Forget Stonehenge, Visit Britain's Dreamiest Stone Circle With Mountain Views Inside A National Park

The towering prehistoric stones of Stonehenge are among Britain's most recognizable sights, but the country's landscape holds other, less-famous stone circles with mysteries of their own. One stands near the town of Keswick in England's Lake District National Park. The Castlerigg Stone Circle rests on a hilltop plateau with views towards the surrounding mountain peaks. Its 38 stones, some rising over 7 feet high (via English Heritage), form an ancient monument where visitors can contemplate how people lived and gathered thousands of years ago while taking in the scenery of the Lake District.

The ancient stone circle of Castlerigg likely dates back 4,500 years, when Neolithic farming communities hauled enormous glacial boulders into position. The largest at Castlerigg weighs up to 16 tons, so the boulder would have needed a sizable community to move it. What drew those ancient people here hasn't been fully deciphered, but the setting offers some clues. The circle sits along routes that may once have connected communities moving seasonally between lowland farms and higher-elevation grazing grounds, according to the National Trust. Some researchers think the circle might have been a gathering place for trading and socializing along the way. Other theories propose that it could have been a site for seasonal ceremonies, since the largest stone roughly aligns with the midwinter sunrise.

Whatever the reason for Castlerigg Stone Circle's creation, it could make for a unique trip for travelers spending time in the picturesque villages of England's Lake District. You can get there in under 30 minutes by bus from Keswick's center, while Manchester is about a 2.5-hour drive away.

Where Stonehenge has a reputation as one of the world's disappointing attractions, in part because the circle itself is typically roped off from visitors, that's not the case for Castlerigg Stone Circle. Visitors to Castlerigg can walk right into the standing stone circle, getting a closer look at their weathered surfaces and arrangement. The circle is free to visit during daylight hours, with limited parking available next to it. Previous visitors have noted that it doesn't get very crowded. "The place was sparsely visited even during the long weekend when we visited. The panoramic view of hills surrounding it was just spectacular," a Google Maps reviewer writes.

As you wander around Castlerigg Stone Circle, look out for a couple of curious details beyond the overall ring. On one side, there's a rectangular grouping of smaller stones within the larger circle, sometimes called the "sanctuary" — though no one knows for sure what it was used for. Two small mounds in the circle also have uncertain origins, but English Heritage notes that they resemble ancient burial mounds.

Stepping back, you can take in the stones against the surrounding mountains. The view includes the high, jagged peak of Helvellyn and the more rounded fell of High Seat. If you want to explore further, walking routes wind from the circle into the hilly landscape. One route leading from the circle covers around 4 miles along lanes and footpaths toward Tewet Tarn, a little lake, and up the modest summit of Low Rigg. Travelers looking for more mountain views in the Lakes District can also consider a trip to the Thirlmere Infinity Pool.