STONE BOTHERING

Craig Rhos-y-Felin is a bluestone outcrop on the north side of the Preseli Mountains. Evidence suggests that this site was used as a quarry during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods, around 4000 to 5000 years ago. Craig Rhos-y-Felin is known for being one of the sites where some of the bluestones that form Stonehenge's inner horseshoe were quarried. But in fact, just one of these bluestones pillars were quarried here. The other site is known as Carn Goedog and it's where the majority of the bluestones were quarried. Bluestone outcrops are formed of natural vertical pillars. These pillars can easily be extract off the rock face by opening up the vertical joints between each pillar. It's believed that the Neolithic people needed only to insert wedges into the joints between the pillars and then lower each pillar to the foot of the outcrop. Craig Rhos-y-Felin is located near Crymych in Pembrokeshire, Wales. © All rights reserved

Carn Enoch is an ancient settlement on Dinas Mountain. It comprises rock outcrops and a possible ring cairn or hut circle. It's amusing walking around the rock outcrops and finding some interesting formations. A closer look reveals man-made cuts that appear to be very precise. But the most interesting sight is the rock with tally marks. The origin of these marks are a bit of a mystery. Nobody really knows what they mean. Some people suggested that they could be a lunar calendar. Others believe that the grooves were created by shaping and polishing stone axes in the Neolithic period. But there is also an interesting theory told to us by a local. Legend has it that when the ancient pilgrims walked past the stone on their way across the pilgrim path, they marked the stone to let other pilgrims know that they have passed that point. This was their way of communication. Carn Enoch is located near Fishguard in Wales. © All rights reserved

Folly Wood Gorge is a small gorge consisting of upper greensand which was formed during the Cretaceous Period (from about 145 to 66 million years ago). The gorge is very small compared to other gorges in England, but it has the power to impress the visitors thanks to it's beauty. Some of the trees located right above the gorge have their roots exposed, snaking on the surface of the rocks. This natural feature certainly adds to the dramatic scenery of the place. Look closer and you will notice a little cave in between the tangled roots. This cave is known as "The Holy Man's Cave". The origin of this name is unknown. Folly Wood Gorge is located near Devizes in the county of Wiltshire. © All rights reserved

Silbury Hill is one of the largest prehistoric human-made mounds in the world. It's believed to have been built between 2470 and 2350 BC. Its original purpose is unknown. The mound is composed mainly of chalk and clay and it stands about 30 metres high. The mound we see today was not constructed in a single campaign, but enlarged over several generations. The mound was excavated in 1776 by Edward Drax, who directed a group of miners to dig a vertical shaft from the summit to the centre of the mound. Edward Drax expected to find a central burial chamber, but he didn't find anything. The mound was excavated again in 1849. This time, a horizontal tunnel was dug into the mound. Again, no central burial chamber was found. Between 1968 and 1970, another tunnel was excavated. This investigation led to the conclusion that Silbury Hill had three different phases of construction. The tunnels were never backfilled which contributed to the opening of a crater on the summit and the collapsi

The Peak District became the first of the national parks in England and Wales in 1951. The prehistoric landscape attracts thousands of visitors every year. Here we list places that are worth a visit in this amazing national park. THE ROACHES The Roaches is a prominent rocky ridge formed from a thick bed of coarse sandstone of Namurian age, which occurs widely across the Peak District. The gritstone escarpment consists of amazing rock formations which are very popular with hikers and rock climbers. The most famous rock formations are Hen Cloud and Ramshaw Rocks. DOVEDALE Dovedale is a limestone valley famous for its interesting rock formations. The rock formations are the result of fossilised remains of sea creatures that lived in a shallow sea over the area during the Carboniferous period, about 350 million years ago. The rocks were cut into craggy shapes by glacial meltwater during the two ice ages and formed the landscape we see in these days. The caves in the area were also formed d

