pebblesfromheaven

This stone is on private land – you can just about see the top of it from the nearest public path. I had come all this way... wasn’t gonna give up...not a soul to ask... it called my name...honest guv

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If you park near Swinburne Castle the first bank is directly in front of you: walk down the public path the rest are easy to find.
Not easy to tell if these banks were built or natural, and the terraces carved in.
Didn’t see a soul here, the only noises were dogs, presumably kennelled near the manor house – quite eerie.

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Back again today, finally found the horse-shoe rock, and it was SO obvious now I know where to look! Just follow the line of wall west, from the main rock.
Found a secret mission taking place which I would tell you all about, but would then have to kill you ;-)

UPDATE
The research has now been published, see link below for details.

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23-3-03. Walked up using the recommended route in the Tourist Info leaflet :-) Passed some wild mountain goats & kids (aw!!) and plenty of grouse, none of them famous. Got to the top and met 20 ramblers from Newcastle, which was nice.

After they’d gone, had the place to myself, tried to imagine a community up here. Felt a bit freaked out so instead tried to make out the outlines of the huts which had been here. The ground is so uneven with heather and tuffets of grass they are hard to see now. But it’s easy to see why they chose this place to live.
The local geology is evident: pink granite against black peat soil. No point trying to carve Rock Art here; better going to Doddington / Weetwood / Old Bewick / Routin Linn...all within walking distance of here and made of much softer sandstone...

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Kit required for this site includes:
Stilts, waders, a hardhat and good sense of balance!
No really, this is a very awkward place to get to! Not recommended in wet weather.

Come off the main road where it says “Morwick Hall Only”
Park in the little village on the corner of the farm track to the rear entrance of the hall (not the passing place)
Walk down north towards the river. When the road starts to go steeper downhill, there is a bank following along the right side with a wooden fence atop. When this fence turns away east, climb onto the bank and in the fence you’ll find a place where you can climb over into the field.
Cross the edge of the field keeping the fence to your left: the rock outcrop is behind it, above the river. Go east right to the corner of the field and carefully climb down the very steep bank to the river bed.
Cling to the river bank like your dryness depends on it: the river looks quite deep here but thankfully I didn’t find out.
The carvings are approx knee-height, and some way above your head right on the edge of the face.
Hope this helps future scramblers.
Oh and if you see a small white piece of tooth thereabouts, it’s mine.
Banana chips. Ow!

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If you’re about 20 feet tall you can see my house from here :-)

Lovely warm day, spring has sprung, the larks are singing...the ants nest was too near... eugh!

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Found myself in Aberdeen today, quick visit to the stones for lunch.
On a beautiful clear day, lots of other people had the same idea, some walking, some jogging. None driving... except me. One woman said she had a fourwheel drive and she wouldn’t have brought it up this track...

NOTE for future drivers DO NOT DRIVE UP!!!!
I did – and felt like my tyres had been well and truly bagged.

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I had an hour before it got dark, and I thought I know I’ll go to Duddo!

Parked south of the stones, from where you can’t actually see them but I’d sneaked a peak from up the road.
It’s a quick brisk walk up but the field immediately around the stones had just been churned so the going was a bit rough; but the soil was a nice reddy brown.

The other day I was in the local tourist info place and they had an interesting poster of Duddo with the fattest moon pasted above it. Didn’t buy it.

I kept the stones company for a bit, waiting for the sun to go down.
And whadayaknow, the moon was just coming up.

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Chatton Hill has become a DEFRA conservation area, so if you park at the black shed there is a new small information board and directions.
I recommend sticking to the path where possible – the surrounding area has been quarried and the going is a bit extreme on the ankles, and there’s a few deep holes so don’t walk and look at the map at the same time :-)

The first panel is on your left as you go up, with the “TV” panel not far away. Another large outcrop is situated right inside the “settlement” earthworks, and more to the east (which I missed this time, gives me an excuse to go back!)
Keep going over the hill & down to the right to find Kettley Crag, you won’t regret it.

Back at the car I spoke to some visitors checking out the new board – probably due to a mention in the local rag.

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Walked down from Chatton Hill, and after the inevitable scrabble to find it (It’s about 2/3rds the way down the slope towards the east) this was a breathtaking find. I think this may be my favourite (until the next one!). It’s the most gorgeous fleshy design and with the overhang to protect it, hopefully won’t get too much weathering. It’s as if every inch of the slab has been carved.

I thought I’d sit until the light was right across the whole panel but after a little while, as it faces roughly north, decided I’d be waiting a long time! I suppose it might happen in the summer. Take care as you try to get that perfect shot – one step back too many and you’ll be down the cliff.

Also beware of fupping great holes – I thought they were the largest rabbit holes I’d ever seen but apparently it’s badgers! Check out the picture showing human and badger paw prints… who’s was the zigzag sole there before me? Step forward RockArtUK :-)

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Just off the A1, had to stop as I passed!

