NB. This site is of disputed antiquity.
Reported by Flint in TCWAAS 1960 vol 60 p201, but since dismissed as a cockpit. John Waterhouse includes it in the postscript to “The Stone Circles of Cumbria” saying “it does look very much like an early bronze age stone circle, and it would conveniently fill a gap in the distribution map of stone circles.”
This site is not particularly easy to find, even in winter when the vegetation is low. I managed to find it from the grid ref and a lot of mooching around in the heather. Here’re few pointers to make it a bit easier:
Park at the bottom of the fell lane at SD505978. Follow the lane up to the top out into the open pasture. Keep roughly the same distance away from the fence on your right as you head for the highest land. Come to the wall at the highest point where there is a very ruined stile. It is possible to cross over the wall here without damage to self or wall. Look for noticeable large rock to right, the circle is in the heather between you and the rock.
The site consists of about 20 low stones in a circle of approximately 20m diameter (according to Waterhouse but it felt smaller to me and I didn’t check it).
Despite the disputed antiquity of this site, I reckon it has the right ‘feel’ whatever that means, and the setting is perfect – a stunning panorama taking in the howgills, Morecambe Bay and the Langdales.
This is definitely one to check out before passing judgement.