High Rocks Cave / Rock Shelter View all content for High Rocks

Now, The Citizen Cairn must declare upfront that this is not the sort of site I would normally seek out... set within the grounds of an idyllic hotel and considered a 'romantic' venue for wedding parties to pose for snaps after 'the event'. Yeah, "Oh, this one's me and Britney about to fall to our deaths... doesn't she, like, look, like lush, innit?" Yeah, OK, one has to pay an entrance fee and enter through a locked gate as - to judge by the not-so-modern graffiti carved into the sandstone - have many, many before me.... but I have to say this is actually a rather fabulous place. Consider: not only are the sandstone crags (the 'High Rocks') impressive in stature; they are also the site of a number of later Mesolithic shelters which one can explore, albeit a bit boggy underfoot in places. Furthermore, the crags, themselves, form the northwestern flank of a multi-phase Iron Age hillfort perched above. As it was, I couldn't make out a great deal of the 'landward' defences of the promontory, but nevertheless, this is a thought-provoking, aesthetically appealing place. The sandstone crags are interconnected by a high-level 'aerial walkway', a rather unique feature... although if you're bringing children along ensure you enforce the same restrictions as for hill walks: needless to say, a slip could have potentially fatal consequences. Just like for our Gaz and Britney.

Posted by GLADMAN 10th June 2023ce

Comments (0)
You must be logged in to add a comment