Visited early April on a windy, overcast morning . Easy to find as signposted from Ashbourne to Buxton Road and parking up a farm track. Honesty box or pay the man a pound for adults, children free. A nice stroll up a stony track to the henge. A wonderful place that holds its magic. There are two entrances through the bank in roughly SE and NW alignment, ditch crossings and a ring of fallen stones with some larger ones in the middle, one of which attracts offering which it was nice to see were largely biodegradable.
It is interpreted as a stone circle surrounding a central arrangement but I’m going to suggest, based on seeing many ruins similar, that it was a dolem surrounded by kerbstones and covered by a mound inside the henge. The site is close to several barrows, mostly removed and rifled by “The Barrow Knight” a local Victorian amateur who dug a lot of barrows. While digging the one in the next field (see separate entry) he discovered a Neolithic burial and when his tunnel collapsed a Bronze Age cist with grave goods including a Jet necklace was revealed. This is interesting because the early burial mound predates the henge and a long time later it was reused and a new barrow constructed on top, similar to Waylands Smithy for example, so these monuments evolved over time as each wave of settlers stamped their presence on this obviously important place. A beautiful, peaceful place where I had only buzzards for company. I recommend a visit and will be back on a future, better planned tour of this area.
Jon Hills
Visited early April on a windy, overcast morning . Easy to find as signposted from Ashbourne to Buxton Road and parking up a farm track. Honesty box or pay the man a pound for adults, children free. A nice stroll up a stony track to the henge. A wonderful place that holds its magic. There are two entrances through the bank in roughly SE and NW alignment, ditch crossings and a ring of fallen stones with some larger ones in the middle, one of which attracts offering which it was nice to see were largely biodegradable.
It is interpreted as a stone circle surrounding a central arrangement but I’m going to suggest, based on seeing many ruins similar, that it was a dolem surrounded by kerbstones and covered by a mound inside the henge. The site is close to several barrows, mostly removed and rifled by “The Barrow Knight” a local Victorian amateur who dug a lot of barrows. While digging the one in the next field (see separate entry) he discovered a Neolithic burial and when his tunnel collapsed a Bronze Age cist with grave goods including a Jet necklace was revealed. This is interesting because the early burial mound predates the henge and a long time later it was reused and a new barrow constructed on top, similar to Waylands Smithy for example, so these monuments evolved over time as each wave of settlers stamped their presence on this obviously important place. A beautiful, peaceful place where I had only buzzards for company. I recommend a visit and will be back on a future, better planned tour of this area.
Visited during early April. Drive from Penzance towards the Lands End air field ( signposted) and don’t miss the entrance to the large car park just before you get to the airport. An easy walk up a track you could drive up if allowed or several winding paths through the heather and gorse. Keep going up and when you can’t get any further up you are atop the first and last hill in England. At the summit there is a rare type of multi burial barrow found only here and Scilley Isles in the UK. I don’t know about the rest of the world. It’s like several small quoits arranged together and piled with smaller rocks. One is very visible immediately but the thing was demolished by treasure seekers, amateur archaeologists and later again by the military to used for aircraft spotting in WW2. Other large rocks that look to be cap stones can be made out.
It would have been visible far out to sea and mariners would have used it to navigate by since the time it was built. There is a modern metal beacon next to it which is lit every midsummer by the fishermen of St Just (according to the sign).
Down the slope a few yards is another definite barrow which has a separate entry on here. It is a lovely place to sit and chill, gaze out to sea or inland, buzzards ride the thermals and ravens play in the wind.
Later in the year when the heather and gorse are in flower it is a haven for butterflies and is stunningly beautiful . There are various other rocks and archeology on the hill. It does get very touristy in season and is a local dog walking area so if you want solitude early mornings or later evenings are better.
If you intend spending a while to have a good look about, you may want a coat with you because it’s very windy or to sit on. Water is always useful but you can see the car from the top so even if it kicked up a storm out of nowhere you can be back in 5 minutes. I advice sturdy footwear and long pants if you intend getting into the gorse and heather.
A visit to the Great North (Hancock) Museum to see the cup and ring marked stones (and lots of other prehistoric stuff).
Local buses stop across the road and the Haymarket Metro Station is a short easy walk. There are little signs on the lampposts directing you. If you must drive into the city there is parking nearby.
A large cup and ring marked boulder sits proudly outside the entrance on a lawn with benches. This was found durning water main replacement work at Birney Hill (near Darras Hall NW Newcastle). It’s a well marked stone with mostly cups and a few rings.
In the museum head right from main doors and you will find “ Ice Age to Iron Age” exhibit. Several portable cup and ring marked stones and cyst covers from all over Northumberland and some information about possible carving methods.