These stones are huge spikes – *very* tall and impressive.

One is captive in a small fenced area (what has it done to deserve that?)
Over the other side of the road are the other two, which today were in a newly-sown field so couldn’t get closer.

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This stone was brought into the Durham Rock Art Conference on 8-3-2003 in the back of someone’s car. The delegate had found it in a stream near Longframlington, and was now in a carrier bag, so there’s no point in trying to find this one :-) Stan Beckensall got very excited about it.

One side is green and more weathered. The other side is very well-preserved, with clear pick marks. There is a large chunk missing.
Comments were made on the way the green side used a natural line in the stone to look like a face ?!

Unfortunately these are the best of my photies.

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It’s Friday it must be Barrow – hmmm let’s look at the map – woohoo! Get thee ter t’stones.

Up a very steep, dark, wooded road, an old quarry, then look – the sky! And Hey! Stones! Wow! Cool.

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1-3-2003
After staying the night in Robin Hood’s Bay village, popped up here first, but took the long way round Doh! No problems with sheep, in fact they ran when they saw me, can’t think why.

Lovely morning, sun shining, nice view of the bay, a skylark above singing away, I mean you’d think it was spring!

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There were signs everywhere asking non-residents to obtain a ticket at reception for the grounds, so in I went, and they let me in, which was nice. I asked for directions to the rock art and they pointed me towards the battlements.
After a wander around when all I could find was a few questionable cupmarks and a pair of newlyweds, I returned to reception for more clues. It’s beside the little cave, they said, to the right. And there it was, just above head height. Very hard to miss unless you know what you’re looking for, a bit faded and even looks a bit two-dimensional. And if there are more pieces, I couldn’t find them!
As it is very close to the little cave (see misc notes on history of Raven Hall) perhaps this area of the wall can be dated to between 1829 and 1845.

Also, I saw, way above head height, some more markings in the cliff face that looked a bit like cups marks. I discounted them as they were so high up, but if you think about it, if they blew up some of this cliff who’s to say they didn’t used to be accessable? Just a thought, and I’ve posted the pic anyway although it isn’t very good quailty being so far away.

Very impressive place – the gardens will be nice in the summer. Worth a trip for the views. Lovely.

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Quite a tall stone, has some pretty old-looking graffitti “FS”.

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23-2-2003.

Lovely feel to this one, in a small wood, which also houses the steep ramparts of a fort.

After here walked to Goatscrags and then on the way back visited the waterfall, in a wonderful dingly-dell. To get to the waterfall, follow the track towards the farm for approx 100m, and there is a well-worn path down beside a stream, follow this down (but watch your footing!) to caves and falls.

There was a yellow VW van parked up and signs of camping in the woods…with a microphone on he dashboard. What’s JC driving these days? :-)

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23-2-2003.
Followed the track up through Routin Linn farm, and it’s on the hill to the west of the crags. The paths are well-used by horse riders so access is relatively easy. There are two outcrops marked on the map, NT973372 and NT971371.

They are worth the trip up, I loved this site!

To the Goatscrags end of the hill, there is a sheltered quarry-type area, which I am sure has a hollow next to it as if it’s been a burial mound there. Lots of geographical reasons why this could be the case?

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I parked at Gefrin and walked back down the hill. The stone is a good seven feet high, and a granitey beast!

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Very depressing place in my opinion, probably lots to do with the cemetery it sits beside. I mean, I quite like some graveyards, but this is a depressing place. Not much beauty.
Maybe it’s nicer in summer.

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I thought I’d just pop along and see what was here, there was a path nearby, I thought, should be easy. Wrong!

It was over boggy ground (thankfully mostly frozen), up a hill, fighting over a fence, all the time with some rather menacing-looking sheep watching! In the end, got where I wanted but inside the tree plantation the ground was, as you would expect, littered with needles to quite a depth. I tried a few exposed rocks, but they were loose and bare. I think any carved outcrop here would be well-and-truly hidden, and worst-case may be even damaged by the planting.

I didn’t find anything anyway :-( and I won’t be coming back unless the trees go!!

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Recommend that anyone coming here pick up a leaflet from the tourist information, it gives a wonderful aerial shot and diagrams etc.

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On a very bright clear February Saturday afternoon, lots of people had the same idea as me to come here (including moey! PS I was first :-) )

The car-park was very busy (approx 15 cars+), but surprisingly it still had a feeling of isolation, and the site is large enough to take lots of separate wanderers. If you come in the summer, come early or late, you’ll get parked and the light will be better!

There is definately more rock art than I found today, another great excuse for a return visit.

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Walked down here from the Lordenshaws fort to the south-west of here, passing the cairns. Once again, another Cheviot view! With the town of Rothbury on the hillside.

Bit of a disappointing stone, though! I almost didn’t see it at all until I was on top of it.

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Actual location of two of these outcrops is NU018328.
The large, dark stone had just had the turf removed by an unknown previous (and very recent) visitor. Was it the great Stan B?