Scotland is well known for its stunning landscape. Mountains, rock formations, caves, cliffs, islands, you name it. The further north you go, the wilder it gets. Here we list 5 impressive geological formations that are worth a visit. THE STORR The Storr is a rocky hill on the Trotternish Peninsula of the Isle of Skye. It's an example of the Trotternish landslide which is the longest such feature in Great Britain. The Storr was formed by underlying sedimentary rocks that collapsed under the weight of the basalt, tipping everything sideways and creating this unique landscape. The area in front of the cliffs known as the Sanctuary, features a number of pinnacles that are the remnants of the ancient landslides. The most iconic geological feature is certainly the Old Man of Storr. KILT ROCK Kilt Rock is a sea cliff so named for the resemblance of a pleated kilt, with vertical basalt columns forming the pleats and intruded sills of dolerite forming the pattern. This beautiful geological

Somerset is a county in Southwest England well known for its prehistoric landscape. The stunning landscape is composed of rolling hills, large flat expanses of land and an extensive coastline. Here we list six prehistoric sites that are worth a visit. CHEDDAR GORGE Cheddar Gorge is a limestone gorge formed by meltwater floods during the periglacial periods which have occurred over the last 1.2 million years. The gorge is almost 400 feet deep and three miles long. This is England's largest gorge and it consists of crags, pinnacles and caves. The most popular caves known as Gough's Cave and Cox's Cave, were produced by the activity of an underground river called Cheddar Yeo River which emerges in the lower part of Gough's Cave. The caves contain stalagmites and stalactites which can be visited by the general public. Cheddar Gorge is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest known as Cheddar Complex. The gorge is also known for the discovery of Britain's oldest com

Argentina is known for its stunning and varied landscape. But in Northern Argentina, the landscape becomes more dramatic and also more colourful. Most of the landscape is composed by desert, valleys, hills and mountains. The colourful landscape is the product of a complex geological activity that started around 600 million years ago when the area was still under water. The different colours of sedimentary layers that compose the mountains and hills have been formed during different time periods. The rocks with shades of green are believed to be the oldest ones. Here we have listed four jaw-dropping places that are unmissable in Northern Argentina. FOURTEEN COLOURED MOUNTAIN (SERRANIA DE HORNOCAL) The Fourteen Coloured Mountain is a limestone formation called Yacoraite which is a largely Mesozoic geologic formation. The mountain is mainly composed of rock outcrops from different time periods and it was created between 130 and 65 million years ago. Dinosaur remains and other fossils have

Sarsen stones are sedimentary rocks mostly made up of quartz sand cemented by silica. The stones are found mostly across England, being Wiltshire the county with the largest amount of these stones. It's believed that they were moved to the area through glacial action during the ice age, around 5 to 10 million years ago. Sarsen stones were used in the construction of ancient monument such as Stonehenge and Avebury Stone Circles. But they can also be found scattered naturally across fields. In this post we list 5 places with large amounts of sarsen stones that can be visited in the county of Wiltshire. PIGGLEDENE Piggledene is probably the most famous site of its kind, containing a large amount of sarsen stones scattered across a field. This site is a remnant of a much larger landscape of sandstone periglacial deposits. Many of the stones have been removed in the past to provide building materials in the area. It's possible to see where the stones were worked, split and cut. It&#

Polishing Stones (Polissoirs) are stones that were used for shaping, whetting and polishing stone axes by the Neolithic people. These stones usually contain a polishing bowl and grooves. It's believed that they were used flat so that the water could be kept in the bowl to help with the polishing process. Three examples of these stones can be found in the county of Wiltshire in England. The most famous one is the Fyfield Down Polishing Stone. It's a recumbent sarsen stone believed to be 5,000 years old. The stone contains a polishing bowl and grooves. Not very far from there stands another polishing stone which is part of the West Kennet Avenue. It's believed that this stone was raised at a later date to become part of the avenue of standing stones. This stone also contains a polishing bowl and small grooves. The third polishing stone is a sarsen stone with grooved markings, located in West Woods near the market town of Marlborough. But unlike the others, this stone doesn

King Arthur's Cave is a limestone cave with a double interconnected entrance and two main chambers located in an area of limestone cliffs that were formed 345 million years ago. The caves in this area were cut into the rock by a river flowing along the base of the cliffs. Over time the river dissolved the limestone to form King Arthur's Cave and others. There is evidence that the cave was inhabited from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age period. Bones found during excavations suggest that humans sat around a fire eating red deer about 12,000 years ago. Flint tools and pottery from the Neolithic period were also found in the cave. The cave was excavated in 1871 by Reverend William Symonds. He unearthed bones from lion, giant deer, hyena and bones of ice age animals like woolly rhinoceros, cave bear and woolly mammoth. In the Victorian Era the cave was known as Hyena's Den. It's unclear why its name was changed to King Arthur's Cave. The cave is located in a nat

