Just off the A1, had to stop as I passed!
These stones are huge spikes - *very* tall and impressive.
One is captive in a small fenced area (what has it done to deserve that?)
Over the other side of the road are the other two, which today were in a newly-sown field so couldn't get closer.
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This stone was brought into the Durham Rock Art Conference on 8-3-2003 in the back of someone's car. The delegate had found it in a stream near Longframlington, and was now in a carrier bag, so there's no point in trying to find this one :-) Stan Beckensall got very excited about it.
One side is green and more weathered. The other side is very well-preserved, with clear pick marks. There is a large chunk missing.
Comments were made on the way the green side used a natural line in the stone to look like a face ?!
Unfortunately these are the best of my photies.
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It's Friday it must be Barrow - hmmm let's look at the map - woohoo! Get thee ter t'stones.
Up a very steep, dark, wooded road, an old quarry, then look - the sky! And Hey! Stones! Wow! Cool.
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1-3-2003
After staying the night in Robin Hood's Bay village, popped up here first, but took the long way round Doh! No problems with sheep, in fact they ran when they saw me, can't think why.
Lovely morning, sun shining, nice view of the bay, a skylark above singing away, I mean you'd think it was spring!
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There were signs everywhere asking non-residents to obtain a ticket at reception for the grounds, so in I went, and they let me in, which was nice. I asked for directions to the rock art and they pointed me towards the battlements.
After a wander around when all I could find was a few questionable cupmarks and a pair of newlyweds, I returned to reception for more clues. It’s beside the little cave, they said, to the right. And there it was, just above head height. Very hard to miss unless you know what you’re looking for, a bit faded and even looks a bit two-dimensional. And if there are more pieces, I couldn’t find them!
As it is very close to the little cave (see misc notes on history of Raven Hall) perhaps this area of the wall can be dated to between 1829 and 1845.
Also, I saw, way above head height, some more markings in the cliff face that looked a bit like cups marks. I discounted them as they were so high up, but if you think about it, if they blew up some of this cliff who's to say they didn't used to be accessable? Just a thought, and I've posted the pic anyway although it isn't very good quailty being so far away.
Very impressive place – the gardens will be nice in the summer. Worth a trip for the views. Lovely.
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Quite a tall stone, has some pretty old-looking graffitti "FS".
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23-2-2003.
Lovely feel to this one, in a small wood, which also houses the steep ramparts of a fort.
After here walked to Goatscrags and then on the way back visited the waterfall, in a wonderful dingly-dell. To get to the waterfall, follow the track towards the farm for approx 100m, and there is a well-worn path down beside a stream, follow this down (but watch your footing!) to caves and falls.
There was a yellow VW van parked up and signs of camping in the woods…with a microphone on he dashboard. What’s JC driving these days? :-)
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23-2-2003.
Followed the track up through Routin Linn farm, and it’s on the hill to the west of the crags. The paths are well-used by horse riders so access is relatively easy. There are two outcrops marked on the map, NT973372 and NT971371.
They are worth the trip up, I loved this site!
To the Goatscrags end of the hill, there is a sheltered quarry-type area, which I am sure has a hollow next to it as if it’s been a burial mound there. Lots of geographical reasons why this could be the case?
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I parked at Gefrin and walked back down the hill. The stone is a good seven feet high, and a granitey beast!
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Very depressing place in my opinion, probably lots to do with the cemetery it sits beside. I mean, I quite like some graveyards, but this is a depressing place. Not much beauty.
Maybe it's nicer in summer.
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I thought I'd just pop along and see what was here, there was a path nearby, I thought, should be easy. Wrong!
It was over boggy ground (thankfully mostly frozen), up a hill, fighting over a fence, all the time with some rather menacing-looking sheep watching! In the end, got where I wanted but inside the tree plantation the ground was, as you would expect, littered with needles to quite a depth. I tried a few exposed rocks, but they were loose and bare. I think any carved outcrop here would be well-and-truly hidden, and worst-case may be even damaged by the planting.
I didn't find anything anyway :-( and I won't be coming back unless the trees go!!
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Recommend that anyone coming here pick up a leaflet from the tourist information, it gives a wonderful aerial shot and diagrams etc.
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On a very bright clear February Saturday afternoon, lots of people had the same idea as me to come here (including moey! PS I was first :-) )
The car-park was very busy (approx 15 cars+), but surprisingly it still had a feeling of isolation, and the site is large enough to take lots of separate wanderers. If you come in the summer, come early or late, you'll get parked and the light will be better!
There is definately more rock art than I found today, another great excuse for a return visit.
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Walked down here from the Lordenshaws fort to the south-west of here, passing the cairns. Once again, another Cheviot view! With the town of Rothbury on the hillside.
Bit of a disappointing stone, though! I almost didn't see it at all until I was on top of it.
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Actual location of two of these outcrops is NU018328.
The large, dark stone had just had the turf removed by an unknown previous (and very recent) visitor. Was it the great Stan B?
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Walked here from The Ringses.
The OS map says this is "rems of" a circle - not fair! There are still 4 visible stones, OK two left standing but it still has the right feel. Lots of stones underfoot too. One of the fallen stones isn't quite horizontal, you can tell which was the top surface by the characteristic weathering patterns.
Unusually for this area, the Cheviot is not visible! (shock horror) - it is obscured by Doddington Moor. To the east however, Chatton, and Weetwood to the south.
Took a few moments to enjoy the silence and to watch a pale-coloured bird flying around which I'm sure was an owl, but it was broad daylight (?)
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Visited on my way back from Blawearie, which is the burial ring cairn mentioned by some previous posters.
Tried but failed to find the piggy-looking stone, was getting dark! Very good reason to back again, like I need one :-)
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Very hard to describe this, it's a circular, curbed site with a wall within, containing cists, with mounds inside and surrounding. I think it has been restored, but only marked on the OS map as a cairn, it's much more.
The hillfort and carved stones of Old Bewick are not too far away and the mother hill visible as always.
The ruined farmstead nearby is also interesting (well it was for me), as are the rocky outcrops beside, which have been partly walled for shelters. You can see how people wanted to live up here. But you can also understand how it fell into ruin! Tried to work out when it was last lived in, perhaps early 20th century. Looks like it's used a lot by campers, and is on a mapped cycle route.
A lovely day although very overcast. Definitely one to come back to when sunnier.
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Had a nice surprise today when I unexpectedly found myself passing this site on the way to a meeting... unfortunately didn't have my camera on me, so just had to quickly write down the location so I could identify it later. Will go equipped next time I promise :-)
Originally there must have been fantastic views across the Firth from here, now blighted a bit by the closeness to the road.
Except of course for the fact that it is in the perfect position to sometimes give a nice vibe to a passing traveller.
Hurrah!
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Just like to say this is in the running for my favourite circle.
Cute and perfectly formed (perhaps too perfect?)
And it has nice memories for me.
And I found the cist.
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Previously known as Pebblethief...
Based currently in north Northumberland but soon to be returned to Cumbria.
Area covered by travels includes Scotland and north of England.
Often to be seen wandering aimlessly staring at the ground dragging a large rucksack (contents usually assorted cameras, GPS, batteries, bananas, plastic bags, pebbles).
Favoured habitats are places with plenty of sky and powerful scenery.
http://www.pebblesfromheaven.blogspot.com
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