Backstone Circle

There are so many gems on Ilkley Moor that you could have a wander and just stumble on artwork, ancient carvings and cup & ring marks, however, this stone circle takes a bit more finding. There are more impressive stone circles on the moors here, including the Twelve Apostles, however it's still worth a wander to see as the backdrop to it is beautiful.

Despite being marked on maps and various apps, we struggled to find it at first as it was well hidden amongst long grass and blended into the remains of an old stone building or wall that had been built at a later date. We finally spotted three prominent standing stones slightly uphill from the path and realised we were in the right place.

There is not much information about this stone circle, but discussion online suggests it may not be a prehistoric circle after all. The stones are certainly neater than those at the Twelve Apostles suggesting that there might not have been centuries of rain and winds weathering the stones. There is plenty of evidence that other monuments and stones have been tampered with over the years too - the Victorians carving out a copy of the 'Swastika Stone' in the Northern part of the moor being one example. So it could well be that this isn't a bronze age monument, but I think it's impossible that anyone could know for sure without some digging, so we can just admire it for what it is.

Below is a copy of the Swastika Stone, created in Victorian times, with the original much trickier to find and hidden away behind some metal railings. In ancient civilisations, the Swastika would have been a symbol which related to the sun, rather than the connotations it has today.

Similar to the Twelve Apostles, the Backstone Circle is more than likely a ring cairn, which was made up of one circle inside another, surrounded by an outer bank of earth and stone. It would have likely been used for religious purposes if indeed it was at all. As mentioned though, this is a beautiful place for a wander regardless of it's purpose so just admire the views of the moors and enjoy a lovely walk.