There are a lot of incredible things in the world that leave you wondering how something so magical and impressive came into being. The pyramids. Stonehenge. Disneyland. On a smaller scale, there is the Castlerigg Stone Circle. There are more than 1000 stone circles in Britain so in many ways it’s not that special. Yet the fact remains that 5000 years ago, someone, I suspect not single-handed, arranged 40-odd stones in a circle. And all this time later, we still don’t have a definite explanation as to why.
The Castlerigg Stone Circle is about 1.5 miles from Keswick, but to get there on Monday I took the long way around. I followed a converted railway line that I had run along the day before. But instead of turning up the hill and coming back down through the bush into Keswick, I turned right and headed into the paddocks, following the signs to the Stone Circle.
The path slowly climbed through the paddocks up the hill and ended at a minor road. I follow that for half a mile or so. (Yes I’m talking in miles, but that’s what the maps and signs are in) I wasn’t high at all – especially compared to the mountains around me – yet it was high enough to have a great view. I’m not sure how many times I can keep saying how beautiful this place is. It had been drizzling most of the day, but the sun came out as I took photos of the hills and valleys.
The stone circle is in a paddock, which, like most paddocks around here, is filled with sheep. The actual stones aren’t that big, but big enough to be impressed that someone went to the trouble to put them here. There are some signs at the entrance to the paddock outlining possible explanations for the arrangement. Something to do with the equinox and cultural ceremonies…blah blah blah. Personally, I like to think it came about something like this:
Stone age dude 1: I’ll bet you one goat you can’t move that stone over there.
Stone age dude 2: Bet I can. See.
Stone age dude 1: Bet you can’t do it again.
Stone age dude 2: Sure I can. Watch me make a circle of the things.
Stone age dude 1: Well you better put them back again.
Stone age dude 2: Hmmm, I’ll do it later. What are you catching for dinner?
And so on.
Either that, or it was aliens.
