Thornborough Henges

Three huge circular henges stand in a line across the fields between West Tanfield and Nosterfield, and English Heritage notes they are sometimes described as the Stonehenge of the North. They were built about 4,500 years ago over an earlier monument. Their banks originally stood up to 4 metres high, each broken by two opposing entrances, and in the early Bronze Age people built burial mounds nearby.

English Heritage says people gathered here, many travelling some distance, for ceremonies and funeral rituals for at least 2,000 years. Today the henges sit in fields grazed by sheep, free to walk at any reasonable time in daylight.

From Tea Time Cafe at 87 Market Place, the henges are about 25 minutes by car to the west. English Heritage gives the postcode DL8 2RA, but that lands you in West Tanfield village, so set the satnav for the parking points instead.

For the northern henge, park at the Nosterfield Nature Reserve car park off Moor Lane and walk north on the public footpath for about 10 minutes to the gate. The northern henge also has a main entrance gate off Nosterfield Lane and a pedestrian gate on the public footpath between Nosterfield Lane and the B6267. For the central and southern henges, there is a small amount of layby parking at the entrance gates, at grid reference SE 28635 79363. Roadside parking is prohibited, and English Heritage asks walkers to take extra care crossing the main roads.

Car-free, the 159 bus between Richmond and Ripon serves West Tanfield, so you would need to reach Ripon first. The timetable we found is dated April 2024, so check it is still current before relying on it, and allow for a walk from the village to the henges.

Start at Nosterfield and walk up to the northern henge. Go in through one entrance, follow the inside of the bank round, and find the second entrance on the opposite side. Standing in the middle gives the best sense of how large the enclosure is.

Then drive round to the layby at the central and southern henges and walk through the gates. The fencing around the central henge banks has now been removed. Look out for the burial mounds from the early Bronze Age that English Heritage records nearby. Nosterfield Nature Reserve sits beside the car park if you want a longer stop on the way back.

Three henges in a line, built over an earlier monument and used for at least 2,000 years, are the main event. It is free and open in daylight, so it fits easily into a morning before Masham or an afternoon on the way back from Hackfall. The ground is relatively flat compared with the gorge walks to the west, and dogs are welcome on a short lead.

Wear boots or sturdy shoes, because English Heritage describes the paths as uneven and grassy. Keep dogs on a short lead the whole time, as sheep graze the henge fields, including in-lamb ewes. Keep off the banks and keep to the footpaths and desire lines. Smoking, vaping, barbecues and naked flames are prohibited, and so are fires and camping. Some areas may be cordoned off while conservation work goes on, so follow the signs on the day. Bring water and food with you. Allow about an hour for all three henges, or half an hour for one, and go in daylight.