Lots of other exhibits from the area from querm stones to microliths.
Well worth a visit if you are in the area, lots else to see for all the family, and a free to use reference library. It has a website so all you need to know will be on there most likely.
Visited yesterday in glorious sunshine and had it to myself for half an hour. Very impressive circle and associated standing stone with “viewing portal” (according to on site sign) aligning the standing stone with midwinter sunset from middle of circle. It has a lane with beautiful old trees running through north to south but strangely this does not detract from it. Truly beautiful surroundings and a place I will return to to take in the wider landscape. Good near site parking and easily found using old road atlas and common sense. On site disabled parking. Nice to wander and chill and when others arrived it didn’t detract from the experience, one lady was chanting or singing, which was lovely to hear. I would expect it to get busy at “peak times” so I got lucky. No litter, great views and more to see in local area. I will be back armed with a map and with time to spare and possibly a picnic.
Took a trip to see this for the first time yesterday. Easy to find and very accessible. Parking right beside the field. Very busy on a sunny afternoon so if peace and tranquility might be something you’re into go early in the day possibly. Quite amazed by one group who decided to plonk themselves down on the main photo opportunity and have a loud conversation like they were outside a city centre Starbucks, expressing amusement that they “will be in everyone’s pictures”. That aside there is space and views, very little litter and the many dogs seemed mostly under control. It is what it is, and it is a tourist attraction, so hardly surprised to find tourists.
It’s a nice circle with remains of possibly a burial cairn on East side. This was a scouting trip but I’ll be back at a quieter time. Location wise it is stunning.
6th March 2025.
Heading from Newcastle in 4’ light frost on the high ground but good unseasonably warm day forecast. Steady wind from SW.
I’m going to assume you own and can use a map because you will want one. There is a lot to see in a small area and not all of it is obvious. Boots too, as in decent and waterproof, you may get away with sturdy trainers in summer. Bring water, no, more than that! Like 2lt min per person. You will know why on the way back!
Ok that’s the health and safety talk done. This is my second attempt to find Buttony rock art, the first, last October, on the hottest day for weeks, with insufficient water.
I parked in Doddington by the cross and water trough in the lay by. There are other lay bys and the golf club says it has parking and welcomes walkers, so if you are golf club material it might be worth a look. Anyway I headed up the lane past the first footpath sign (made that mistake last time, near vertical climb to start) and along the gently rising lane, past a bungalow with a fine carved bear in the front garden, and on past a woods to the clearly marked turn up to the golf club. Up you go, keep looking to the top and one foot in front of another. At the club car park you will see an obvious track heading up, there is a sign, it has a phone app thing for rock art Northumberland if that is something you could use (I was in signal the entire walk). As soon as it seemed decent (male 58, overweight, heavily tattooed), I ditched my Norge shirt due to warmth and it joined my woolly jumper in my bag for the rest of the day I got by in a base layer and wind proof anorak.
Onward and upwards you leave the golf land via a gate and turn left up again. Immediately in front of you in the rough beside the track is the “Main Stone” witch is riven with cups and lines, there is a hill fort in front of you towards the Cheviots. Up through the ramparts of the higher hillfort (lots of hut circles) you reach the trig point. Take your map (see intro) and orientate yourself. (OS 340) . I headed down towards the “stone circle (remains of)”, then through the gate and along the footpath beside the wire fence towards the copse with ww2 pill box to left, then across the field to the Buttony plantation. Now the fun starts. On the map the cup and ring marked stone is written outside the plantation to the South. This is a big lie. So best I can explain it, head for the gate near a shallow angle in the wall and follow the light track through the overgrown jumble of fallen pines and associated brambles etc, don’t wear your best clothes, gortex life expectancy in there 3 minutes, think Barbour jacket or army coat from back in the days when the army crashed through the woods scaring the bejesus out of us everyday folk when they emerged in full camouflage, but I digress, last time I gave up, due to hydration issues but must have walked within metres of the art. I noticed the first panel because I was searching for ANY rocks and saw some freshly cleaned rings under a less freshly fallen tree. Even then it took a while to find the double rings and other panel. Pine needles are the villains, a light dusting on the moss and it is the perfect camouflage. Point of fact, I stashed my bag to make searching easier, and a) had trouble finding my bag and b) had trouble finding the stones again. And I’m pretty handy in the woods. Note to self, camouflage bags have their drawbacks.
Basically you need to stay in the top third of the woods best you can for the fallen timber and stay in the right third of the woods but before the pheasant rearing contrivance and assorted plastic barrels nonsense.
