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Any of you rock art bods care to suggest an itinerary for some serious RA hunting in Cumbria?

Hoping to have a day out and about and fancy looking at something different for a change. Can devote a whole day to it so you can be as wild and imaginative as you like with the suggestions!

Ta

Vx

Greetings Vicster,

There's not a lot of rock art in Cumbria, as you will see by checking the Cumbria section of TMA. I've visited Copt Howe in Great Langdale, and Beckstones near Patterdale at the south end of Ullswater.

Copt Howe is controversial, as it has been claimed that climbers inscribed it on an "off day". I know it's wet there, but it'd take a hell of a lot of wet days to do it, besides, the lure of the bar of the Old Dungeon Ghyll would be too much. The large slab at the side of the road opposite is intriguing too, with its many huge "cup" marks. Natural, or man-made? Let me know what you think.

Fitzcoraldo found another Great Langdale rock art site near the campsite, and although I've not seen it, I've walked past it numerous times, and it's in a great position. Again, see the Cumbria section of TMA.

If, as you say, you want "rock art hunting", then Beckstones is the place. The site itself is small, but there are other sites in the vicinity. All are recently discovered. I suspect many more remain to be unearthed, or found in the immediate area. Check the link below for the Archaeology Data Service site for the Beckstones area:-
http://www.pastscape.org.uk/firstpage.asp?source=textonly&period1=Stone%20Age&county1=Cumbria&class1=None&place1=patterdale&type1=&min_date1=ALL&max_date1=ALL&recs_per_page=5&s_o=1&nmr=&defra=

Long Meg has a carving too.

Happy hunting,
TE.

Hi V
I would add these sites to E's suggestions.
Crummock http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/7823
Grasmere http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/8711
Tortie http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2443

I would also suggest that this book, despite the inclusion of a couple of iffy sites including 'that spiral,' could be a useful addition to your Cumbrian library - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Prehistoric-Rock-Cumbria-Stan-Beckensall/dp/0752425269/ref=sr_11_1/202-6284786-8479068?ie=UTF8

If your looking to seeking out a new site then I would suggest having a scramble around the glacially smoothed outcrops at the head and foot of a lake, preferably in places where possible prehistoric trackways may have existed. There are definitely carvings out there just waiting to be discovered.

Happy Hunting
fitz

This should be worth a look
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/8840