Castlerigg Stone Circle: Access Review.

There are stone circles and then there is Castlerigg stone circle near Keswick in Cumbria.

Managed by English Heritage, it sits proudly like a crown in some of the most spectacular landscape in the UK with Helvellyn and High Seat looming above and looking over the Thirlmere valley to the South. Despite the seemingly otherworldly surroundings, Castlerigg can be easily reached from nearby Keswick.

It is made up of 38 stones and it is thought to be 4500 years old. The largest stone weighs approximately 16 tons so would have required a huge effort to put in place. The circle itself is uneven but the diameter stretches up to 33m in some places. Within the stone circle are two small raised areas resembling burial mounds as well as an area marked out with stones in a rectangle shape. Nobody knows for certain what the purpose of the circle was which simply adds to its magic.

🎟️ Booking.

This is a free site, there is no need to book.

ℹ️ Accessibility Information Availability.

There is no accessibility information on the website, other than to say the ground is uneven and can be slippery in adverse weather conditions.

🚗 Parking.

There is no official car park for Castlerigg stone circle, however on the road there is a large layby for parking (which can be seen at the top of the first picture). The road is in poor condition and the verges can get muddy in wet conditions. Parking is free and available on a first come first served basis.

⚠️ This is a very popular site and the parking spaces can fill up very quickly, especially in Summer. We have found visiting early in the day gives a better chance of securing a space.

🩼 Mobility.

The stone circle is situated on a slight hill with uneven ground. The ground is grass and so can get slippery and muddy with wet weather. There are sometimes sheep in the field, but they generally keep themselves to themselves. In dry weather, if the grass is short, it would be feasible to use a powered wheelchair or scooter to access the site. Please see the pictures below for the type of gate used to access the site to determine whether a chair or scooter could fit through. For reference the bin pictured (first picture) is a standard heritage bin with a diameter of 57cm, the typical width of a standard powered chair is 56-66cm.

The distance from the gate to the stone circle is approximately 70m.

🎧 Sensory.

The site is quiet, even when busy. As it is open to the elements there may be some sensory challenges regarding weather, as well as the sheep muck on the floor. Otherwise, the site is wide open.

🚽 Toilets.

 There are public toilets in Keswick in the Bell Close car park, however finding information about them has been difficult and may be unreliable. The accessible toilet is not clearly marked, at the front of the toilets is the ladies with a small sign on the side indicating that the gents are round the back. The accessible toilet can be found next to the gents and require a RADAR key. It is worth noting that this information and photo below (credit to Russell Holden) are six years old. According the Cumberland Council, there are also accessible toilets at the Lakeside car park (requiring a RADAR key or 40p) and an accessible toilet in the Booths supermarket (parking in the Booths carpark is free for up to an hour).

The nearest (reliable) Changing Places toilets can be found at the Rheged Centre Services approximately 14 miles away near Penrith.

☕️ Food and Drink.

There are no standard facilities here, however in the Summer there is often an ice cream van parked outside (bring cash as signals for card readers can be unreliable) and picnics are allowed on site (although remember to take your rubbish with you when you leave). There are no picnic facilities here, so remember to bring a blanket. Otherwise food and drink can be easily found in the many outlets in Keswick town centre, a short drive away.

🪑 Rest Opportunities.

There are no benches in the field to rest on. There is also a strict no climbing policy on the stones themselves.

🦻 Hearing.

There are no facilities for those hard of hearing on site. There is some written information near the gate.

📖 Visual Guides.

There is a relief map of the stone circle near the gate.

🐕‍🦺 Assistance Dogs.

Dogs are welcome on site, but must remain on leads at all times and owners must be aware that there may be sheep in the field.

Our verdict.

Castlerigg is somewhere we have visited time and time again and will continue to do so until we are unable. It is a magical place that feels really special in all weathers, at all times of the year and at all times of the day. If you are in the North Lakes, or even if you are driving up North towards Scotland, it's definitely worth making a detour for.

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