Once I retrieved my bag and hand brushed and wetted the double rings I got some nice pictures, remember the water in the intro, I used 3/4 lt to get pictures. The panel next door was very mossy and I’m not that guy who goes round pulling it off for fun.
I feel it is a shame that this holy grail of Northumberland rock art is so lost in a smashed pine wood. I looked at the pictures on here from 20 odd years ago and it was lovely.
I headed back via the other pill box and skirted the high side of the hill fort with spectacular views and another cup marked panel, then back to the golf course gate and left just before it leading to another cup and ring panel then the steep decent back to Doddington joining the lane at the footpath sign I told you to walk by on the way. A great day, I saw several hares, some big hooked beak hovering birds, several ravens and had a really good day of it. Preparation and luck with the weather made it one to remember. This is no “ park up and gentle stroll” like Lordenshaws and I can’t stress enough that suitable footwear and plenty of water are needed, I nearly came unstuck in October when I didn’t believe the weather forecasts optimism and found myself getting heatstroke on a barren, windless moor a long way from my car, but that’s another story.
A visit starting at the car park below the hillfort.
I started along the road westish until the rough grassy track that obviously leads to the top of Birky Hill. ( OL42 map) . Upon gaining the summit of this low hill there are stones that look placed and are possibly the remains of well robbed burial cairns. This place needs a LiDAR survey like chips need salt. Just Northish down the slope is a large “square” looking chunk of rock with cup and rings on top. A basin has formed and another cup made in this. The other half of this stone is next to it and the break is obvious. There is another cup marked stone, which someone had torn the grass back from, revealing several I’d not seen, there appear to be lines connecting some of the cups.
Keeping to the grassy ridge you will meet a track that takes you across a piled stone line which apparently was the boundary of a deer park at some point, anyway , the Adder Stone ( aka Horseshoe Stone) is just along the way. I got a treat with bright sunshine low in the sky casting fine shadows ( there are lots of pics on here, mine are the same) it really looked like a snake today.
From here follow the deer park boundary stone pile thing uphill on the well used track to the “Main Stone” (aka Channel Stone). This is the prize of the bunch and was “busy” but everyone had time enough to themselves. Nice shadows revealing the mydrid cups and rings.
North East the track leads to the hillfort up a gentle slope. A boulder beside the track has possible sharpening marks but I have no idea of the origin weather ancient or more recent, it’s a good grit stone that I use at home for various things. I like to walk round the ramparts and today was as good as it gets for vegetation, it gets swamped with bracken in summer and the heather hides lots. There are “hut circles” dotted about. I’ve tried laying down in one and can’t ( I’m 5’10” on a good day). Views to enjoy in every direction and today I got the best of them.
Take your time strolling round the banks and when you get to the North look along the ridge and you will see the remains of a cain burial. A track leads that way and it makes a nice silluette on the skyline as you get close. The biggest stone has grooves down it which may be natural or accented by man. On the East side there are cup marks in one of the associated stones on the edge of the cairn site. You are looking down onto a watershed between you and the next hill and a stream flanked by small birch, alder and thorn can be seen leading down towards Rothbury. If you look towards the hill, East, there are several cup and groove marked slabs among the heather, I got lucky and found all the ones shown on here, some are fantastic. I took water to reveal the grooves better. It’s a job to know what is natural, what is manmade and what is a bit of both.
I then headed across the watershed and had a nose about on the low slopes of the hill but am leaving it for another day. I was 5 hours ambling, chatting, photographing and pondering. I could have done it in two but I had no rush today.
Wear your boots and tough pants, watch out for burnt heather stalks from land management, some areas are being used for grouse rearing and sheep so dogs are not allowed everywhere, signs advice, and there is plenty of space for everyone and their pooch. This is the time of year to visit before the bracken and heather cover it all up. This was my best visit for rock art because I used this site to learn before I went, and I’ve been coming here 30 years!
These notes are intended for the area from The Poind and His Man to Shaftoe Crags and Pipers Seat balancing stone. There is a lot to see in a lovely area that offers more than ancient remains.
You take the road from Belsay towards Scots Gap and as you pass Bolam Lakes ( an artificial lake created within past 200 years) about 3/4 of a mile past the last car park, you come to a cross roads, take the unmade track to the left past the farm buildings at post box. Go slow! No slower than that, kids and animals, pot holes and mud, you were warned. Continue unto you reach the section made of concrete railway sleepers and to your left is the Bronze Age barrow mound, don’t stop to take pictures, you’re nearly at the parking.
Upon crossing a cattle grid gateway you will notice a flat piece of grass on your right, which is where the landowner kindly allows considerate parking, there may be cars there but it is obvious where it is. There are usually free ranging sheep or cows or both who can be naturally curious so control all dogs immediately. There used to be eggs for sale with an honesty box but I haven’t seen that for a long time.
