There are many stone circles in England, quite a few of them in the Peak District within an easy drive of my home, but my favourite is Castlerigg, near Keswick in the Lake District. Most stone circles make the hairs on my neck rise, as if the ancients are trying to communicate with me, but Castlerigg does this more than most. Surrounded by Blencathra, Helvellyn, and other high fells, it really is a theatrical location for whatever went on there. Built about 3000 BC, it contains 38 stones ranging from 1 to 2½ metres high, and is 30 metres in diameter. The experts still can’t agree on the purpose of Neolithic circles such as Castlerigg, apart from their being meeting places, possibly with astronomical significance. That’s fine by me, it adds to the air of mystery, but what attracts me to paint is the combination of visual magnificence and the fact that I’m walking on the same ground as someone else did 5000 years ago! It’s a half hour footpath walk from Keswick, as there’s very limited parking at the site, and Keswick is a good place to leave the car as there are many great views across Derwentwater from the edge of town.