Danby Rigg (Slate Hill)

Trip No.32  Entry No.1  Date Added: 5th Jul 2017
Site Type: Marker Stone Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Jul 2017. My rating: Condition 4 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Marker/Standing Stone & Trig Point, Danby Rigg, North Yorkshire: Not marked on the OS map, this stone sits within a couple of metres of Trig Point TP2728 (Danby Moor). It is sited almost on the eastern edge of Danby Rigg, where the ridge starts to slope sharply down to Little Fryup Dale. There is no information recorded about it on Pastscape, although their information for the area indicates a number of way markers, some scheduled, which mark the route of a medieval footpath which runs from Slate Head to Ainthorpe. Other way markers (such as this) mark out two separate footpaths from Little Fryup Dale in the east to Danby Dale at the western most side of the ridge. This sits at the side of the western most track, continuing the farm track east-west over the ridge.

The area has a long history and plays host to many features, including cairn cemeteries, cross dykes, cairn circles and round cairns, many dating to the Bronze Age and possibly Neolithic.

The easiest way to reach this stone and trig point is to walk from (or park at) the cross roads just to the south of Slate Hill House (where Castle Lane, New Way and Slate Hill meet). There is a farm track and a footpath starting almost from the same point up to the top of Danby Rigg. The footpath is somewhat overgrown and steep towards the top, so we followed the well used farm track which heads almost directly west then tracks north east up the slope. Almost as soon as the path levels out, you see the stone and the trig point. The views back towards where Little Fryup Dale meets Great Fryup Dale. The views across these valleys and northwards back towards Ainthorpe are stunning.

Danby Rigg (Crossley Gate)

Trip No.32  Entry No.4  Date Added: 5th Jul 2017
Site Type: Cairn Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Jul 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Round cairn overlooking Crossley Gate, Danby Rigg, North Yorkshire: From the other marker stones along the track between Little Fryup Dale and Danby Dale, we walked back to the trig point, then took the footpath (mountain bike track) headed north east along the path that runs along the eastern edge of Danby Rigg. There are great views down to Lower Fryup Dale below. Even I managed this path. There was a steady breeze, which got stronger as the afternoon progressed, but it was warm and relatively easy walking until we headed off into the heather.

We first saw the long, low cross dyke just before the cairn. This mound was largely hidden in the tall heather, which had just started to flower, attracting the steady buzz of the worker bees. I could make out the stones in the mound.

This cairn is just to the north of this cross dyke and is prominent with its stoney mound surrounded by bright green growth which shows up the circular nature of the feature. On the horizon to the west it looks as if other low cairns pop up out of the heather.

Black Hill Cross (Glaisdale Rigg)

Trip No.32  Entry No.7  Date Added: 5th Jul 2017
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Jul 2017. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Black Hill Cross, Glaisdale Rigg: From Danby Rigg, we made our way to Glaisdale Rigg. I’ve been to some surprisingly beautiful parts of England before, but this was Pretty with a capital ‘P’. We needed the map to follow the surprisingly windy (and hilly) roads through Street village to Glaisdale Rigg.

Whilst described as a standing stone on the OS map this is clearly an old cross base with a more recent cross shaft wedged in. It must have been a very welcome sight to travellers, especially during winter months, in this very isolated piece of moorland. Well worth stopping to appreciate the views, especially as it was on our way to Hart Leap.

Danby Rigg Cross Dyke (Crossley Side)

Trip No.32  Entry No.3  Date Added: 5th Jul 2017
Site Type: Misc. Earthwork Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Jul 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Danby Rigg Cross Dyke (Crossley Side), North Yorkshire: From the standing stone (marker stone) and trig point, we walked along the footpath leading approx. north east along the eastern side of the ridge towards the large round cairn. I confess to having walked past this at first, almost reaching the round cairn, but turned round and spotted the long, low hump rising out of the heather.

