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Is this rock art real? I came across it whilst browsing t'internet. It's at Eavestone Crag, which is ENE of Pateley Bridge in North Yorkshire, grid reference SE223680.
The photo in the link looks like rock art, but there's a pale look to the rock around it, as if the lichen has been recently removed. Looks dodgy to my inexperienced eye. Even the photographer asks the question, but he is a climber after all.

I just wondered if any of the rock art experts, such as Mr. Hob, sir, could give their 'alf-penneth.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=116851

Gratefully yours,
TE.

I'm no expert but i"ll buy thi a pint oeer two if that's not modern "graffiti".

Eyup Mr. TE sir ;)

I guess it's possible, but unlikely.

I reckon, leaning towards optimism, 25% possibility of the larger set of circles being rock art. The smaller bits do look like lichen traces. But the bigger ones seems to have a bit of depth in the lower left side. The lack of cups would make it pretty unusual, and like KK says, the depth seems a bit on the shallow side, though there's not much to go on there for a sense of scale. It'd be useful to see more photos, especially some where the surface is wet.

hhhmmm looks more than a tad suspect!! The colour of the motifs is similar to fresh abraded graffiti daubed on the Haystack, Ilkley Moor. Given it’s probably the same type of stone as the Haystack (millstone) - I’d hazard a guess this has been created within the last couple of months or so. What is interesting though, is the position of the larger two motifs with truncated outer rings – does this suggest the things being created by someone who knows the subject, or has an existing motif been enhanced??? Having said that, the ring spacing on the larger motif just doesn’t look right and some elements just look chalked.

Over the last few years there’s been a number of decent finds in this area of Nidderdale (N & S of Summerbridge). A nice Tod Crags–esque panel in a rockery at Shaw Mills, TV incorporating a Tree of life (similar to Amerside) in Guisecliffe Woods, Druids Farm and several fairly complex ones including the Morphing stone and Fertility stone around Eastwoods Farm at Dacre Banks. Not only is the style jnr Northumbrian-esque, but carved bedrock dominates, which is unusual for mid Yorkshire.

I’ll try and go a look this week.