The Barmishaw stone has some of Ilkley’s speciality carvings, the so called ‘ladders’. The patterns on the stone can be difficult to make out but there are said to be 6 of these ladder forms, as well as 24 cups, 9 of which have rings.
To find the stone, walk north from the Badger Stone, continue past the east-west track and continue roughly in the direction of the woods for 2 or 3 minutes. Although it is flat and only very low, the stone is a reasonable size and can be seen to the right in a clearing in the undergrowth.
Barmishaw is said to translate as 'Spirit in the woods'. This area of the moor has supposedly played host to a number of strange phenomena including fairies, alien abductions, earth lights and healing wells. Strangely enough the common thread between all the apparitions that have been reprted here is the colour green.
It's obvious that the moor's prehistoric inhabitants placed a strong importance in this area due to the number of rock carvings around the hillside spring.