Swastika Stone Traditional Cache
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Ancient rock carving on a high location with great views across the Wharfedale valley.
High on a rocky crag overlooking the Wharfedale valley lies a rock known as the Swastika Stone. It gains its name from an ancient swirling swastika pattern carved into it. The carving is at least 2000 years old, from a time long before the swastika symbol was imbued with its modern sinister meaning by Hitler's misappropriation of it for the Nazi party.
Like the many other rock carvings across the country, its purpose is now long forgotten. Do its points really align in some mystical way with the other rock carvings on the moor as some have suggested? Could it be some sort of astronomical indicator for periodic events in the solar year? Or was it just a doodle done by some ancient Briton with time on their hands as they looked out across the valley?
For the modern Briton with a motorcar, the best approach to it is via the picturesque Heber's Ghyll on the western edge of Ilkley. Park on Heber's Ghyll Drive close to LS29 9QG, just to the west of the junction with Premiere Park (see waypoint, below). Then follow the path up the side of the stream with its bridges and waterfalls. There are two paths up from the road - don't take the one that has steps immediately, but instead take the one that leads to the first wooden bridge and stays close to the stream.
The steep climb to the top of the ghyll has lots of steps and takes 15 to 30 minutes to do, depending on your level of fitness and how much time you spend sitting on the benches on the way up. The Swastika Stone is another 5 to 10 minutes along the crag from the top of the ghyll.
There are several other ancient rock carvings on the moor. In the cache is a card giving a GPS references for some of them. If you follow the suggested route on the card it'll take you on a 3-mile circular route to see some of them, starting and ending at the Swastika Stone.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre n ovt ebpx, evtug arkg gb n arneyl iregvpny fyno.
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