As is often the case, these sacred sites are not easy to find, so a blog with directions and photos is what was needed. For those of you who are interested, a Logan Stone is a rocking stone.
I have not been well for the past week so I thought a walk in the fresh air would do me good. It certainly did. However, this route is not for the faint hearted. It was quite cardiac for me going up (might have been my age and state of health) and I have since researched and found a gentler route.
From St Ives take the B3306 until you come to the signpost for Zennor.
The Coaster bus stops here but if coming by car then park in the village car park. Walk to this junction and go left for a short distance and you will see a red telephone box on your left.
Walk a little further along the road and your right you will come to a Public Footpath sign, albeit on the ground (I did say these places are hard to find).
This photo shows the footpath. If you are walking at this time of year in Cornwall, best to wear wellies!
As you walk along you will start to notice rocks strewn everywhere. I am reading Peter Knight’s book Dartmoor Mindscapes and refers to these rocks as clitter.
You will eventually come to a stone stile next to a house, which I think is called Rosemorran
Once through, you need to head towards the gate
Another stone stile
Then you start to see the Simulacra (Peter Knight Dartmoor Mindscapes). “There is an inextricable connection between the observer and the observed. This eye of the beholder premise is very ancient” So what I may think is a crone on guard with an eel waiting to pop out, might be seen as totally different to someone else. It was starting to hail as I reached the top and took shelter in the overhang to the left of the photo.
The view as I sheltered in the overhang. I had the strangest feeling that our ancestors did exactly the same. In the summer the views must be absolutely stunning.
And then the rock basins. Peter Knight (Dartmoor Mindscapes) refers “places where water collects, falling from the heavens and filling the rock basins were of great significance”
I remembered to take a bottle with me and collected some for my Full Moon essence
This photo didn’t turn out as I wanted so I will have to take another trip back (what a shame). Peter Knight has a fabulous photo of the holed stone taken from above, in his book. These are rare and are rock basins that have weathered right through (refer Men an Tol)
So many rock formations
But where is the Logan Stone. These could be classed as propped stones?
But this one could be a Logan (Rocking Stone). But I didn’t attempt any of these because a) some of them I couldn’t even climb up on to (I am short so I have been told!) and b) climbing about out there on my own would be too dangerous.
However, I found this little one and it certainly “rocked” for me!
I was starting to feel a bit weary so I decided to lay underneath this overhang and connect with the ancestors. As Peter Knight says in his book “the granite is suspended just inches above the face of anyone lying supine beneath.” I agree with his comment that when laying beneath I momentarily wondered if this was to be the day on which the rock finally chose to collapse!
As a closing photo I have included Aleister Crowley’s deserted bungalow. As you may know, as the infamous occultist, he was classified as “the wickedest man in the world”. It seemed that many shots I wanted to take on this journey, had his house in the background. I just became very aware of him. Thank goodness I had put protection over myself as I wasn’t expecting his house to be right by this sacred site!
Off to find an easier route, so more next time.
Love and hugs