Basic route: (Blue route: 10-mile route) Into the valley of the River Taw following the river upstream to Hangingstone Hill and return along the Oke Tor to Belstone Tor ridge. Sites such as the Nine Maidens site on Belstone common are considered to be cairn circles rather than stone circles. - The Second Millennium B.C. The circles are separated by a few meters and are almost identical. WHAT TO WEAR/BRING: Sturdy walking boots; warm layers; sunscreen; waterproof jacket and trousers (whatever the forecast); walking poles if you have them;drink/flask and snack or picnic lunch. Whilst there is no indication of burials within the circles many of the circles are part of wider ceremonial complexes. After crossing the Manga clapper bridge carry on up the slope using the well-worn footpath up to the gateway in the wall on your right. It is 32m in diameter consisting of recumbent stones of a similiar size to those used in the Grey Wethers. The stone circles of the British Isles are thought to have an indigenous origin and date from around 2500 - 1300 B.C1. In terms of funerary practise it should be pointed out that cists often have cremation remains and they are widely distributed, often very distant from stone circles, although they could reflect later cultural practise. The walk covers a lot of moorland and prehistory and provides some awesome views. Hiking On Dartmoor | Full Video | Fernworthy Forest Circular Walk Find out more Great Plantation Sacred Crescent Walk - 8 Stone Circles to celebrate Summer Solstice Dartmoor's Daughter - Walks & Nature Connection Experiences on Dartmoor, Devon We use cookies to help us improve, promote, and protect our services. This stone circle is one of Dartmoors finest: only thirty four stones remain of an original sixty five to seventy, and only twenty five of those are still standing. SOLD FEB 16, 2023. The final descent of the day takes down clitter strewn slopes to reach the Tarka Trail near Nine Stones stone circle. If you cancel after the six weeks, we would advise you please try to resell/pass on your ticket and/or we can try to re-sell your ticket (we sometimes have a waitlist although there is no guarantee) we can then offer a credit note for the ticket price (minus the 1 booking fee and minus a 5 admin fee). measured from northeast to southwest and 18.0m from northwest to southeast. Walk & Wild Camp Across Dartmoor Three days hiking and wild camping from the southern edge to the northern tip of Dartmoor National Park. A further 12 recumbent stones lie where they have fallen." For a photo of this site, see: Megalithic Portal: Sherberton circle. There are many great guides to walking on Dartmoor, many include descriptions of these sites, but it is difficult to find guides specifically for those wanting to visit these sites. It is thought that the earliest Mesolithic farmers used slash and burn to create temporary clearings for hunting deer and for raising crops. Click here for more information on cookies and our Privacy Notice. My walk starts from the Pork Hill car park on the B3357, and heads for Staple Tor with its rock towers, then nearby Roos Tor and across a wild stretch of moorland to the Langstone Moor stone circle. Sleepy spot on the edge of Dartmoor. By continuing to use the site, you agree to cookies being used. With the notable exception of the Scorhill stone circle most of the stone circles were in a poor state of disrepair with most of the stones fallen and worse still the monuments had been robbed as a source of stone for newtake walls and gateposts and some Dartmoor monuments were still prone to being robbed by road builders.13 The Langstone Moor circle was one of the first to be restored for this reason (see Extract from Second Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee). The article can be read on line here: The date and context of a stone row: Cut Hill, Dartmoor, south-west England A piece of Homo sapien upper jaw disovered in 1927 was recently dated to a short interglacial period around 44,200 and 41,500 years ago2. Turn left out of the car park and follow the road up towards the village. They found that the interior of the circle was covered in a layer of charcoal suggesting that it had been the scene of very many fires - perhaps funeral pyres or feasts. The best known of many prehistoric settlements on Dartmoor, Grimspound dates from the late Bronze Age (about 1450-700 BC). 48 pp. Scorhill Stone Circle is now the commonly known name for Gidleigh Stone Circle or Steep Hill Stone Circle, one of Devon's biggest and most intact stone circl. We also recommend bringing personal masks, a pair of disposable gloves, and a personal first aid kit. Clifford Bridge. The stone circles of Dartmoor are parochial and small in character in contrast to the grand regional circles at Stanton Drew and Avesbury. These areas would rapidly become infertile and would be abandoned to re-grow. DISTANCE: 4.5 miles (medium difficulty) Nearer is the narrow fir plantation leading down into the valley of the North Teign River, the trees leading right down to the location of the Tolmen Stone which is on our route shortly. 