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Walked here from The Ringses.

The OS map says this is “rems of” a circle – not fair! There are still 4 visible stones, OK two left standing but it still has the right feel. Lots of stones underfoot too. One of the fallen stones isn’t quite horizontal, you can tell which was the top surface by the characteristic weathering patterns.

Unusually for this area, the Cheviot is not visible! (shock horror) – it is obscured by Doddington Moor. To the east however, Chatton, and Weetwood to the south.

Took a few moments to enjoy the silence and to watch a pale-coloured bird flying around which I’m sure was an owl, but it was broad daylight (?)

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Visited on my way back from Blawearie, which is the burial ring cairn mentioned by some previous posters.

Tried but failed to find the piggy-looking stone, was getting dark! Very good reason to back again, like I need one :-)

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Very hard to describe this, it’s a circular, curbed site with a wall within, containing cists, with mounds inside and surrounding. I think it has been restored, but only marked on the OS map as a cairn, it’s much more.

The hillfort and carved stones of Old Bewick are not too far away and the mother hill visible as always.

The ruined farmstead nearby is also interesting (well it was for me), as are the rocky outcrops beside, which have been partly walled for shelters. You can see how people wanted to live up here. But you can also understand how it fell into ruin! Tried to work out when it was last lived in, perhaps early 20th century. Looks like it’s used a lot by campers, and is on a mapped cycle route.

A lovely day although very overcast. Definitely one to come back to when sunnier.

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Had a nice surprise today when I unexpectedly found myself passing this site on the way to a meeting... unfortunately didn’t have my camera on me, so just had to quickly write down the location so I could identify it later. Will go equipped next time I promise :-)

Originally there must have been fantastic views across the Firth from here, now blighted a bit by the closeness to the road.

Except of course for the fact that it is in the perfect position to sometimes give a nice vibe to a passing traveller.

Hurrah!

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Just like to say this is in the running for my favourite circle.
Cute and perfectly formed (perhaps too perfect?)
And it has nice memories for me.
And I found the cist.

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Been to Dumfries lots of times but hadn’t been here before! Very overcast day but clouds somehow comforting. Stopped for lunch here, very quiet spot but quite near a major road. Not many decent hills overlook the site.
A couple of the stones are fairly big, but some are about the same size as the sheep!

BTW I could only count 11.

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This hillfort views Humbleton hillfort to the north-west.

Beside The Kettles fort there is a rock outcrop called the King’s Chair, which got it’s name from a local legend that a Scottish king once sat here during a battle between the Scots and English in the valley below. There are no records of this battle... although there was one near Humbleton.

The valley beneath was a once-busy passageway including a spring called the Pin Well, which got it’s name from the local tradition of visiting the well on Fair days, throwing in pins and making a wish.

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St Cuthbert’s Cave 11-1-2003

Took a brisk walk up here from the car park, lovely place, a dingly-dell with a wonderful feel. Set in a wooded copse, this place serves as a burial site for the old landowner, who’s family then donated it to the National Trust. It’s actually quite an impressive size. A bit used and abused now sadly, with lots of graffiti of various sorts, including one a bit tasty of a cool little yellow drude in a cave-painty stylee. No older rock art visible sadly.

Behind the cave on top of the hill there is a fantastic viewpoint with more rock features, and some wonderful natural weathering, including plenty of examples of why and how lichen protects sandstone from wind damage! View spans right over local landscape taking in Doddington Moor and the Cheviots, and back to Holy Island.
One the way back down, passed three young local types going up there to camp, presumably in the cave. You’re not telling me they didn’t do that 3,000 years ago!

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4-8-2002CE

This stone is in Hepburn Wood (Forestry land), which has a good car park and planned walks; the stone is marked on a map at the start, however it’s easy to miss the signs and the path is overgrown.

The setting of the stone is very peaceful, lots of good woodland plants, ferns, mosses, etc.

There is also a replica cist on one of the woodland walks, and you can walk to Ros Castle from here.

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Ros Castle 11-1-2003CE

It was too good a day to miss, clear day, not much wind, perfect conditions. Glad I took my wellies… nice black bog to cross, still mostly frozen thankfully.

National Trust site, with a replica fort and memorial obelisk for an old politician (?)

I’m glad I went up there… the views today were fantastic. Could see Bamburgh castle and the Farne Islands, Lindesfarne castle and Holy Island, the ridge of Simonside, the snowy Cheviot… lovely.

Didn’t know there was rock art until I came to post these pictures – I looked around, as you can’t help it, and I didn’t see any. Maybe next time.

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Visited on 25-04-2002. Signposted off the main route through the town of Aviemore, easy to find.
The surrounding hills are visible, and it’s still possible to imagine what it used to look like before the houses and tourists moved in. Yes, it’s had an estate built around it, but I imagine it’d be great having this as a neighbour.

Visited on 28-04-2002, and it was tipping it down! Lovely site though.