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Walking Castlerigg Stone and Circle High Rig

An easily graded track swings gently past a former quarry prior to reaching a gateless gateway. Notice a stoop of slate, embellished with hangings that were almost certainly the work of the local blacksmith. Beyond lies the tarn. Look for a field barn in the middle distance to the east and then glance to the right, where if conditions are good you should be able to pick out the stones of the pre-historic circle.

The mountain pansy, mostly of purple hue, adds interest to this stage of the walk. A wall descends to the tarn. Look for a gateway and, to the left of it, a step stile From the parking place, follow the road to its meeting with one signposted 'Diocesan Youth Centre, St John's in the Vale Church and Shun draw'. Wild rose, pink Campion, foxglove and meadow cranesbills flourish at the roadside. You will not have to look hard for the flowers of cranesbills, which are large and conspicuous a bright blueviolet among the summer greens. In late summer, blackberries hang from roadside bushes like black grapes. Take care not to miss a fingerpost on the right, half hidden by roadside trees. The sign indicates Tweet Tarn, a name referring to the peewit or tewfit, which are local names for the lapwing, a once common bird visitor for nesting.

An easily graded track swings gently past a former quarry prior to reaching a gate less gateway. Notice a stoop of slate, embellished with hangings that were almost certainly the work of the local blacksmith. Beyond lies the tarn. Look for a field barn in the middle distance to the east and then glance to the right, where if conditions are good you should be able to pick out the stones of the pre-historic circle. The mountain pansy, mostly of purple hue, adds interest to this stage of the walk. A wall descends to the tarn. Look for a gateway and, to the left of it, a step stile sporting a flight of steps on its far side. The path is now clear to see, traversing Low Rigg, the lush green of the path contrasting with the rush bobs that flank it. A diminutive white flower growing in clusters is heath bed straw. On the fell side graze fell ponies, which have a dark hue.

If you hear a mewing sound from the air, look for a buzzard, which is broad winged and invariably circling. (The authors saw three together during an autumnal visit.) The buildings that appear to view are adjacent to the Church of St John, which from a distance appears to be swaddled by trees. Climb the stepstile to join a minor road from Wanthwaite. The church lying just across the road has the low, unpretentious appearance of one of the old-time Lakeland chapels, though this building was a consequence of a rebuilding scheme of 1845. The John Richardson who is commemorated on a tombstone was a dialect poet of the nineteenth century. He was the local schoolmaster, but the school, which stood near the church, no longer exists. A pair of swallows nests in the porch and are left in peace, a board being fitted to collect their droppings.

The well worn path leading to the summit of High Rigg, a favorite of Mr Wainwright, begins behind the diocesan youth centre with a swing gate. The climb is stiff, so you are in order to stop periodically to admire the scene. The immediate land has green humps and hollows, like a vast golf course, this one being kept close cropped by sheep. Walk around this area to find the best path to the top, where you may view Evelyn, Thriller, wooded Raven Crag, part of the Vale of St John and (northwards) the giants Skiddaw and Blencathra.

Retrace your steps to the road and turn left, passing through a kissing gate and seeing a seat (left) associated with the Calvert Trust, which has its headquarters in Keswick and is concerned with providing facilities for enjoyment for the disabled. To the right of the firm track, as it descends, is a patch of oaks and a solitary Scots pine. The track encounters the access road to Sykes Farm.

Just across the road, our path continues with a kissing gate giving access to low fields, a rocky area being traversed with care in wet weather. Aim for a small cairn, beyond which a well marked path leads through fields and across bridges in the Naddle Valley to the main Grasmere Keswick road.

A fairly high stile in a wall leads to the road verge, which is followed right for a short distance before turning right, on a road marked Low Nest Farm, then (just over the bridge) go left to a stile, regaining a field path that leads to a point near High Nest Farm. The track is flanked by an immense beech tree and leads you via a succession of stiles and fields to a minor road southwest of Goosewell Farm. A left turn, and Castlerigg Stone Circle is clearly seen on the left.

The circle is composed of forty-eight stones, which were put in place about 4,000 years ago. When Thomas Gray visited the area in 1769, he found the standing stones in a cornfield and presumed, as did many another visitor, that they had been placed there by the Druids. The circle appeared long before their time. Gray saw a circle of large stones, 108 feet (33m) in diameter, the largest not eight feet (2.5m) high, 'but most of them still erect; they are fifty in number'. As he stood there, the sun broke from a cloud and he saw 'the most enchanting view I have yet seen of the whole valley, behind me, the two lakes, the river, the mountains in all their glory'.

Leave by the main gate and turn right. Spend a little time examining the roadside, where the flowers include woundwort and herb Robert. The hedge is composed of a bewildering variety of trees and bushes, including witch elm, hazel and ash. Notice the shiny grey-brown bark of the hazel. The ash bark is smooth and pale grey.

Follow the road, passing Goose well Farm, the buildings of which are now host to several small industries. A notice requests that you should ignore the footpath on the right and use, instead, a permissive path some 200 yards (180m) further on. This field way leads to Naddle Bridge and the area where you left your car.

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