Walking along the earthwork, it is made of earth and stones and feels substantial under the feet. What a view down to Lower Fryup Dale and Crossley House Farm below.

I was keen to photograph this and the cairn and move onto the 'stone circle'. So much to see on this ridge - it's a very complex Bronze Age landscape. I had no idea how much was here until we started walking. A very beautiful part of the world.

Danby Rigg Cairn With Standing Stone

Trip No.32  Entry No.6  Date Added: 5th Jul 2017
Site Type: Ring Cairn Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Jul 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Danby Rigg Ring Cairn with Standing Stone, North Yorkshire: Of all the sites on Danby Rigg, this was the one I wanted to see most of all, especially after seeing the photos on the Portal, and I wasn't disappointed, although rather than a stone circle, I found a ring cairn with standing stone. The views to the west to Danby Dale and Little Fryup Dale were lovely on this cloudy, but warm, afternoon.

I was very aware of being in a very ancient landscape and there appeared to be many cairns popping out of the ground (where the heather had been burnt away) and vegetation covered low mounds everywhere.

The cairn is recorded on Pastscape (Monument ID 28809) and also Historic England, where the whole Danby Rigg landscape is recorded 'en masse'. The latter says: "The northernmost, which incorporates a standing stone, was excavated by Atkinson in 1863 and re-excavated in 1986-89. At the centre of the ring cairn there was a 1.7m by 1.1m pit containing two Bronze Age cremation urns and a large quantity of burnt bone. The stones of the ring bank were uncovered but not removed during the excavation and further archaeological remains are expected to survive underneath."

There was a further way marker along the track to the west towards Danby Dale.

Glaisdale Rigg (Hill Top)

Trip No.32  Entry No.10  Date Added: 6th Jul 2017
Site Type: Marker Stone Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Jul 2017. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Glaisdale Rigg Standing Stone: From Hart Leap, we were making our way home. Spotting this, I got my husband to virtually do an emergency stop as I spotted this stone at the side of the road. There is nothing on Pastscape or Historic England about this stone, but it lies just under 700 metres north north east of Black Hill Cross/Standing Stone.

It stands proudly at the western side of Glaisdale Rigg, about a metre or so from the western side of the moorland road, virtually in line with Hill Top Farm in the valley below. It has great views over Great Fryup Dale, and looking south west to where Great and Little Fryup Dales meet.

It was a nice find to end the evening with.

Hart Leap Stones

Trip No.32  Entry No.9  Date Added: 6th Jul 2017
Site Type: Misc. Earthwork Country: England (Yorkshire (North))
Visited: Yes on 2nd Jul 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Hart Leap, Glaisdale Rigg: From the Black Hill Cross/Standing Stone, despite having the grid references for this site, we drove past it twice and had to park up and get out and explore. Fortunately there was a moorland track heading eastwards across the moor with room to pull up in. In driving further north along the road, there is another trig point, TP3365 (Glaisdale Rigg).

Exploring first to the east of the road, we spotted two stones lying low in the grass. The earthwork is barely discernible on the eastern side of the road, but is much clearer on the west. We walked the bank on the western side. The Historic England entry mentions a third stone on the eastern side of the road, but we didn’t spot this.

I’m certainly pleased to have been ‘out and about’ with the archaeology group, as at least I could start to interpret what I was seeing on the ground. The site has superb views over Great Fryup Dale.

Carby Hill

Trip No.31  Entry No.5  Date Added: 30th Jun 2017
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 24th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Carby Hill Settlement, Scottish Borders: We only got to see this from a distance because of the ENORMOUS cattle grazing it's slopes. Even my husband, who was brought up on a farm was wary of these beasts. We plan to come back for a repeat visit in a month or so. Whilst the hill looks steep, from the path from the nearby quarry towards the base of the hill, the climb didn't look too bad.

