Boscawen-Un Stone Circle View all content for Boscawen-Un

Visited 22/4/10 - I have copied details of the walk we took in case it is of help to anyone without a car planning a visit - see below my fieldnote. Having managed to get lost a couple of days previously while walking back to the Merry Maidens across fields from Lamorna we followed the directions of the walk reproduced below to the letter - and it worked. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon with a fresh breeze – perfect walking weather. Many of the stiles have 'snagging' blackthorn hedges growing around them so a pair of jeans is recommended walking attire. Boscawen-Un was everything I had imagined; 'magical' is an over-used word when describing ancient sites but this one really is. My previous experience of a stone circle was Avebury so finding this perfect small circle of nineteen stones with it leaning 'sun-dial' centre stone and one white quartz stone was beyond superlatives. There were two women sitting in the centre when we arrived so we just sat down outside the circle and waited quietly. After about 15 minutes they left wishing us an enjoyable visit. It was pretty much perfect - a stone circle encircled by yellow gorse and creamy blackthorn blossom; a pale half-moon in the clear blue sky. I didn't really want to leave and definitely took the spirit of the place with me when I did. Walk taken from the Signpost 'Discover St Buryan and Lamorna' leaflet. The route follows public rights of way but may be heavily overgrown in summer. Shorts are not advised at such times (Note: a 'hedge' in Cornwall refers to a granite wall). 1. From the St Buryan Inn walk along the Penzance road, passing the Anglican church on your left. Continue along the main road (no pavement on the LH side) and, just before the St Buryan Garage, go left at a public footpath sign and follow the path between the house, crossing two stone stiles to reach an open field. Trend right across the middle of the field towards a telegraph pole, then cross a stile into another field. Keep ahead past a gap in the field hedge and continue keeping the hedge on your left. Soon, cross left over another stile, and continue with the hedge on your right. 2. At the field corner, bear left, then after a few yards go right over a stile and keep ahead down the right hand side of the next field. Where the hedge bends sharply right, then quickly left, with the hedge on your right. At the bottom corner of the field, go left along its bottom edge for 150 yards (137m) then go right over a stile into another field. Continue with the field hedge on your right and descend towards a wooded valley. 3. Descend stone steps and follow a rough path to cross a fine little 'clapper' bridge. Continue out the trees and bear up left* then right to emerge onto a broad track. Go right, and through a gate into a field. Cross the middle of the field towards a small, isolated, granite barn next to a farmhouse. At the bottom of the field cross a stone stile beside a field gate, then bear left through another gate into a field. Pass the small barn, then keep ahead with the field hedge on your right. At the bottom of the field, step over some boulders onto a footpath between high hedgerows. 4. Turn left and follow the path for about 400 yards (366m). Where the path bears right go left through a wooden gate to reach Boscawen-Un stone circle. Reverse the directions to return to St Buryan. * This has now changed slightly and you should bear up right where there is a new stile. We went left as directed to find a single strand of barbed wire across the path – it didn't cause a problem and we noticed the stile a few metres along.

Posted by tjj 4th May 2010ce Edited 6th May 2010ce

Comments (1)
Magic fieldnotes Tjj, I feel like I walked to that place myself now. Keep doin the do!	Posted by drewbhoy 6th May 2010ce
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