37 pp. It was actually discovered back in 2007 by Alan Endacott, but the hard work of unearthing the stones (by the Dartmoor Preservation Association volunteers) was carried out in April 2015. There was a rapid decrease in woodland cover at this time. Many appear to have been located to give the most impressive vista on approach, the Buttern Hill circle would have been silhouetted on the skyline when approached from the south, on the other hand the Little Hound Tor circle when approached from the west only comes to view at a distance of 100m. Park in the carpark opposite Belstone Village Hall - marked 'P' on the OS map at SX621938. The walks featured are all based on the use of public transport, see Guide to Public Transport. The Sourton Tors circle consists of 32 stones all but 6 of which remain were they have fallen. Fyfe, Ralph M. & Greeves, Tom The date and context of a stone row: Cut Hill, Dartmoor, south-west England Antiquity Vol 84, No. Find popular and cheap hotels near Fernworthy Stone Circle in Dartmoor Forest with real guest reviews and ratings. (2010). . Worth (1953) lists 11 circles but this was prior to the discovery of the Sourton Tors circle in 1966 and does not include Mardon (perhaps not considered on the moor) or Shovel Down although he does refer to it as a "stone circle?" Clustered under the shadow of Belstone Tor just outside the village is a stone circle with a Bronze Age cist - a stone-lined burial chamber known as a kistvaen on Dartmoor - at its centre. Dartmoor stone circles - Review of Dartmoor's Daughter, Dartmoor The Merrivale circle consists of 11 stones which are smaller than those at Fernworthy. There are theories that they have an astronomical connection but the evidence to support this is lacking, indeed most of the circles are, much like most of the stone rows, only very roughly constructed. The circles were restored in 1909 by Burnard. A six-mile walking route to the summit of White Tor in Dartmoor National Park. Start point: Shaugh Bridge. Top 20 Hikes and Walks in Dartmoor | Komoot 18Breton (1990) Part 1, pp.51-2 Continue up the hill and along the grassy bridle path aiming for the top of the hill ahead of you. 2256 Meadow Oak Cir. Rambles on Dartmoor: Moor-Walking for the Geographically Impaired The remainder of the circles are fragmentary with many of the stones either fallen or long lost as is the case for the Mardon, Buttern Hill, Down Ridge, Sherberton and the Shovel Down circles. Use the menu above or the walks bar on the right to navigate around the site. The restoration was supervised by Baring-Gould. The stones of a cairn circle are designed to bound and contain the cairn whereas the stones of a stone circle are intended to be permeable11 to allow physical access to the interior as well as visible access to the landscape outside. Turner, J.R., Ring Cairns, stone circles and related monuments on Dartmoor, D.A.S.P. 12Grinsell (1978) p. 86 Rising like lonesome watchtowers, these distinctive landmarks are the goal of popular walks. It was discovered in 2009 when reservoir levels were very low and excavated in 2010 by the Time Team. Nine Maidens Stone Circle, Belstone, Dartmoor - Britain Express Gerrard suggests Brisworthy stone circle could possibly be a ring cairn as a "low rubble bank, some 2.5m (8ft 2in) wide surrounds 75 per cent of the circumference"9 although Butler suggests this is probably a later feature.10, There is a possibility according to the investigations of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee that the Merrivale and Langstone Moor stone circles originally consisted of two concentric circles. At sunrise around the summer solstice the shadows of the stones leading to the cairn circle are cast back from one stone to the next along the length of the row. The Grey Wethers were restored in 1909 by Burnard. Lethbridge p.101, diagram p.99 and p.100.Nearby sites: SX63957319, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Shovel Down Ceremonial ComplexOS Map: SX 65829 86196NMR record: SX 68 NE 47HER record: 29944Megalithic Portal: 1259PMD: Shovel Down Stone CircleShort Name: SC Shovel DownButler map: 36.6Turner: G15DPD: 139Dimensions (m): 16Notes: "The remains of an alleged stone circle lie on the gentle NE facing slope of Shovel Down 200m SW of Batworthy Corner. Default listing is by Site Name, click here to order instead by: Site Name, OS, Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Dartmoor Site: Brisworthy Stone CircleOS Map: SX 56467 65495NMR record: SX 56 NE 64HER record: 3983Megalithic Portal: 542PMD: Brisworthy Stone CircleShort Name: SC BrisworthyTurner: G8DPD: 35Barrow Report: 29 35 Dimensions (m): 24.0 x 27.0Notes: The Brisworthy circle