Caddrounburn Calvert

Trip No.31  Entry No.1  Date Added: 26th Jun 2017
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Caddrounburn Calvert, Scottish Borders: [Note: whilst the site can be seen from the road by Liddel Water, it is a short climb up the slope to walk round the exterior walls of the settlement. I found the tussocks of grass and hidden lumps of stone challenging on my ankles, but took a walking pole to help.]

Following the road to the west of Kielder Water, this twists and turns gently through the countryside. The border here takes some interesting lines, but we ascertained we were just into the Scottish Borders. This fort/settlement is in a lovely spot overlooking a bend of Liddel Water. The grass was almost knee high, but it was still possible to make out Enclosure B from the road. To the western side of Enclosure B, there was a deep ditch and the start of another boundary feature, but the grassy was too long and lush to make out much of Enclosure B at this time of year.

We parked on the south side of the road at NY 58270 98319, where it widens out very slightly on a bend (avoiding the sheep and their large lambs who were totally unperturbed by the car) and headed up the slope to Enclosure B.

The banks are high (up to 1.5 metres) in places, clearly made up of stones and earth. Whilst not quite a square, the corners are well rounded and there is an about 8 foot wide entrance at its south western corner. The banks appear to be between 3 to 4 meters wide, including the tumble at either side. There was a north-south bank from about the middle of Enclosure B to about half way down the enclosure, before it petered out. I (stupidly) thought this was the division between Enclosure A & B, but looking at the site on UK Grid Reference Finder once I got home, I was sadly mistaken! We’d missed Enclosure A completely, although I did spot the ditch dividing the two areas. The grass was very lush and thick, and any banks of Enclosure A were certainly hidden from both the road and Enclosure B. I’d love to see this site again in the winter.

Castleton (Newcastleton)

Trip No.31  Entry No.3  Date Added: 30th Jun 2017
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 1 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Castleton Cross, Near Newcastleton: Whilst this cross can be seen from the road, it is best viewed from the field (gate opposite the cemetery, otherwise its a clamber over a barbed wire fence in boggy ground). The shaft is a modern replacement, made of concrete. The field contains many lumps and bumps - the remains of the old village. This spot is virtually opposite Old Castleton earthworks (Liddel Castle) and with the enigmatic cemetery with its strange grave markers and brilliant views, it was well worth the stop. Shame the road was so busy at this time on night; cars whizzed by at 60 mph at regular intervals. Not the safest place to walk.

Old Castleton (Newcastleton)

Trip No.31  Entry No.2  Date Added: 30th Jun 2017
Site Type: Misc. Earthwork Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Old Castleton Earthworks (Liddel Castle), Near Newcastleton: At the north-eastern end of the cemetery, there is a small iron gate which leads out onto the field with the earthworks. The gate had been tied fast, but rather than walk all the way round, I used my un-knotting skills (honed from many years of knitting with cats around) and let ourselves into the field. Whilst the earthworks seemed big viewed from the B6357, they were very large as we approached them.

I was surprised, on reaching the western flank of the earthworks that the ground disappeared straight down some 100 feet to the Liddel Water below on it’s western side and a small burn running north-south to its east. There appeared to be the remains of a large ditch (moat?) to its southern flank and the mound is further divided into two parts east-west across the middle

Very impressive. A lot of history in a small area round here, with St. Martin's cemetery and the old cross nearby.

Milnholm (Newcastleton)

Trip No.31  Entry No.4  Date Added: 30th Jun 2017
Site Type: Ancient Cross Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Yes on 24th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 5

Log Text: Milnholm Cross, Newcastleton: Not my usual type of cross, but interesting nevertheless. This cross sits just to the south of Newcastleton Village, on the right hand side of the B6357. There is a small layby at NY 47633 86073 where a side road heads off up the hill, signposted to Ettleton cemetery. It is very reminiscent of a site near Eskdalemuir that we visited some time ago. Carby Hill settlement can be clearly seen to the south-west.

