29/09/2025
The Grey Ladies.
Friday night found me at 9 Stones Close, a Neolithic/Bronze Age Stone Circle near the town of Matlock with Phill Fisher and Lace Light Photos I met them in a layby just after sunset for an evening of chat, 6 Music, light painting and stars. Lots of stars.
After a quick brew, a Tunnocks Tea Cake and a catch up we proceeded to the Stone Circle.
On arrival we were greeted by a perfectly still evening, zero cloud cover and no moon. Perfect for capturing the night sky. Especially in an area with very little light pollution.
Being stood under the arch of the Milky Way, wondering about the history of such a place throughout the ages was intoxicating to me.
I found the below excerpt on ( www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/ninestones.htm ) whilst looking into its history which made me laugh...
"There are several legends and myths attached to the circle, one claims that the stones dance at midday, another says they dance at midnight, while locals in the 19th century claimed that strange lights were sometimes seen in nearby wood. Another story recorded in the 19th century tells of a farm labourer who found a clay pipe at the stones, and when he smoked it, was able to see through the surface of the earth near one of the stones to a land inhabited by fairy folk".
I didn't see any fairies or smoke any discarded clay pipes but I did have an awesome time in excellent company all the same.
Cheers to Phill and Paul for their company, lighting and modelling skills.
Happy days.
