Ilderton
Stone Circle
NT 971 205
This is about 5 miles SSW of the town of Wooler and needs a long walk to get to it. Take the turning signed Wooperton and Rodham and follow the lanes west. Follow the signs then for Calder until you come to a wooden sign for Calder after a couple of miles where the lane forks. Take the right fork here and pass a quarry on your left. Park at the junction where it says Private Road. There is a public footpath down this track that you need to take for about three miles. The footpath goes through the garden of Threestoneburn house. Go over the wooden bridge in the garden and take the footpath going right that bends up towards the trees. You will see the circle before the trees on the left. A stile provides access to the site.
View to the West
Of the 16 stones here only five still stand. The large oval measures around 36 by 30m (118 by 96ft) and the stones range in height from 0.5 to 1.4m (1.75 to 4.5ft). The arc of standing stones is to the NW and about 15m to the north are about 5 more stones including one large fallen slab that lay in a vague ring about 10m across. There may be more stones in the turf. The site is built on a slight slope. An excavation in 1862 revealed charcoal inside the ring.
The NW arc
It is a long walk to the site but it is quite pleasant as the views are excellent.
Northumberland sites -