Whether exploring the English countryside for historic castles, beautiful gardens or scenic landscapes, the United Kingdom is home to another phenomenon worth a visit: crop circles. These unique formations are steeped in mystery and lore and, with an average of 30 crop circle formations found each year in the country, visitors to the United Kingdom can’t miss these fascinating sites.

Believed by some to be ancient pathways to aid in navigation (while others even claim it to be affiliated with UFOs or aliens), these captivating creations are often found in vast fields near roads and ancient monuments like Stonehenge or Avebury.

As more crop circles emerge, BonusFinder gathered records of crop circles since 2005 to unveil the county with the highest number. For these findings, Monique Klinkenbergh, researcher and founder, Crop Circle Visitor Centre & Exhibition, worked with BonusFinder to discover where visitors can see these crop circles for themselves.

© Andreas Müller

So, where can you find the most crop circles in the United Kingdom? Wiltshire emerges on top with a staggering 380 crop circles present since 2005. The most recent crop circle in Wiltshire was discovered in May 2023 in Broad Hinton, described as a six-fold spinner with standing extensions within a circle.

“Crop circles seem to be attracted by ancient sites such as stone circles, long barrows, hill forts and other archaeological sites, for which Wiltshire is famous,” noted Klinkenbergh. “One of the earliest theories for this attraction is the idea that what has been built by our far ancestors on ancient sites, marked by what has always been part of the landscape: Earth Energies.”

Hampshire comes in second with 51 crop circles. A crop circle in Chilcomb was observed in July 2022, taking on a shape of laid circles and rings within a narrow outer ring. Oxfordshire rounds out the top three with 35 recorded crop circles, the most recent one found in Uffington Castle.

© Rebeccahgriffiths | Dreamstime.com

With many of these crop circles found in scenic counties, visitors to these sites can also enjoy exploring the rest of the county while discovering the crop circle phenomenon. In Wiltshire, located in southwest England, visit iconic Salisbury Cathedral and ancient and imposing Stonehenge, as well as a number of ancient and medieval sites like Cherhill White Horse and Malmesbury Abbey.

Hampshire, the home of historic Winchester (the capital of the Anglo-Saxon’s Wessex) and Winchester Abbey, features Jane Austen’s House Museum; Highclere Castle (for fans of Downton Abbey); and various abbeys, rivers and grand houses worth a trip.

Neighbor to Wiltshire, Oxfordshire is home to some of the most picturesque towns in the country, including parts of the Cotswolds. Popular sites in the county include Chipping Norton, Blenheim Palace and Garden (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and Ashmolean Museum.