The railings made it quite difficult to photograph the cross properly. I wasn’t that enamoured of it, or the location (more interested in going up to the cemetery at Ettleton, but we didn’t go there). There is an interpretation board at the base of the steps.

Dour Hill (Rochester)

Trip No.31  Entry No.1  Date Added: 19th Jun 2017
Site Type: Chambered Cairn Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: Dour Hill Chambered Cairn, Near Otterburn: We picked the hottest day of the year so far to visit here, and climbed the gently sloping hill up past the very tall forest plantations towards the top of Dour Hill.

This visit was interesting as the army were carrying out exercises on the Otterburn Ranges less than 400 metres away. They must have been at the top of Dour Hill as, as soon as we'd reached the cairn, there was an almighty boom and the ground under our feet trembled with the ordnance being fired. On the way back to the A68 we heard the radios and voices not far away.

Unlike Bellshiel Law chambered cairn, this cairn sits in a forest clearing and nature has been allowed to reclaim it. The chambers can still be made out, and there is a large, deep Bronze Age cist cut into the cairn to the north west of its middle section (I had to pull back a large conifer branch to photograph it properly).

Well worth the walk. Would have liked to have seen the Bronze Age round cairn some 170 metres to its east but the forest was dense and we missed it.

Gibbie's Knowe (Kielder)

Trip No.31  Entry No.3  Date Added: 19th Jun 2017
Site Type: Ancient Village or Settlement Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 17th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 5 Access 3

Log Text: Gibbie's Knowe, Kielder Forest: After our long trek up to Dour Hill Chambered Cairn, the heat was definitely getting to both of us. Andrew decided to drive the 12 miles down the Forest Drive toll road from Cottonshopeburnhaugh to Kielder. Goodness, this road is remote, but lovely.

We stopped off to see Gibbie’s Knowe, an Iron Age defended settlement, parking off Forest Drive just west of East Kielder Farm (there is a small layby at NY 65257 95857) and following the track south-south-west up the slope towards Kielder Village. We were unable to get down to the mound, but retraced our steps and drove further west along Forest Drive to park in the layby and walk down the overgrown track to the site of an old observation hide (no longer there) at NY 64791 95234. A lovely spot, with the sun glinting off this deep loop of Kielder Burn.

Unfortunately, it was almost 6pm by this time, and we were flagging with the heat, so we abandoned our next walk to Devil’s Lapful long cairn.

St. Cuthbert's Well (Farne Islands)

Trip No.30  Entry No.1  Date Added: 14th Jun 2017
Site Type: Holy Well or Sacred Spring Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 11th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 3

Log Text: St. Cuthbert's Well (site of), Inner Farne: Requires boat trip and short walk from the jetty to see exterior of the building within which it is located. The sea was very calm today, but there were lots of people on the boat – there must have been around 3 to 4 space places. We had a trip around the islands, stopping to see the seals and various colonies of birds in their different nesting places.

Eventually arriving at Inner Farne, the island was full of people with big cameras and enormous lenses, and I felt the ‘poor relation’ with my small lens. The terns were in full flight, protecting their eggs and their chicks.

I took my list of sites with grid references and asked the National Trust Warden who was manning the information point. She said it was not possible to get into the lighthouse compound to look for the cross base, as it was owned by Trinity House and off-limits. She said there was a well in the basement (Pastscape says ground floor) of Prior Castell’s Tower, but as it was used by the wardens for accommodation, the public were not allowed in. She did confirm that there was a door/panel that could be opened, with a few steps leading down to a stone lined chamber containing water, which would be the well.

She also said that they believed what is now called “The Fisherman’s Hut” was the site of St. Cuthbert’s Cell and the place of his death. “There’s a small window where he would watch for people coming to the island, and if he didn’t want to talk to them, wouldn’t open the door.” Pastscape says there is considerable doubt about the position of the cell and there are various theories about its location.

I also had the location for a cross base, but as this was located inside the lighthouse grounds (or on the cliff edge!), this area was out of bounds to tourists.

