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Here comes the sun
The holed stone in Northumberland is situated at Thompson's Rock on the lower slopes of the Beacon on Simonside.
If you are a keen walker this area is surely worth a visit. Re-discovered in 1987 by David Thompson, it has a ragged two to three inch diameter hole running through it of about one and a half meters in length.
Whilst the hole is possibly natural, although this has not yet been proven, Crispian Oates who studied this area in great detail has suggested that a ritual center linked with solar movements may have existed in this area. And why not?
If you are a keen walker this area is surely worth a visit. Re-discovered in 1987 by David Thompson, it has a ragged two to three inch diameter hole running through it of about one and a half meters in length.
Whilst the hole is possibly natural, although this has not yet been proven, Crispian Oates who studied this area in great detail has suggested that a ritual center linked with solar movements may have existed in this area. And why not?
The sun through the hole
Just before the sun sets, slowly light rays appear through gradually filling up the hole within seconds. The sun rays shone through the hole for almost 8 minutes. This is an amazing example of a Solar Observatory.
On the 20th of June Newcastle Astronomical Society visited the Holed stone at Simonside on the evening of the Summer solstice. To see the sun shine through the holed stone. Findings have shown that the holed stone is aligned with the rising and setting of the sun at the solstices. I was there to witness the event.