Tips for exploring stone circles

Did you know that there are around 1,000 stone circles in the UK? And possibly many more that have either been buried or just lost in time. They are great places to go for walkies with your furry friend while exploring ancient and mysterious landscapes.

We were surprised to learn about this large number of circles and decided to start travelling around the UK to learn more about these ancient sites. That being said, one thing is visiting them and another is knowing what to do there. That in itself is quite a journey, and along the way we've discovered a few interesting ways to connect with the circles and the surrounding landscape. Not to even mention how much Inca, our beautiful Eurasian dog, loves to roam and explore them with us!

Some do let their dogs run freely, however if they like to chase sheep that roam here, we'd recommend being very careful (talking from experience!)

The harness is her least favourite thing to wear, but it's a necessity when we know there are sheep about - otherwise she'll just end up strangling herself on the lead. When she was a puppy we had to work quite hard to get her to stop pulling when other animals are about, which can often be the case in the rural places we visit. A little gentle spray of water on her nose has seemed to work and she doesn't pull anywhere near as much as before.

Stonehenge is the most well-known and visited ancient site in the UK and the discoveries continue to surprise archaeologists to this day. Stonehenge, like many other ancient sites, is said to be a special place for important rituals and ceremonies.

In another blog soon we'll dive deeper into Stonehenge and its fascinating history. There are countless other ancient sites where you can closely explore the magnificence of ancient builders and what connection the sites have with celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon and the stars. In general, many stone circles and other ancient sites are aligned to the rising and setting sun of summer and winter solstices. Luckily we don't have to wait for these days to explore them, as there are many things you can do here - such as learn to detect the energies the sites emit.

An ancient site we have visited numerous times is the Nine Ladies Stone Circle in Peak District. Talking to a local farmer, we learned that a quarry business was going to buy the land and turn it into a crumble. This resulted in hundreds of people moving to the site permanently, protesting and ensuring that this important and incredibly valuable piece of history will be protected and saved for generations to come. Some actually lived there for more than 10 years!

We can't help but send a massive Thank You to those brave individuals, as this ancient site and many surrounding ones have given us so much, and they also continue to be visited and enjoyed by many others too.

You never know who you meet around the ancient sites, and we tend to get a lot of useful tips and ideas from others, especially about the history, legends and how to explore the sites. A woman at the Nine Ladies stone circle told us that one of the stones emits a kind of warm energy, which indeed seemed to be the case when you hover over it with your hand. Many sources actually say that stone circles are placed in particularly special locations - often meeting points of 'energy lines' called ley lines.

So what are some of the ways to actually connect with the energies of this place, and stone circles in general?

Having watched a documentary about a stone circle near Oxford, called Rollright Stones, we saw how a local man used dowsing rods to explore the energies of the site and how the tool would 'show' these. Dowsing is something that has been practiced for thousands of years, particularly to find water, minerals, lost items, and even to locate electromagnetic fields.

Finally, we found something that we can actually do on the ancient sites and we went ahead to buy a pair of dowsing rods from Amazon. Since then, we've used them on countless sites and they've been incredibly fascinating to work with. You can use dowsing rods to detect bands of energy; it's all very fascinating when you experience it first hand! Some say that it is the dowser themselves that make the rods move, however if you have several people try the rods in the same place, it's likely you'll get pretty similar results.

If you test dowsing rods in the Nine Ladies stone circle in Peak District, you might sense particular shifts and energies - especially if, or when, you see the rods reveal an energy line through the middle of the circle. These are called ley lines and can be detected by dowsing rods, and there's a great book to learn more about dowsing in a handy guide from Hamish Miller: https://amzn.to/3PUYaRd

Dowsing rods can be used to detect energy lines and water lines. Many also use them to ask "yes and no" questions, or to "show me" where something is located. Interestingly, many stone circles have 'ditches' and underground water spirals around them. Many sources say that these sites and particular spots within them can have a somewhat healing and energising effect on human beings.

In the ancient days an equivalent tool was a branch of yew tree, a triangular shape that is held in your hands and with the pointy end towards the ground. This would be used to find water, with the rod pointing to a source when 'found'. It's important to note that many stone circles and significant ancient sites are built upon springs, and many dowsers find spirals of energy (water) within stone circles.

In our modern days, some might think "Well why is this important to do?" In our opinion and as a fact of life, water is one of the true essential ingredients in life that we actually really need. So if you are ever in a situation where this is an absolute necessity, knowing how to find water could save your life.

The center of a stone circle are said to be particularly powerful. It may be that standing in the middle could have healing or energising effects on human beings. If you relax and stand in the middle for a while, you may actually feel tingling or other interesting sensations. These are very personal experiences that can only be felt or explained when you do it yourself.

Meditation is another great way to connect with the energies of ancient sites - just closing your eyes and breathing deep, letting your mind wander into the times of the ancients. To get the best and quietest meditation experience, it's probably best to avoid visiting the sites during busy weekends or bank holidays. When you're meditating and having visual images, you can use the dowsing rods to ask for more information about what you're experiencing.

There are many theories, but no one really knows for sure why stone circles were built and what they were used for. The information board by the Nine Ladies describes a legend where nine local women were dancing here on a Sabbath. This resulted in them being turned into stone. It was interesting to read this as it's not the first time we've seen this kind of description or legend. Many of these legends came about when Christianity swept across the world, with many stories having aspects of being turned into stone or dealing with the devil. One can only ponder why visiting the circles was so discouraged.

If you're looking to explore ancient sites in the UK, Nine Ladies stone circle is a great day or evening out! Often you'll find like-minded people who you can chat with about the mysteries of the place. On the way you'll find Stanton Moor with countless historic and moss covered structures, or depending where you're coming from the Cork Stone - some brave enough to climb up it! Also, there is parking just a few minutes walk from the Cork Stone. But once again, beware of the sheep…

There are specialists on the subject of stone circles and dowsing, such as Maria Wheatley. She has written several books on how to connect with and explore Earth's energies. We also had the pleasure of meeting her at a Megalithomania conference where she was a guest speaker, sharing her research about beneficial Earth energies. We've learnt a lot about dowsing from her book: https://amzn.to/3LHdPB0

We'll be sharing more about ancient and historic places, such as the nearby Arbor Low and Gibb Hill. Arbor Low is a unique stone circle that is said to be connected to Stonehenge by a ley line. It is in fact one of the largest stone circles in the country, located on a farmer's field a few miles from the Nine Ladies, and definitely worth visiting. We hope you enjoy exploring these magical places as much as we do!