Somerset is a rural county in South West England, offering a wide range of prehistoric landscapes in addition to impressive ancient sites. The county has a long history of settlement and is known to have been settled from Palaeolithic times. It's steeped in history and folklore, making it the perfect place to explore England's past. Here is a list of the top ancient sites in this amazing county. GLASTONBURY TOR Glastonbury Tor is certainly one of the most iconic ancient sites in England. It's a hill with a 14th century tower on its top which is all that remains of St. Michael's Church. Glastonbury Tor is a conical hill that rises 158m above the Avalon Marshes. Its peculiar shape is due to a combination of the unusual geology and the distinctive terraces surrounding the hill. The top of the hill is formed from a succession of rocks assigned to the Bridport Sand Formation. These rocks sit upon clay and limestones deposited during the early Jurassic Period. Read more about

Glastonbury Tor is certainly one of the most iconic ancient sites in England. It's a hill with a 14th century tower on its top which is all that remains of St. Michael's Church. Glastonbury Tor is a conical hill that rises 158m above the Avalon Marshes. Its peculiar shape is due to a combination of the unusual geology and the distinctive terraces surrounding the hill. The top of the hill is formed from a succession of rocks assigned to the Bridport Sand Formation. These rocks sit upon clay and limestones deposited during the early Jurassic Period. Geologists haven't found a plausible explanation on how the Tor has survived the erosion of the land around it, but it's believed that a nearby natural spring known as Chalice Well could have helped to prevent it. Chalice Well is an ancient spring nestled at the foot of the Glastonbury Tor. The spring flows from the ground and contains high levels of iron, which colours the water red . This water could have hardened an area of

The Toachi River Canyon is a canyon located near the Quilotoa Volcano in Ecuador. It was created by the pyroclastic flows from the volcano's eruptions. The Toachi River Canyon has an average depth of around 40 meters but its highest point is around 100 meters deep. The base of the canyon is formed by volcanic bombs and small stones called lapilli which are rock fragments ejected from the nearby volcano. The canyon gets its name from the Toachi River that runs inside the canyon. The river is famous for its unique rafting conditions. Toachi River Canyon is a spectacular place to visit. It starts at the Quilotoa Volcano and eventually fades into the Andean landscape. The canyon is located in the Cotopaxi Province at an altitude of 3,860 meters above sea level. © All rights reserved

Staunton is a village in the Forest of Dean located near the English/Welsh border. This area is famous for the stunning woodland and for the large amount of stones, boulders and rock outcrops. Some of these are located in England and others in Wales. The Forest of Dean is formed of a raised basin of paleozoic rocks folded in the Variscan Orogeny. Underlain by great thickness of the Old Red Sandstone, the basin is filled with carboniferous limestone and sandstones. The majority of stones and boulders in the area are composed of Old Red Sandstone and quartz conglomerate. It's believed that they have mostly been formed by natural weathering over millions of years. The Staunton Longstone is a Bronze Age standing stone which stands near the A4136 road. Some people believe that the stone was once part of an ancient cemetery. Legend has it that if you prick the stone at midnight it bleeds. The Buck Stone is a local landmark and it's located along a walking trail near the village. It u

Land's End is a headland located at the westernmost point of Cornwall. It's very popular with tourists because of its unique location and beautiful scenery. The headland consists of rugged cliffs, rock arches, sea stacks and off-shore rocky islets. Land's End was formed around 270 million years ago and it's composed of two varieties of granite. Granite is an igneous rock, which means they are resistant to weathering and usually have steep cliff faces. The beautiful rocky coastal scenery is the result of a mass of boiling granite that forced its way through the overlying softer rocks to the surface. Discoveries found on-site prove that people have been traveling to and living at Land's End since the Mesolithic Period. These prehistoric settlers were probably attracted by the metal ores found across Cornwall. Many legends surround Land's End. One of them is the legend of Lyonesse. The Longships are a group of off-shore rocky islets situated over 1 mile west of Lan