Been past these rocks all my life, but the rock art stuff was only discovered fairly recently. It’s all pecked stuff, and harder to see close up. Low, slanting sunlight shows it up best, when shadows are cast. Unfortunately, I’ve never had a camera with me then.
The photos I’ve posted were taken at 9:00am on 10th June 2005, when the sun was too high to provide decent shadow. Alright, it’s my fault for having a bit too much vino collapso the night before, preventing me from getting up early enough.
As for the cup marks, I’m certain they’re natural – gas bubbles when the rock formed. My reason for saying this? The rocks all over the fellsides around here exhibit the same characteristics. On the same day I found the same “cup marks” on the fellside directly above Copt Howe on many rocks, on the Blea Tarn road, on Silver How, Blea Rigg, Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle, and back near the Old Dungeon Ghyll. Also, I know these features are common on Pike o’ Blisco.