Slightly taller than it’s compatriot overlooking Rothbury, but only just. It just has to be a boundary marker for the cairnfield. I guess there may be have been more in the area, maybe there still are.
The cup marked rock, about halfway between the track and the standing stone, has a lovely great enhanced natural bowl. Slightly discordant is the name ‘Fiona’ carved large over one of the cups.
A couple of the cairns have survived quite well, and kerbs are almost complete. I’ve a slight problem with the idea that the others are clearance, and not grave markers, as f they are the result of agricultural clearance, it was a very half-hearted affair. The rest of the field is still littered with stones that would make it a bit hard to plough.
There are a few excellent glacial erratics, that if they were in Cumbria would merit the title ‘Thunder Stone’. There’s also a top-notch natural feature in the form of Ship Crag and the dome of outcrop next to it. Mesolithic rock shelter if ever I saw one.
The ground is quite decent going, low heather, boggy in places, but the track is easily followed. As with much of the area, there are a couple of pine plantations, and in the one to the west, heading towards football cairn, is a stone that would be a good candidate for one of these putative cairnfield markers I mentioned.
Rather unsurprisingly given it’s location, it has a nice view of the nearby sacred hill of Simonside.
It’s probably bikeable, but not very good for wheelchairs due to the many streams that are forded by a single plank.
The mention of Simonside being sacred is very much my way of thinking also. There are several areas on top of Simonside near the 'chimney' (for instance), where there is a decidedly 'odd feeling' at certain times when I am there that feels like prickling between my shoulder blades and the feeling someone is looking at me - but of course when I turn around there is nothing 'human' or 'animal' within sight..