Travel bucket list idea:
Castlerigg Stone Circle
Keswick, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
Last updated: 26 March, 2024
If this spectacular site proves anything, it’s that ancient builders certainly knew how to pick out a location.
Situated on a grassy hilltop just outside Keswick, this 3,000-year-old monument commands a panoramic view over the surrounding fells, stretching all the way to Helvellyn and High Seat. It was built during the Neolithic period and consists of 38 standing stones, although it’s thought there were originally 42.
Scholars are divided on its purpose – but it is most likely to have been used as a meeting place or ceremonial site.
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 8+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The stone circle can be reached on foot in around 20 minutes from Keswick town centre. Follow the main road east from town, then take Castle Lane when you reach Burnside B&B. Alternatively there is limited parking on Castle Lane. The site can be muddy after wet weather, so wear decent shoes. It’s most impressive at sunrise or sunset.
When to do it
The site is open all year round, seven days a week.
