Most people visit Tilberthwaite for the walks, old quarries and spectacular views. But hidden amongst the landscape is something far older and, arguably, far more intriguing.

Just a short distance from the track sits the Ting Mound — an ancient meeting place believed to date back to the early medieval period, possibly between the 7th and 10th centuries. Today it looks like a grassy mound with a series of terraces cut into its sides. Easy to overlook. Easy to walk straight past.

But over a thousand years ago, this may have been one of the most important places in the valley.

The word “Ting” comes from the Old Norse word “Thing”, meaning an assembly or meeting. Across Viking-influenced parts of northern Europe, Things were places where communities gathered to settle disputes, discuss local matters and make important decisions. The Ting Mound at Little Langdale is thought to have served exactly this purpose. Its Norse origins fit perfectly with the strong Viking influence still found throughout the Lake District today.

What makes the mound particularly interesting are the terraces that can still be seen around it. The top forms a flat platform, with a series of stepped levels surrounding it.

While nobody knows exactly how the space was used, it is often suggested that those of higher status would have gathered nearer the top, while others stood on the lower terraces below. If that was the case, I suspect I’d have been somewhere near the bottom. Although, on second thoughts, let’s assume I’d have been invited to the top tier. Queen behaviour and all that!

Standing there today, it’s surprisingly easy to imagine the scene. Local leaders debating disputes, farmers gathering to hear decisions, and news travelling across the valley long before phones, emails or village Facebook groups existed.

The mound is often compared to Tynwald Hill on the Isle of Man, another Norse assembly site, which adds weight to the theory that Viking settlers established it centuries ago.

Nowadays, the only discussions you’re likely to hear are walkers deciding where to stop for lunch. But if you find yourself exploring Tilberthwaite, it’s worth taking a moment to stand on the terraces and imagine the conversations that once took place here.

After all, it’s not every day you stumble across what was essentially the Lake District’s version of an open-air parliament.