Looking across to your right you will see the barrow with its standing stone. Separate listing on here for info.
Following the dry stone wall walk along the obvious track in the grass. On your left is medieval ridge and furrow marks between the track and small conifer plantation.
You have choices and a map can be handy, either take the gate to the right and cross the rough and often boggy field towards the East end of the outcrops (1 mile) for rock art ( separate listing on here) and stunning views of Simonside and the cheviots, or, carry on straight up and through another gate ahead to Salters Nick. The ridge and furrow has given way to grassland. Please take the time to shut all gates properly as some of the latches are a bit old fashioned.
Once through the gate continue up beside the wall to the settlement and prepare to be disappointed. Ten years ago it was plain as day grass banks and hit circles visible but since cattle have trampled the ground to a morass while sheltering from the worst of the weather. This has lead to birch trees becoming established and bracken to smothering everything in between so mid winter is the best time to see anything useful. The pictures I put on yesterday give the idea ( end of January) . The settlement’s location, at the top of the only gaps in the crags that horses or cattle could realistically use, is suggestive of possible use as I find it very hard to believe anyone chose that spot to live all year round, when there are so many more sheltered and suitable nearby.
As you stand at the edge of the crags ( rock art listed on here separately) you are level with the tops of the trees. These wind blasted Silver Birch, Beech, Oaks and Firs are a marvel and often contain Ravens and other large birds of prey.
If you look around while trying to ignore the dry stone walls ( all quarried from the crags) you get an impression of the larger ancient landscape and possible field bounties or corals.
Across The Nick, is another possible settlement site with some banks being able to be made out however this landscape has been farmed, quarried, used for military training, and otherwise altered continually from the Neolithic until present day so beware of jumping to conclusions. Further East is a “ modern” standing stone erected for Queen Victorias jubilee. It is carved and possibly a reused ancient stone. It gives a good idea of how stone erodes in these conditions as the inscription is nearly gone near the top.
Great views all along the crags which are a geology lesson in themselves, being gritty sandstone which hardens in contact with weather but is softer when buried. There are layers of quartz and chert pebbles in places, which may have been a valuable resource in ancient times for sling stone, decoration or tools, most are smaller than a pound coin and can be found in the mud below some places, they polish up nice. Various layering and ripple patterns show how a seabed must have formed and reformed over millennia before being pulled apart by the effects of the Tyne fault line. There is supposed to be Neolithic evidence in caves documented but I’ve not found them yet, bracken smothers the place in summer and in winter it is a morass but I keep looking.
Climbers use these rocks to practice and you will see chalk marks on popular holds, some attempts have been made to “ improve” the rocks for this, so not all marks are natural geology.
Salters Nick got it’s name from being a route in in salt trade which shows how something we take for granted used to be an important asset for preserving and was apparently worth smuggling from the coast way inland. An obvious trackway heads NWish from the Nick towards the Borders. Quite when the Nick was made is open for debate and may well have been enlarged many times through history. Explosives have defiantly features in more modern works and the area would have been a busy quarry at the time they were enclosing fields and building the farmhouses. A lot of the amazing stone piles and crags are not natural except a couple of hundred years erosion.
To the left of the gap is a valley protected from the worst of the weather which forms a watershed in a roughly North/South line so the eventual streams empty into totally different rivers, some of the large boulders around this area have a very “placed “ look and if you explore your imagination can create wonderful ideas, but sticking to the facts, there are faint cup and ring marks to be found. Since the creation of a trout lake further down and cattle sheltering in the valley, the streams have turned into a general bog but there are trees and wildlife aplenty. Deer, foxes, badger and hares can often be seen if you’re quiet and walk gentle. In WW2 ( and possibly before) this area was used to train soldiers and an area of the crags I’d quite blasted and pockmarked from bullets and mortar fire, some trenches relating to this are on the hill opposite with trig point on top. This trip point was used to survey the OS maps of the area so it gives some idea of the views to expect in a 360’ panorama. From the top you can see Shaftoe Crags with a small enclosure known as a hillfort although it’s actual use is open to debate. Also the Piper Stone ( both of which have their own write ups on here) .
So in a small area there is a lot to see and walks can vary in length or objective. Wear decent boots and carry sensible coat because even in summer it can be very boggy and freezing rain squalls can appear from nowhere. Its the OL 42 map and about 40 minute drive from Newcastle. It is Right to Roam land but please let’s leave it how we found it so future generations can share the privilege of this access and unspoilt, litter and noise free land to recharge our brains and enjoy.