoll covered with wildflowers and tough moss. Here is a prime example of how stones that look like a "wall" leading up to the Dolmen and Wedge Tomb, are certainly not a wall. These stones are a "Lining"; a veritable cable made of stones, which connects sacred site to sacred site, just like in New England. These stones were never, by definition, a "wall". The stones of the Lining' couldn't stop a single thing passing through this country side, and it was never meant to. The Lining' is part of an over all scene, all of the same Period, and most likely created by the same individual(s) as an "energy center" for the over-all scene.

With the Atlantic Ocean only a mile or so beyond, the air here is medicinally salty. This "beach-day breeze" inundates everything, from the moss and grass, to the Dolmen's very stones. This is an above average size Dolmen, with a massive "satellite-dish-like" 20 ton Capstone. This Capstone is balanced, and set roughly 5 feet above the ground. There is a slightly dilapidated Wedge Tomb with a 5 ton Cap-stone just ten yards away. This Wedge Tomb is no less priceless or significant in an archaeological sense, and certainly beautiful in its own right.

Again, like Gortnavern, Poulnabrone, and the dozen or so remaining in-situ Dolmens in Ireland, Kilclooney is roughly 4000 to 6000 years old, and a unique version of the classic Portal Tomb. This is a place to sit and contemplate the scope of Time, the magical possibilities implied by the Stones, and the luck of being alive to see them. Assaranca Waterfall: Like so many highways in other countries, certain roads simply become other roads, or have two names. After taking in the experience of the Kilclooney Dolmen site, you should continue driving to see the beautiful Assaranca Waterfall on the R261 South, which simply becomes the N56. Not far passed "Northwest Sea Kayaking" business, along the N56, just passed a beautiful white house with a red door, is a road with no name. It is a right-turn road with signs that point and say: "Tra Strand"/Uaimh Caves/Eas' Waterfall 6 km/: standing clearly for all to see. Take the Right onto this classic Irish road and enjoy the short drive to the beautiful Assaranca Waterfall.

The roads here are the hiking trails. This gorgeous region is known as Lackaduff. You can park your car at the waterfall and begin a beautiful hike towards the massive caves within the beautifully looming cliffs, all about 2 miles further up the lane. Small mountains encompass this rugged bay-route pathway, with adorable homes and fields of wildflowers, along with flocks of sheep.

These are working farmers and fisherman in the area; they are not on vacation, so please be kind to those you meet, whoever that may be. Soon you will arrive to the beach...

When you arrive take the path into the sand-dunes just at the end of the lane, and head out to the beach toward the caves (on the left.) As other places have been described in Stonestrider.com, this place looks like the perfect Jedi hideaway, perhaps to be found only by the most devout of disciples.

The colors here; the glassy Atlantic Ocean against the super-fine sand; the cliffs and caves under a cloud-sized blanket of green; they create a living canvas that just pours out an absolutely radiating beauty.

Last Note: Donegal is both rugged and radiant in one. There are striking scenes of mountains that just cut the sky with white stone peaks; there are rolling green ranges of mountain after mountain, after mountain.

Eventually these mountains slam into a crystalline Atlantic Ocean. The Dolmens in Donegal indicate that the culture of the region is as old as Time itself. Wandering into this County is equivalent to wading into a Celtic Tsunami. The beauty is overwhelming. In every direction there is a pastoral dimension which is vividly painted in every possible variation of green.

Donegal is so connected to the land, that the entire region is a 'trail'. You don't look for "the trail" at 'Ranny', the little dark mountain (Image/Below) which sits a valley away from the Gortnavern Dolmen; you simply climb the mountain. The mountain IS THE TRAIL.

Donegal feels like the landscape that never told a lie. It is the last European coastline upon the vast Atlantic Ocean which cuts jagged jade cliffs into what was for centuries the edge of the known world. Come out and stand on the edge. Seek and Find.