underwent major reconstruction carried out by Breton and the Barrow Committee in 1909. Walker, Jack Dartmoor Sun (Halsgrove, 2005) Welcome to Dartmoor walks Get to know Dartmoor's towns and villages and learn about the landscape and rich history of the surrounding areas with this series of introductory walking routes.. Many of the monumental sites on Dartmoor were partially or totally reconstructed by the Dartmoor Preservation Committee in the early twentieth century. It is about 1km from the Grey Wethers which are to the ENE. Scorhill and Teignhead Walk - Best Walks on Dartmoor - Great walks in Devon 8Burl p344-5 & Turner pp.80-2 5. Older children 16+ years are welcome if they have sufficient walking experience and fitness. Fernworthy Forest | Forestry England Dartmoor has long been known for the richness of its prehistoric heritage; stone circles, hut circles, massive burial cairns, and stone rows all pepper the landscape. These prehistoric stone circles form an approximate arc. The largest by diameter are the Mardon Down stone circle (38.2 m) and the Grey Wethers (North 32.2 & South 33.6), the smallest are the Shovel Down (17.7 m) and Merrivale (19 m) circles. The Best Walks In Dartmoor National Park Covid19 Hikers' Tips 1. Ft. 150 Glendale Dr, Waukee, IA 50263. Only 34 stones remain of the original 65, and only 25 of those are standing . The Neolithic famers were more permanently settled than their Mesolithic predecessors. The stone circle measures 25 meters in diameter and is denoted by five upright granite slabs, standing up to 1.45 meters high, which are confined to its south western sector. The stone circle stands near the confluence of the North Teign River with its tributary the Wallabrook. Rambles on Dartmoor: Moor-Walking for the Geographically Impaired. Dartmoor Walk: Shovel Down and Scorhill White, Paul Ancient Dartmoor - An Introduction (Bossiney Books, 2000) A number of the ceremonial centres include stone circles, stone rows and cist burials which suggests the stone circles are roughly contemporaneous with the culture that practised cist burials, although many of the cist burials could have been later. The Neolithic period (c. 4500 - 2300 BC)15 is defined as when crop cultivation and farming start to become a central feature of life and culture. to 0.5m. Vol 34 pp.116-7 (1902) . 20Newman (2011) p.25, Gerrard (1997) p.24 The hills to our right include the distinctive Hound Tor and to our left the closest hill is Meldon Hill above Chagford. Petit (1974) refers to 12 circles (his list presumably excluding Shovel Down & Mardon). Butler (1997) states that there are "thirteen fairly certain stone circles on the Moor"6 and includes a table listing 14 (this of course being prior to the discovery of the Tottiford circle). . There are taller stones at each end. I'm not kidding when I say I experienced all the seasons during the hike to these stones. Book the best deals of hotels to stay close to Fernworthy Stone Circle with the lowest price guaranteed by Trip.com! 2. It takes place on the weekend of 9 and 10 June. LEVEL: Moderate - approximately 7 miles or 11 km in open and hilly moorland terrain. Newman, Phil The Field Archaeology of Dartmoor (English Heritage, 2011) No liability accepted for accidents or incidents. The stone circles of Dartmoor are parochial and small in character in contrast to the grand regional circles at Stanton Drew and Avesbury. Circle consists of 30 recumbent stones and has a diameter of 32m. 14Bate (1872), see Report on the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor The Scorhill and Grey Wethers stone circles are some of the best preserved examples. which was formed by the Devonshire Association in 1893. Fallen menhirs and ruined stone rows and circles were re-constructed with varying degrees of accuracy. There are many double and a few triple stone rows on Dartmoor. LEVEL: Strenuous. Here you can pick up a footpath along the River Teign Walk and follow it south west up to the stone circle on Scorhill Down. Dartmoor is also home to many ancient settlements, including the Iron Age hillfort at Grimspound and the medieval village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor. The Dartmoor Walks website suggests a few walks for those interested in visiting the ancient settlements and antiquities such as stone rows and stone circles on Dartmoor. With these additions Worth's list agrees with Butler. 