Castlerigg Stone Circle

Castlerigg stone circle at dawn

If you only have time to visit one stone circle in Britain, you could do a good deal worse than to make Castlerigg the one. Castlerigg has been called the most beautifully located stone circle in Britain, and for good reason. The circle, about one-third of an acre in area, is sited on a high moor in an open bowl of hills above Keswick, a spectacular setting that can be breathtaking at dawn or dusk.

Castlerigg is located in an open
meadow, on the crown of a low hill

Castlerigg was one of the first stone circles built in Britain, dating from about 3000 BC. The circle actually isn't (isn't a circle, that is), with one side flattened and a large gap between two huge stones on the north side, which suggests an entrance of some sort.

There is a small rectangle of stones within the circle, an unusual feature in stone circles. There is also a small mound inside the circle, which suggests a burial place. We don't know for sure if there are burials here because there have been no excavations at Castlerigg. Perhaps it looks too pretty to dig up?

Some archaeologists have suggested that Castlerigg functioned as an astronomical observatory. Certainly, there are astronomical alignments that can be found for some of the stones, but there is no evidence that the makers of the circle used it as an observatory.

Castlerigg is one of my favourite stone circles in Britain. Visit and see if you don't agree. For an unforgettable experience, try to visit at sunset! Summer sunsets at Castlerigg are an amazing experience, but you will often find it crowded with people making the short jaunt from Keswick, so if you want to experience Castlerigg in silent splendour, come in the early morning, when you may have the entire site to yourself.

The location is beautiful, and the proximity to Keswick and the main A17 road makes access simple.