Exploring Duddo Stone Circle

The day after my birthday Mr H and I were lucky enough to get out on another walk while dropping my parents back off at home after their visit. I already shared Baker's most recent photo set that we took the day before my birthday at the beach (click here to see those > Baker's 2021 Photo Set) so now I'm publishing the photos we took on the 13th of October at Duddo Stone Circle.

This is yet another local site that I only became aware of in the past few years, considering being pretty darn familiar with the surrounding area of Ford and Etal. It is also a magical place (just like Twizel Castle that I blogged about earlier this month) and this will be about my 4th visit in about 4 years. Baker stayed with my parents while we ventured out, but it ended up being completely deserted meaning he could have come after all! Never mind, he was rather tired out from his car journeys and playing at the beach.

All in all, it ended up being not only a lovely visit to the Stone Circle but a wonderful wildlife walk too. Enjoy these photos!

Look at that weather! Look at all that wildlife! We got so lucky!
Although once at the top of the hill where the stones stand it was pretty windy we still were blessed with blue skies and multiple flyovers from groups of  Geese who all congregated together at a giant puddle in the lower field - it was absolutely insane to witness especially when stood in the middle of the stones while they passed over so low. 

The Stones themselves are known as Duddo Five Stones, originally four stones pre-1903, the fifth was then re-erected to 'improve the skyline'. In the 1890s during an excavation, it was found that there were actually seven stones altogether. You can see the gap to the west where the other two should be.
They date back some 4000 years to the Early Bronze Age so laying your hand on something that has been there for an unimaginable amount of time, highly weathered by the elements, feels surreal. So, so cool. It goes without saying that the views are incredible too. In the photos above you can see the Cheviot Hills in the image before the feather, to the other side you can see the Lammermuir Hills.

As well as the Stones and Geese we were lucky to have a Stoat cross our path on the way back down the path! It was by an absolute miracle that I got the photo of them, as it was such a quick passing moment and we were still quite far back so I'm very happy with that. Before going through the gates we ventured into a small wooded area in the hopes of catching another glimpse of the Stoat, or a bird or some other wildlife which proved fruitful! Around 5 deer must have been resting in an area to the left of our route and at our footsteps, they bounded off. I may have not gotten any photos but it's always a complete pleasure to see wild deer and we assume someone local was feeding them as there were a couple of small hay bales as well as a water bucket. Nearby those were areas on the floor where it was evident they had been laying, with disturbed earth in the direction they ran off. Not far from there we finally came across what we take to have been a badger sett, how fantastic!

It has been great to look back at these photos again even if I only took them a couple of weeks ago. I hope you have enjoyed them too.

Until next time...