Who could resist visiting a place with such a wonderful name?
I first visited this place in 2004, at that time very little was known about this strange oval earthwork. The site, on the margins of Brackenber Moor, has since been the subject of an Archaeological investigation by the Appleby Archaeological Group and North Pennines Archaeology. They have concluded that the site, and a number of burial mounds located across the moor, are Bronze Age in date.
On the ground there is very little to see. The surrounding moorland is a mix of rough pasture and a golf course. The site occupies a spit of land overlooking the George Ghyll. The ditch and bank are visible and there are a few lumps and bumps within the enclosure. What excites me about this place is the beautiful red sandstone crag and cave located on the edge of the Ghyll.
Dropping down to the Ghyll just beyond a large standing stone
Aeolian (wind-blown) in origin, the Permian Penrith Sandstone Formation formed approximately 272 to 299 million years ago in a desert environment
The main cave could easily house two or three people comfortably. There are many birds nests in the niches in and around the main cave.
The 5th hole looks towards Roman Fell.
The Smell of Water 