19Wessex Archaeology Time Team Report Appendix 2 Radiocarbon Report on Charred Hazelnut Shell p. 37 (2011) Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks: Suggested Walks There are two find examples of the slotted five bar gateposts at this farm. Some of the stone rows and stone circles are also thought to date from the late Neolithic although most are from the early Bronze Age. They are not for astronomical observation. The generally accepted definition of a stone circle is a circle of stones thought to be a ritual site that does not include a cairn or burial. Normally it is submerged within the reservoir. In Devon the earliest known site used by these people is at Kent's Cavern in Torquay. In fact a sketch of the Shovel Down rows made by Wilkinson in 1860 marks and illustrates "stones" at the location of the stone circle. Walk through meadows, woodland and moorland, and take in the fascinating cultural heritage of ancient stone cairns, Bronze Age hut circles and submerged clapper bridges, while enjoying beautiful lakeside views. There are stone rows and cairns close to the Fernworthy, Merrivale, Shovel Down and Tottiford circles. Two days of mindful walking and connecting with the energies and ancestors of the moor, visiting tors, interacting with sacred sites such as stone circles and stone rows, plus simulacra, holed stones. Walking routes | Dartmoor 30 pp.97-115 (1898) CANCELLATION: The event will go ahead come rain or shine. Stone circle: stonemasons recreate landmark carvings - BBC The Nine Stones (Stone Circle, Devon, England) Hound Tor - An atmospheric Tor with the remains of a deserted Medieval Village called Hundatora close by and a number of Bronze age hut circles. Photo: Emily Woodhouse. Butler points out that reaves constructed later near the circles seemed to make deliberate deviations in their course to ensure that the circles were not included in enclosed land such as at Scorhill and perhaps at Fernworthy (the reave at Fernworthy has been destroyed but the projected path excludes the circle), only the "Grey Wethers pair, Langstone Moor and Little Hound Tor are located some distance from settled areas".26. Both circles have 30 stones. Continue up the steep hill passing a house on the right. FEE: 35 per adult including a coffee and pastry for breakfast to encourage an early start! There are a large number of settlements consisting of "hut circles" which can be seen all over Dartmoor except on the highest moorland. A further six recumbent stones lie where they have fallen. 63-4 (also picture of restored Langstone circle as frontispiece) KOA ST AND MARIGOLD AVE (0.5 mi) . 1014 Dartmoor Pl. Take the left fork where the modern standing stone . Fernworthy Stone Circle Loop from Throwleigh. 15Burnard (1894) pp. The White Moor stone lies 160m to the SE of the circle and it is thought to be contemporary with the circle but probably out of position having been re-erected at some point. Six stones remain upright and another 16 lie roughly in place. Stone Circle Walk Dartmoor's Daughter - Walks & Nature Connection This 5.5 mile circular walk takes you from the village of Belstone, past intriguing Irish Man's Wall, over the hill and across a ford to Taw Plain. If you have a cold, flu, cough, temperature or are diagnosed with COVID-19 please do not join the walk. Also known as the Throwleigh circle. The footpath is part of the Two Moors Way with the distinctive MW sign on the finger-post indicating the way to Gidleigh and the Mariners Way, another long distance path Mariners Way is an ancient trackway supposed to have taken its name from the sailors who founded it. Butler, J. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Vol. 6km (3.7m) moderately easy; some rocky sections. At this time there was a rapid period of deforestation and grasses and bracken appear in the pollen records indicating a period of deforestation at the tree line. Thanks to Simon Dell of Moorland Guides for this walk. Continue to Round Pound at SX 664 868 on your left.Round Pound is so impressively built that even the local road has been built in a curve around the outside. "situated on a gentle north facing slope overlooking the valley of the River Dart. Prijava. The singular feature of this outer circle is that the three stones are of a fine elvan, entirely different from the nature of the stones in the inner circle, with the exception of one, which also is of elvan.". 360 NE Hawk Cir, Waukee, IA 50263 | MLS# 666651 | Redfin The 8 stone circles form an approximate arc so, taking an archaeological as well as phenomenological approach, we will journey together - sometimes in silence and sometimes sharing our experiences - through this wild and beautiful landscape asking questions of the ancestors, stones, and land along the way. What do Dartmoor's array of stone circles mean and how were they built Belstone, Dartmoor Circular Walk with Dartmoor's Daughter Park at Batworthy Corner by the bridge to Batworthy Farm taking care not to obstruct the turning circle for the local school bus. See also, Legendary Dartmoor: Scorhill Stone Circle and HER MDV6122Nearby sites: SX65468740, OS Map: SX 63946 73187NMR record: SX 67 SW 23HER record: 6290Megalithic Portal: 1252PMD: Sherberton Stone CircleShort Name: SC SherbertonTurner: G5DPD: 101Dimensions (m): 29.5Notes: Remains of a 97 ft diameter stone circle with a stone wall passing through its western side. These are thought to have been used as places of ritual or burial, and the largest of these is the Bronze Age stone circle at Merrivale. Scorhill Circle is arguably the most impressive stone circle having the largest stones, one of which is over 8 feet in height. Burnard, Robert Dartmoor Pictorial Records (Devon Books, 1986) Haytor Quarry and Tramway: Industrial Heritage on Dartmoor And sharing lessens our impact on the environment. The East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve and Bovey Valley holds many clues and can tell many stories about our ancestors' lives in the area. In size it compares with the circles of the Grey Wethers and Scorhill". 