Explore the Peak District’s ‘hermit’s cave’
Cratcliffe and Robin Hood’s Stride are a collection of sandstone rocks and boulders nestled against a hill in Derbyshire, not far from Bakewell. It is a beautiful place with a magical feeling. A small chapel has been carved into the foot of the cliff – the ‘hermit’s cave’ – and in the next field lies the stone circle of Nine Stones Close, over two meters high and 3,000 years old. There are only four stones left. Rowtor Rocks, a nearby jumble of boulders, has an abundance of small houses carved into the rock for you to explore. No wonder the local pub is called The Druid Inn…
Frances
A spooky morning on the Llŷn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales has several prehistoric sites, but the hillfort of Tre’r Ceiri is particularly spectacular, with its sea views and beautifully intact hut foundations and walls. Break a sweat as you walk to the 485 meter high circular summit and then it’s just a small leap of imagination to imagine yourself as a lookout scanning the landscape for signs of activity, the smell of gorse fires and the whistling sounds of the Brythonic language behind you. Chances are you’ll have the site to yourself, and it’s especially eerie on a foggy morning.
Andreas Speak
Tips from Guardian Travel readers
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Magical, mysterious Anglesey
From a distance, Bryn Celli Ddu, near Llanddaniel Fab, is just a hill in the landscape. Don’t be misled. Follow the winding path to a place where mysteries dwell. That grassy hill is a free-to-visit, 5,000-year-old Neolithic tomb: the most beautiful in Anglesey. Squeeze yourself into the room and stand or bend in awe at the precision of age-old technology. Although the sunlight penetrates during the summer solstice, you may shiver at any other time. Is that the cooled air or because spirits keep watch? Make an offering, perhaps a pebble, and murmur thanks for this memorable moment of wonder.
From Spencer Andreas
Dorset’s indomitable hillfort
Drive along a shady avenue of beech trees in Blandford Forum, Dorset, make a sharp turn onto a rather rickety path and you are treated to the sight of Badbury Rings. This indomitable Iron Age hillfort has three circles of towering hills protecting a clearing in the middle, and once you’ve chosen a route and clambered up, you’ll be treated to a fantastic walk, with views of tumbling fields for miles and the occasional look at nearby Kingston Lacy. Steep slopes between the hills are dotted with wildflowers, and every season has its pleasures here. Once you’ve completed a circuit and gotten a feel for the place, you can wander into the center of the rings, a forest with a dappled clearing that seems ripe for some druidic activity (or, better yet, a picnic ). I’ve spent many happy childhood days wandering around this place, and you really feel like you’ve stepped back in time – it’s a paradise to wander around, a breath of fresh air compared to cordoned off sites like Stonehenge. Parking costs £3 per day and is totally worth it.
Nes
The 4500 year old wonder of North Yorkshire
A few kilometers further on, trucks unknowingly thunder onto the A1. But even people who have lived near the breathtaking Thornborough Henges all their lives have no knowledge of this 4,500-year-old wonder. Stroll the country lanes north of Ripon and prepare to be amazed. Three gigantic Earth circles (one nearly obliterated in ancient forest) align with Orion’s belt, each a marvel of Neolithic willpower. Even better: go at night and look at the stars that inspired them. PS No entrance fee. Yet.
Hugh Jones
Consider the mysterious underground chambers of Cornwall
The Iron Age village of Carn Euny in Cornwall is a labyrinth of waist-high ruined huts, complete with rooms and streets. Children can have fun on the banks, while adults muse about what it would have been like to live here 2,000 years ago. But that is not everything; in the center of the village lies a beautifully preserved fogou, one of the mysterious underground chambers that dot the Cornish countryside. However, this one has a unique round beehive chamber. Take a moment to sit quietly there – many visitors report a very special energy. Somewhere near St. Buryan, free entry.
Suzy Currell
Fascinated by the pagan rituals of County Fermanagh
Caldragh Cemetery is located just off the main road on Boa Island, on Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh. A metal swing gate keeps cattle at a distance from this early Christian cemetery. Prominent among the gravestones are two ornately carved stone statues that belong to even earlier times. Caldragh’s ‘Janus’ figures are mysterious double-sided remnants of pagan ritual or worship. The larger Dreenan figure belongs to this location, while his companion, Lustymore Man, was at some point transferred from nearby Lustymore Island. A groove between the two faces of the Dreenan collects coins and other mementos from modern visitors to this place of ancient significance.
Steve
Painfully tingling Cotswolds stones
The Devil Quotes. Even the name comes straight out of Midsomer Murders. On the cusp of the Cotswolds, it is a henge and Neolithic stone circle near Stanton Harcourt, restored by the Oxford Archaeological Society. What secrets the huge stones silently keep is anyone’s guess, but at sunrise the atmosphere is chilling – you can be alone at any time; even many locals don’t know about it. Continue to the remarkable remains of a Roman villa, overlooking the River Evenlode at North Leigh, a 15-minute drive away. After interacting with antiquity, enjoy coffee and cake at the beautiful Cherry Tree café in nearby Eynsham.
Max
Winning tip: entranced by Dartmoor’s stone circle
Dartmoor has (literally) tons of ancient monuments and standing stones, but my favorite is the stone circle surrounding a burial chamber on Hingston Hill. The circle of 26 stones is best approached from the end of a 350 meter long row of standing stones. This one is smaller than some, but magical. A bonus is the ongoing walk up Down Tor, which offers beautiful views of the Burrator Reservoir and beyond – and a chance to reflect on the rituals and creativity of the ancient people who made this wild and beautiful place their home.
Amy Lichtvoet