Lightning marks

[thomasdevon]

Have occasionally noticed circular scorch marks on Dartmoor and wondered if these are scars or strike points from lightning. Noticed one or two fresh-looking ones last couple of days and we did have serious thunder storms a few weeks back. Anybody know what lightning strike points look like?
 
These marks are circular, about 2-4ft diameter, with a bowl or saucer-shaped profile but only about 9" deep. They don't seem to be campfires and are on the open moor, not in the places where walkers would camp. Wish I'd had a camera with me.

[joester]

Seemingly not much info on the internet about what a lightning strike point on open ground would/should look like.
 
If that is what these are, you may find a 'fulgarite' in the middle of them (where the silica in the soil has been fused together into a root-like structure).
 
Campfire sites you'd expect to be in places of shelter, and you'd find part-burnt wood (etc) that had obviously been bought in to the area.
 
Were the marks on more elevated areas?
 
They may be sites used as ignition sources for  'swaling' :
 
http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/swaling_moor.htm
 
but it is the wrong time of year for that if some of them looked fresh.
 
There have been some dodgy goings on on Dartmoor (involving burnt ground) linked to satanic activity, so perhaps these are left over from rituals?!

[archaeoroutes]

Which bit of Dartmoor? If on the ranges there is the possibility of a flare setting fire to a little bit of moor.

[thomasdevon]

Hmmm, fulgarites - haven't heard of these but I will poke about a bit next time I come across one of these things.
 
Only been walking on north Dartmoor and only noticed these marks when off trackways so typically between Dinger Tor and Fur Tor. Could be military (have found bit of a flare or firework or something once in this area) but no debris in immediate area.

[archaeoroutes]

I've only ever found one fulgarite. It was in sand - very cool.