17For a discussion of Down Tor and Merrivale and their solar alignments at the solstices, see Walker Dartmoor Sun and Brian Byng's Dartmoor's Mysterious Megaliths. RISK: Walks and activities are at your own risk. "Nine of the original stones are still standing, plus one larger stone which is incorporated in the remains of the old wall which bisects the western extremity of the circle. Here we'll spend a short period of time in silence exploring the circle and then talk about the various archaeological and phenomenological theories of circles. The route goes up Sheeps Tor, and Down Tor, and then snakes it's way back through some wooded areas along Devonport Leat. Langstone Moor stone circle was restored in 1894. These rows, some of which have little cairn-circles at their higher ends, are still an enigma: no one knows for sure why they were built. During successive inter-glacial periods humans returned. Reproduced with kind permission - copyright remains with Zoe.Nearby sites: SX81108316, Dartmoor Resource: Guide to Dartmoor Cists, Extract from Second Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, Monuments within 4km of Quintins Man Cairn, The Disappearing Stone Monuments of Dartmoor, Report on the Prehistoric Antiquities of Dartmoor, Fourth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, Fifth Report of the Dartmoor Exploration Committee, The date and context of a stone row: Cut Hill, Dartmoor, south-west England, Excavations at the Whitehorse Hill cist, Dartmoor, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Brisworthy Circle, Megalithic Portal: Buttern E - Stone Circle, Megalithic Portal: Down Ridge - Stone Circle, Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Fernworthy Stone, Dartmoor Site: Grey Wethers Double Stone Circle, Dartmoor Site: Langstone Moor Stone Circle, Stone Row & Settlements. See also Legendary Dartmoor: Dartmoor's Fernworthy Stone. Vol. View more recently sold homes. There are 15 stone circles included in the Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks database, click here to skip to the listings with links to further coverage and photos. Length: Choice of a 5-mile walks or a 10-mile walk Start point: Car park at Belstone Village Car Park SX621 938. Browse the best walks in Dartmoor and see interactive maps of the top 20 hiking trails and routes. This would suggest the figure for "true" stone circles is considerably smaller. Just a brief walk from the town square lay the moor . Down Ridge (Hexworthy) was partially excavated in 1904 with charcoal being found "strewn on the floor". This is a memorial to the Dartmoor author, Harry Starkey. This is a low, prehistoric structure close . 10Butler (1997) p.145 Payments are refunded (less the booking fee) for cancellations no less than six weeks before your walk or experience. I haven't Click here for more information on cookies and our Privacy Notice. Vol. 6Butler (1997) p.154 Anthropologists and archaeologists use a number of terms to describe periods. Apparently "wether" is an old English name for sheep and legend has it that a drunken farmer leaving the Warren House Inn was persuaded that the Grey Wethers were a desirable flock for sale! Scorhill Stone Circle, Dartmoor - Britain Express There are also multiple stone circle groups in Cornwall such as the three stone circles known as The Hurlers on Bodmin. Turn right down the lane towards Gidleigh. 26Butler (1997) p.146, Baring-Gould, S, A Book of Dartmoor, (1900), (Halsgrove reprint 2002) Britain would have been uninhabited again during a further cold period known as the Loch Lomond Stadial which ended around 10,000 years ago4. The route from the farm is an easy track back north east to the magnificent Teignhead Clapper Bridge and your way takes you back diagonally across the slope to go through the wall that you crossed earlier leading from the forest down to Manga Clapper Bridge. Also there is useful coverage on the Legendary Dartmoor website, see: The Legendary Cut Hill of Dartmoor It is interesting to note that 7 (now 8, see below) of these stone circles form an arc, or crescent, with each site separated by around 2 kilometres, they are; Grey Wethers (2 circles), Fernworthy, Shovel Down, Scorhill, Buttern Hill and Little Hound Tor (White Moor).