Chatton 1a

Trip No.30  Entry No.2  Date Added: 14th Jun 2017
Site Type: Rock Art Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 11th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Chatton 1a, Rock Art, Northumberland: After our trip to the Farne Islands, as we were nearby and had an hour or so to spare, we decided to head off to Chatton to see if we could find the rock art and the rock shelter. Little did I realise that we’d be blown off the top of the hill – I found it almost impossible to stand and take photographs, despite it being a relatively calm, sunny day.

Andrew (husband) related that friends (Martin Green and Dot) who’d visited the trig point here had been unable to find any rock art. They also said that there was now a sign on the gate leading onto the track (at NU 07833 28678) leading up to the rock art site, but we didn't see any. However, the track was clear and easy to follow.

I confess to being really disappointed, as the marks were very worn and faint, and we had difficulty identifying them, even though we knew what we were looking for. We found three examples: Chatton 1a, Chatton 2 and Chatton 3.

Husband set off to the Ketley Crags rock shelter, but didn't take the camera with him, so a separate trip will be required (note: found an alternative route avoiding the stream).

Chatton 2

Trip No.30  Entry No.2  Date Added: 14th Jun 2017
Site Type: Rock Art Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 11th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Chatton 2, Rock Art, Northumberland: See visit report for Chatton 1a.

Chatton 3

Trip No.30  Entry No.2  Date Added: 14th Jun 2017
Site Type: Rock Art Country: England (Northumberland)
Visited: Yes on 11th Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 2 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Chatton 3, Rock Art, Northumberland: See visit report for Chatton 1a.

Midshiels Standing Stone

Trip No.29  Entry No.7  Date Added: 31st Jul 2017
Site Type: Standing Stone (Menhir) Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Yes on 3rd Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Midshiels Standing Stone, Hawick: We'd arrived (unknowingly) in Hawick on their Riding of the Marches day. The shops were shut and the town was almost deserted. Having visited some other sites on the southern side of Hawick, we decided to stop off to see this standing stone and cairn on the way back home. Following the curious one-way system though Hawick, we ended up on the Borders Abbey Way heading north-east out of the town. At Bucklands, we found where the entire town was - at a community centre at the edge of the town. A marshall stopped us and told us we wouldn't be able to get any further up the road as the procession of horses was coming through. Doubling back through the industrial estate, we took the A698 out of town, turning left over the picturesque Hornshole Bridge, rejoining Borders Abbey Way a few hundred yards before the entrance to Midshiels Farm.

A couple of hundred yards further north-east along the road, there was a large passing place, so we hugged the car into the hedgerow and hopped out. About 50 metres further back, on the other side of the road, a gate let us into the field leading to the dismantled railway embankment to the west. Following the left hand hedge-line along, we came to another gate, just before a tall brick bridge leading under the railway line. This gate gave access to the field with the standing stone and cairn.

However, the field was full of gently grazing sheep and lots of lively, curious bullocks along with what looked like a very large bull. My hand went onto the gate and they were running towards us. I elected to use the zoom lens on the camera, and was really disappointed not to have seen this standing stone closer up. But there is lots to see in this area, so undoubtedly a return visit will be in the offing at some point in the not too distant future.

Midshiels Cairn

Trip No.29  Entry No.8  Date Added: 31st Jul 2017
Site Type: Cairn Country: Scotland (Scottish Borders)
Visited: Saw from a distance on 3rd Jun 2017. My rating: Condition 3 Ambience 4 Access 4

Log Text: Midshiels Cairn, Hawick: See visit report for Midshiels Standing Stone (the two are 90 metres apart), sites entered separately as Canmore lists them individually. Couldn't get really close to the cairn - would have loved to have walked up to it, but there was a really big bull and lots of over-friendly and very lively bullocks in the field. Must revisit at a different time of year!

There are plenty of other forts and settlements around here. The problem with another visit, is which sites to pick?