Thorn Crog stone axe quarries. These are hollows in the ground, two of which appear stone filled. A third appears as stone overgrown with grass. Greenstone chips and flakes are in abundance, but don’t show too well in the photo. A close-up I took was cocked-up by dodgy focusing. Soz about that.
Thorn Crag and Loft Crag stone axe production sites on the approach from the NE (from the SW shoulder of Thunacar knott).
Having read about this site, I knew where to look. Right on the brink of the drop into the depths of Dungeon Ghyll, these quarries appeared as hollows in the ground. Amongst the untouched natural rocks were greenstone blocks, flakes and chips, showing much evidence of stone working. The fact that I have only ever seen these in stone axe production areas highlights the authenticity.
The greenstone is a striking, clean colour, and the site is set amongst magnificent mountain scenery. Across the dark declevity of Dungeon Ghyll the craggy face of Harrison Stickle (another peak with axe factories) rises in steep, grey butresses, soaring high above.
Over the edge, before the final plunge into Dungeon Ghyll, there is another short slope, full of scree, and documented as containing more evidence of stone axe production, but I didn’t visit that, as I was speeding towards Loft Crag and, finally, the Pike of Stickle stone axe factory.
There’s always next time
